Why did Hanam (Korea) Mayor Lee Hyeon-jae bring up “Kedeheon” at a meeting?
Mayor Lee Hyeon-jae of Hanam City, Korea, mentioned the global hit “ K-Pop Demon Hunters ” ( hereafter referred to as “K-Demon Hunters ”) at a weekly meeting held on the 21st, and emphasized, “ As K-culture has become the center of global culture and economy, Hanam City should also lead this trend through the K-Star World project. ”
Released on Netflix on June 20th, Kadehen ranked #2 overall and #1 among Netflix children’s films in the United States, and #1 in 11 countries, including South Korea.
The OST’s success is also dazzling. The representative song “Golden ” rose to No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, proving the global influence of K-pop sounds. It also topped the Billboard Global 200 and Global (excluding the U.S.) charts and is being mentioned as a candidate for next year’s Academy Award for Best Original Song.
This craze is spreading beyond music to encompass all industries. Official Netflix merchandise sold out, and the number of visitors to the National Museum of Korea’s online shop soared 70-fold, from an average of 7,000 to 500,000 per day.
Mayor Lee Hyeon-jae stated this, “ What Kadehen has shown is not simply the success of content, but the fact that K-culture has become a key engine that moves the global economy. ”
He continued, “ However, since it is produced in Japan and serviced through an American platform, the profits go to them, ” and said, “ We need to face the reality that although Korean artists and K-pop are at the center, the profit structure is concentrated overseas, not in Korea. ”
Indeed, the success of “Kedehun ” has evoked a self-deprecating response: “Korea sows the seeds, while the US and Japan reap the harvest.”
While the film’s natural incorporation of Korean elements has a significant soft power effect, the limitations of the industry’s structure remain evident. Experts point out that unless a domestic production and distribution system is established, this imbalance is likely to recur.
Mayor Lee Hyeon-jae said, “ We must learn from this case,” and emphasized, “ The K-Star World project promoted by Hanam City is a world-class cultural complex that combines a K-pop concert hall and a film studio. We must simultaneously build the hardware and develop a content strategy at the same time . ”
Last year, Hanam City established an institutional foundation for large-scale projects by revising the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport’s guidelines for lifting development restrictions and introducing a fast-track program for attracting foreign investment (from 42 months to 21 months ).
This marked a turning point for the city’s vision of becoming a self-sufficient entity, transforming a mere concept into a feasible urban plan.
K-Star World, its flagship project, is a key initiative expected to create approximately 30,000 direct jobs and generate an economic impact of KRW 2.5 trillion. This year, it will enter the full-scale implementation phase through a public offering for private sector bids.
Mayor Lee Hyeon-jae said, “K-Star World is Hanam’s future strategy that encompasses tourism, jobs, and the cultural industry, ” and added, “ The world doesn’t wait. Prepared cities seize opportunities. I ask all public officials to join forces so that Hanam can grow into a K-culture hub that the world is taking notice of. ”
