South Korean exports have swept the world in the previous two decades, from K-pop and Korean TV dramas to fashion and food. The country has grown into a worldwide cultural powerhouse.

We are all riding the “Korean Wave,” so to speak, and the biggest fans of Korean entertainment want more access beyond what is available on Western Netflix libraries if you wish to watch more Korean TV or get around some of the online restrictions from inside the country with a Korea VPN.

Riding the Hallyu Wave

The term “Korean Wave,” or Hallyu, describes the global appeal of South Korea’s exports of popular culture, entertainment, music, TV dramas, and motion pictures.

“Korean Wave” is the direct translation of the Chinese term Hallyu. It is a collective phrase used to describe the incredible rise of Korean popular culture, which includes, among other things, music, movies, dramas, online games, and Korean cuisine. During his state visit to Korea in March 2012, former president Barack Obama made mention of the “Korean Wave,” which the government had declared as its top goal.

One of the few, if not the only nation in the world, South Korea, has prioritized leading the globe in the export of popular culture. Korea can grow its “soft power” in this way. Joseph Nye, a political scientist at Harvard, first used the term “soft power” in 1990. It speaks of a nation’s soft power through its reputation as opposed to physical force.

The most significant forces behind the “Korean Wave’ are undoubtedly K-pop and Korean dramas. The demand for this type of entertainment and content is at an all-time high, and while it has gotten easier to access this content in recent years with the globalization of Korean pop culture, you might want more of an inside view if you are a big fan.

Korean content from Netflix and beyond

Netflix’s recent commitment to a $2.5 billion investment in South Korean film and television production is the latest evidence that South Korea is a rapidly growing content superpower.

Already, South Korean Netflix has a large selection of popular Korean dramas, as well as 109 Oscar-winning films and the most Emmy-winning titles of all of Netflix’s global libraries. That’s fantastic for South Korean subscribers, but what about everyone else who wants to enjoy this content?

Get access to our Korean servers by downloading a VPN. When you connect to a Korean server, you will be assigned a local IP address. Websites will assume you are in Korea regardless of where you are. Remember that unless you use a streaming-friendly VPN, you will be prohibited from accessing South Korean Netflix from outside the country.

You can watch South Korean exclusive TV online through a South Korean IP address, such as KBS, SBS, and TV Chosun. When you connect your VPN to a South Korean server, these websites will see the South Korean IP address and believe you are in the nation. On the other hand, some South Korean providers may ask you to supply a local phone number or billing address, which may limit viewing to South Koreans only.

However, don’t worry about your travels interfering with your K-drama marathon. A trip to another country may limit access to your bank, local news sites, or streaming services. Use a VPN to access your favored websites when traveling.

The flip side – Censorship concerns

There is a sense of online censorship in Korea, which you might come face to face with. The South Korean government is not exceptionally welcoming of criticisms of its politicians and particular ideologies, with bloggers facing arrest simply for voicing their views. Content deemed harmful or subversive is frequently restricted, mimicking China’s stringent policies preventing millions of residents from freely expressing themselves online.

South Korea has another motive to regulate content consumption because governments and internet corporations have worldwide control over content. For example, Facebook has strict guidelines about sexual content, restricting anything deemed provocative. Alongside censoring images, Facebook opted to delete users whose opinions did not appear compatible with the site, sparking yet another controversy about free expression.

Moreover, South Korea’s government chose to enhance its site-blocking tactics with SNI eavesdropping, which means that the government will track and ban access to HTTPS websites, among other things, to prevent piracy and access to gambling and adult websites.

Although South Korea has become notorious for online censorship, VPN use is still perfectly legal. If you plan to travel or reside there, installing a VPN service will help you get around the more pervasive side of internet restrictions.

Wrapping up

Gaining access to unlimited Korean entertainment is easy when you use a VPN. With a Korean IP address, you can connect to exclusive sites and libraries of Korean TV shows you won’t get anywhere else. Plus, you can stay safe and avoid online censorship with a trusted VPN service.