By Jihoon Lee

SEOUL (Reuters) -South Korean entertainment companies riding the Korean Wave, or Hallyu, are scrambling to widen their global reach as Asia’s fourth-largest economy bets on cultural exports at a time of growing protectionist barriers for traditional manufacturers.

Although growing fast from a low base, thanks to substantial government support and high visibility on the world stage with some recent dramatic successes, the industry’s contribution to the economy is still only a fraction of that of manufacturing.

The home of industry giants Samsung and Hyundai is basking in the success of boyband BTS, Oscar-winning film “Parasite”, the television show “Squid Game”, the novel “The Vegetarian”, whose author Han Kang won the Nobel literature prize in 2024, and, most recently, the

See Full Page