K-Pop Beyond Borders: The Contradictions of Nationalism, Music, and Global Identity

This thesis analyzes how K-Pop companies attempt to localize into foreign (non-Korean) markets after 2010 and the market response to these initiatives. The project specifically compares the implementation of strategies pre- and post-THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) in China amongst the context of hostile regional geopolitics. By using three case studies of K-Pop idols/groups, this project demonstrates the roles that nationalism and perceptions of identity play in the development of the industry, especially in China. I find that K-Pop idols are tasked with juggling multiple, contradicting identities to balance the needs of different audiences due to the uneasy relationship between international cultural flows and nation-state politics. In this muddled world of many markets, non-traditional parties in entertainment (state governments, fandoms/online communities) are empowered to enact change in K-Pop due to the Internet and the digital age.Bachelor of Art