People in many countries are swimming in "hallyu," the Korean Wave. They are going crazy for pop bands from South Korea. The country's TV dramas and movies are shown around the world. Why is Korean pop culture so popular?
很多國家的人都沉浸在「韓流」中。他們為南韓的流行團體瘋狂。這個國家的電視劇和電影在全世界播放。為什麼韓國的流行文化會這麼受歡迎呢？
The Korean Wave began on TV. People love K-dramas. Their screenwriters come up with all kinds of interesting stories, and some scenes in these dramas are filmed in beautiful places worldwide. These scenes, when they are combined with stories, make for an enjoyable watching experience. For example, the lovely views of Switzerland make people feel like falling in love when they watch Crash Landing on You. People also enjoy seeing good-looking actors and actresses. Sweet, funny, or exciting moments between these characters keep people coming back for more.
韓流從電視開始。人們愛看韓劇。他們的編劇想出各種有趣的故事，而且戲劇中的某些場景也會在世界各地美麗的地方拍攝。這些場景，在與故事結合之下，帶來賞心悅目的視覺體驗。例如，在看《愛的迫降》時，瑞士明媚的風景讓人有一種墜入愛河的感覺。觀眾還喜歡欣賞好看的男女演員。這些角色之間甜蜜、有趣或激動人心的時刻讓人看到欲罷不能。
Korean pop music, or K-pop, is also taking the world by storm. Korean music companies are good at turning artists into idols. Idol groups appear in exciting music videos with amazing dance steps. However, becoming an idol is not easy. The best artists have practiced singing, dancing, and acting from a very young age. Korean music companies always look for new people in Korea and many other countries. Because standards are high, only a few of them can really start a career in show business. Some become superstars and fashion leaders, like TWICE and BTS. Young people like to copy their hair, makeup, and clothing styles.
韓國流行音樂，又叫 K-pop，也席捲全球。韓國唱片公司擅長將藝人打造成偶像。偶像團體每每在精彩的音樂影片中展現令人驚嘆的舞步。但是成為偶像並不容易。最頂尖的藝人從很小就開始練習唱歌、跳舞和演戲。韓國唱片公司隨時在國內和其他許多國家物色新人。因為標準很高，所以只有少數可以真的在演藝圈出道。有些變成超級巨星和時尚教主，像是 TWICE 和 BTS。年輕人喜歡模仿他們的髮型、化妝和穿搭風格。
Good marketing has also helped Korean pop culture do well. The Korean government has strongly developed its cultural industry since the early 1990s. Korean culture and customs can be seen in almost all K-dramas. Now Korean foods, clothing, and other products are popular abroad. The Korean Wave keeps moving faster and faster. Will it ever stop? Who can say?
良好的行銷也有助於韓國流行文化的發展。自 1990 年代初期以來，韓國政府就一直大力推廣文化產業。幾乎所有的韓劇都可以看到韓國的文化和習俗。現在韓國食品、服裝和其他產品在海外大受歡迎。韓流的腳步愈來愈快。會有停止的一天嗎？誰能說得準呢？
