For one, South Africa has a Hallyu fan culture that is steadily (if not exponentially) expanding. K-Pop, K-Dramas, K-Food, and K-Beauty are becoming more and more popular thanks to their endearing impact. South Africa has also contributed to Hallyu in its own way. From influencing K-Pop songs through a South African genre to a South African choreographer choreographing a top girl group's comeback, and more. As such, South Africa and Hallyu are becoming more closely intertwined.
Additionally, South Africa has a deep history with South Korea. Having celebrated the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 2022, a number of commemorative events were held last year in honor of the 3-decade-long relationship, as well.
Today, let's take a look at how close the cultural exchange between South Africa and South Korea is. We'll take a look at how Hallyu has grown in South Africa and where it stands today, too.
South Africa is One of the Top Markets for K-Pop in Sub-Saharan Africa
South Africa has been dubbed the top market for K-Pop in Sub-Saharan Africa. In the rankings, South Africa has the biggest market for K-Pop followed by Kenya and Nigeria, respectively. "There's been a 93% year-on-year increase in K-Pop streams in Sub-Saharan Africa in 2022, accounted for by over 3 billion hours of streaming. It's clear from this data that K-Pop is not just a passing phase but has a devoted and growing African fandom" - Phiona Okumu, Head of Music at Spotify for Sub-Saharan Africa. The most popular K-Pop group in South Africa is BTS with artists like BLACKPINK, ATEEZ, Stray Kids, and recently NewJeans in the top ranks, as well. "Streaming has become instrumental in not only enabling the discovery of African music abroad but also in exposing African listeners to new and unexpected sounds." - Phiona Okumu More and more South Africans have been steadily discovering the charm of K-Pop music in recent years
Hallyu's Growth in South Africa
The First K-Pop Group To Perform In South Africa
Recently, South African K-Pop fans achieved a great feat. The boy group MustB became the first K-Pop boy group to perform in South Africa at the Cape Town "K-Wave Festa" event. The show also featured performances from the stage show "Nanta" and the b-boy dance team Jinjo Crew. The event was held in honor of the two countries' 30th anniversary as diplomatic partners. Many fans were excited by the announcement and went out to support the performers. MustB's performance has particularly gotten South African fans wondering which K-Pop groups will start venturing to South Africa next. Hopefully, South Africa and other African countries can look forward to seeing their names on K-Pop group world tour posters more frequently soon!
The Increase of Interest in K-Dramas From the General Public
K-Dramas are another piece of Korean pop culture becoming popular in South Africa. Thanks to streaming and OTT platforms, they have become accessible globally and easier to watch Some events even make a special effort to show the connection between South Korean and South African culture. Below, you can see a photo from an event called "Culture Connected" that was held in honor of a cultural crossover between the two countries. This article is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to describing the passion South Africans are developing for all things K. Hopefully this passion will be recognized soon and lead to acknowledgment from the world of Korean entertainment, translating into more opportunities for Hallyu lovers and fans in South Africa.