hallyu

Where does the word "hallyu" come from? It comes from Korean hallyu, and was adopted directly into English (2000s-2010s).

Hallyu’s story begins in Korean: hallyu meant “the international spread of Korean popular culture.” Literally 'Korean wave', a term first coined by Chinese journalists to describe surging Korean pop culture. It reached English by 2000s-2010s as hallyu. Chinese journalists coined 'Korean wave' in the late 1990s; BTS and 'Squid Game' brought it worldwide. Today, hallyu means the global popularity and export of South Korean pop culture, including music, film, and television.

1. Stage 1 · Korean · 1990s hallyu "the international spread of Korean popular culture", literally 'Korean wave', a term first coined by Chinese journalists to describe surging Korean pop culture.
2. Stage 2 · English · 2000s-2010s hallyu "the global boom in Korean popular culture", Chinese journalists coined 'Korean wave' in the late 1990s; BTS and 'Squid Game' brought it worldwide.