Recently, I have seen a lot of eastern pop culture rise up in the west. This weekend a well known Korean Pop group was featured in a big gaming event, Blizzcon. They were also featured in an NBA event and have made big appearances in talk shows. So, it has gotten me wondering how this rise came to be.

In some way or another, you and I have probably experienced some form of eastern pop culture. Whether it be games like pokemon, music like k-pop, or shows like k-drama or anime, it has been growing in western media significantly. But what are some of the roots to this growth?

Gaming wise we already know the hit series Pokemon, but believe or not it started all the way back with Mario. Mario and Pokemon really gave way for these Japanese gaming companies to start competing in the west. Nintendo as a company has shown immense growth over the years and hit company, FromSoftware has really shown masterpiece of games. And western culture has shown a great interest in these eastern companies. This has given the green light for these eastern companies to start pushing their product in the west and given them more exposure.

Music wise it has been a more recent explosion in consumption. All starting off with Gangnam Style by hit artist Psy. Of course there were some eastern hit before Psy but he is the biggest. From Gangnam Style it really showed it can do well, and then BTS came along. BTS exploded into popularity and became a world wide music group. Another one is Blackpink. Both groups have gotten brand opportunities everywhere and have fans all across the world. But why is Korean music getting more popular when such a small majority can understand it? But, it really comes down to more than that. The performances also play a big roll. Dancing and looking good has made it more internationally successful.

Lastly, shows have also made a big impact in western media. Anime has really become popular here. Starting off, the Pokemon TV series really started it off. Being available in english really made it explode in the west. There has also been a rise of subscription services. Things like Crunchyroll and Netflix push these eastern shows and make them available in english so it really helps them out when marketed in the west.

So, when it comes to the rise of eastern pop culture, it really comes down to its ease of accessibility nowadays. Companies in the east have been wanting to broaden their audience and the west has been eating up their content. So for the future to come, expect a bunch of eastern pop culture.