By Honorary Reporter Ayushi Kharayat from India
Photos = Lucero Santiago

Kmagazine, a leading Spanish-language site for Hallyu (Korean Wave) news and celebrity interviews, in 2020 was chosen for the K-Startup Grand Challenge, a startup accelerator by Korea's National IT Industry Promotion Agency and Ministry of SMEs and Startups.

Its selection made it eligible for government support for expanding on the Korean market.

Founder and editor-in-chief Lucero Santiago, a former journalist at a Mexican magazine and newspaper as well as a Super Junior fan, left her job to start a blog on Korean culture. 

This blog evolved into the site, which has 500,000 monthly visitors. I discovered this site while searching for influential platforms on Korean culture and was impressed by its impact in the Spanish-speaking world. 

Santiago is now based in Seoul. Below are excerpts from an email interview from June 14-20 with her.

Lucero Santiago, founder and editor-in-chief of Kmagazine

How did you get interested in Korean culture and set up Kmagazine?
I first learned about Korean culture in the early 2000s through the K-dramas "Winter Sonata" and "Daejanggeum (Jewel in the Palace)." Later, a group of researchers at my university invited me to a club for outstanding Asian and Korean students, and I took classes run by the Korea Foundation. 

Over time, I fell in love with Korean music, cuisine, language and history. This inspired me to specialize as a journalist in Hallyu and Korean content, eventually leading to the launch of Kmagazine.

How did you deal with the initial lack of interest in things Korean in Latin America?
During my university years, my professors encouraged my curiosity but the real challenge came in my career. As a journalist, I wanted to show that my passion for Korean culture was serious and significant. Convincing newspaper and magazine editors of this was difficult, as mainstream media showed minimal interest. This inspired me to launch Kmagazine, through which we cultivated a community of Asian culture enthusiasts and proved to the media that a substantial audience exists.

What has changed Latino perceptions of Korean culture over the years?
Only a decade ago, many people didn't even know where Korea was, but today, its unique pop culture has made it globally recognized. The increase in exports like kimchi, ramyeon (instant noodles) and soju (clear liquor) and popularity of K-dramas reflect this shift. I also see more bazaars and small businesses venturing into Korean content and global companies like Live Nation and Ocesa bringing K-pop acts to Latin America.

What challenges did you encounter while launching and expanding this platform?
Transitioning from a hobby to a job posed several challenges. Firstly, it required staff who shared the same values and mission. Initially, Kmagazine was a volunteer project, but from 2023, we began paying part of our team in transitioning to a startup. 

With K-pop's growing popularity, competition from other media forced us to continuously reinvent ourselves. Our goal is not just to be a digital platform but to foster a community where individuals feel heard and find original content.

Lucero Santiago in November 2020 introduces her Kmagazine team to the audience at the K-Startup Grand Challenge in Goyang, Gyeonggi-do Province.

Coming to Korea for the K-Startup Grand Challenge opened opportunities to work directly in the industry. This experience allowed us to collaborate with top Korean entertainment companies, leading to exclusive content with artists like TWICE, ITZY and Super Junior and partnerships with major K-pop agencies and companies like Netflix.

Additionally, we led projects with the Korean government like the "Hola K-culture!" scholarship for Mexican students in collaboration with the Academy of Korean Studies and museums in Mexico City. 

Hallyu Fest is an annual event in Mexico City organized by Kmagazine for young Latino fans of Korean culture.

What are your goals for Kmagazine?

I initially wanted to create a Hallyu site for Mexico, but after discovering that people around the world read the site, I decided to make Kmagazine No. 1 in Latin America. And after acquiring a more global perspective from living in Korea for three years, my goal is to be No. 1 in the world.

How do you see the future of Hallyu in Latin America?
As a researcher in this field, I believe that Korean culture has gone from niche interest to a sector that gradually captivates new generations and audiences. Mexico is seeing more Hallyu shows and investment from companies like Hybe. Likewise, the Korean language is growing in popularity every year, motivating more Latin Americans to learn it.

msjeon22@korea.kr

*This article is written by a Korea.net Honorary Reporter. Our group of Honorary Reporters are from all around the world, and they share with Korea.net their love and passion for all things Korean.