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From tradition to trendsetting
Today, South Korea is a cultural superpower—a global trendsetter producing award-winning films like Parasite, riveting dramas like Squid Game, and chart-topping music by K-pop groups such as BTS and BLACKPINK. But behind the country’s meteoric rise to the world stage—a phenomenon known as the Korean Wave, or hallyu—is the story of remarkable resilience and innovation.
Just a century ago, Korea was in search of a new national identity, following its occupation by Japan and the Korean War. Harnessing cutting-edge technology, the country has rapidly transformed its economy and international reputation. At the same time, its creative outputs are deeply rooted in its past, with many contemporary artists, filmmakers, musicians, and fashion designers paying tribute to traditional values and art forms dating back to Korea’s dynastic kingdom days.
“Hallyu! The Korean Wave” features approximately 250 objects—costumes, props, photographs, videos, pop culture ephemera, and contemporary works. Among the highlights are outfits worn by different generations of K-pop idols, dresses by couture designer Park Sohee and Next in Fashion winner Minju Kim, a large-scale needlework designed by South Korean artist Kyungah Ham and made by anonymous embroiderers from North Korea, and pieces exploring the Korean American experience by Timothy Hyunsoo Lee and Julia Kwon. Additionally, the exhibition showcases objects from the MFA’s own renowned collection of Korean art, including the iconic moon jar and hanbok.
Join us on an immersive and multisensory journey through a fascinating history, and celebrate a vibrant creative force that bridges cultural, societal, and linguistic divides and continues to reach new heights today.
- Ann and Graham Gund Gallery (Gallery LG31)
“...a poetic connection between past and present...the best undergraduate elective history course ever”
—The Boston Globe
“Thrilling”
—Boston magazine
From the Joseon dynasty to today
South Korea has experienced a dramatic rise, from a country ravaged by war in the late 1950s to a leading cultural powerhouse by the early 2000s. Its remarkable trajectory from “rags to riches” is marked by governmental control, daring strategies, and IT innovations paired with a ppalli-ppalli (“quick-quick”) ethos, where speed is of the essence.
Unidentified artist, Moon jar, Korean, Joseon dynasty, early 18th century
White porcelain. Bequest of Charles Bain Hoyt—Charles Bain Hoyt Collection.
Kyungah Ham, What you see is the unseen / Chandeliers for Five Cities, 2016–17
Silk threads on cotton. Photo by Chunho An. © Kyungah Ham. Courtesy of the artist and Kukje Gallery.
Unidentified artist, wrapping cloth, Korea, 1800–1900
Polychrome pigments, hemp. © Victoria and Albert Museum, London.
Jun Min Cho, Gangnam view of Hyundai apartment blocks, 20th century
Photo Jun Min Cho. Courtesy Museum of Contemporary History of Korea.
Unknown artist, Mirror box, Korean, 1850-1950
Lacquered wood, with mother-of-pearl inlay and brass fittings. © Victoria and Albert Museum, London.
Unidentified artist, screen decorated with the eight Confucian virtues, Korean, Joseon dynasty, late 19th century
Ink and mineral color on paper. Charles Bain Hoyt Fund.
From rubble to smartphones
In the 1990s the South Korean government developed high-speed internet infrastructure information and communication technology, driven by the belief that the slow embrace of industrialization in the late 19th century caused the country’s colonization. South Korea was subsequently heralded as a model for high-speed internet and digital technology, leading to the birth of a tech-savvy nation.
Samsung, SPH-M2500, first mp3 integrated mobile phone, 1999
Plastics, electronic components. Courtesy of the Samsung Innovation Museum.
Panorama of Gangnam City at Night, Seoul, South Korea, 2020
Getty Images: MIenny.
Unidentified artist, Samsung Electronics' TV production line, 1970–79
Paper. Courtesy of the Samsung Innovation Museum.
A visitor at “Hallyu! The Korean Wave” at the V&A Museum, London, September 2022
Stephen Chung / Alamy Live News.
From hanbok to haute couture
Hallyu has positioned Korea as a global trendsetter in the fields of beauty and fashion. Today K-beauty combines centuries-old formulas with new ingredients and advanced technology to create innovative cosmetic ranges tailored to modern living. K-fashion is also gaining prominence with a renewed interpretation of hanbok, the traditional Korean garment, and a versatile, fast-moving, and mix-and-matching approach to fashion.
Ji Won Choi x Adidas
Courtesy Adidas.
Designed by Lee Young-hee, Woman's costume, 1993
Silk; plain weave. Gift of the Korean Costume Society.
Kim Young Jin 김영진 for Tchai Kim 차이킴, Modern Girl hanbok, 2009
Gossamer silk, organza, cotton, rubber. Purchase funded by Samsung. Courtesy the designer. © Victoria and Albert Museum, London.
Minju Kim, Moon Jar Dress, Blue, 2021
Cotton wool mix. Seoul, 2021 © Minju Kim, Photo Sangmi An, Model Leehyun Kim.
Lee Seung-ju for Darcygom, Saekdong jeogori (multicoloured striped jacket), 2020
Vintage silk. Saekdong by Darcygom. Photo by Jihoon Jung, courtesy Darcygom.
Miss Sohee, The Peony Dress, from 2020 graduation collection The Girl in Full Bloom, 2020
French lamé. Photograph by Daniel Sachon.
From Psy to BTS
K-pop music has transported hallyu to all corners of the globe. Its success as an export product stems from a combination of addictive tunes, catchy lyrics, perfectly synched choreography, edgy fashion, and high-production value music videos, all centered around the star power of its idols. Bridging cultural and linguistic divides and riding on the crest of emerging social media platforms, by the mid-2000s K-pop was rocking the world.
Spotlighting K-drama and cinema
With the budding democracy of the late 1980s in South Korea, broadcasting and film industries started to flourish. K-dramas have radically transformed the image of Korea from a little-known country in East Asia to that of a leading global trendsetter. The renaissance of the Korean film industry in the late 1990s saw the emergence of a new generation of movie makers who have become leading figures in world cinema today. The film Minari is an ode to the gyopo (Korean diaspora) community.
Tales from the Diaspora
While the Oscar-winning film Minari paints a relatable picture of the Korean immigrant story, there are so many other stories of Koreans immigrating to the US that didn’t make it to the silver screen. From 1970 to 1990, over 500,000 Koreans moved to the US, and today nearly two million people identify as Korean American.
Exploring Korean Cuisine in Boston
To celebrate “Hallyu!,” food writer Jacqueline Cain spoke to Korean Americans in the local food scene about connecting with their cultural cuisine in Boston.
Related Exhibition
Work by Boston-based artist Timothy Lee is featured in both “Hallyu!” and “Community Arts Initiative: Our Family Portrait,” a collaboration between Lee and more than 150 local students, which also includes work from the MFA’s collection of contemporary Korean art.
Exhibition Organizer
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