Conference Squid game and the key factors of Hallyu

The impact of food and its representations in Korean multimedia works can be traced to the late 1990s. Korean audiovisual works, including feature films, dramas and among them are some extremely powerful examples of the way in its visual representation on Korean food, which have become an instrument of artistic expression that contributed to and deeply influenced the change of food perception. Globalisation and hallyu are the two cultural and political phenomena that have most significantly raised awareness about Korean food as a means to promote national identity and have contributed to the entry into the scene of proposing food as a “star” in the media. It improved image of Korea, the creation of a national food symbol, and an increase in the sale of food products made in Korea, many representatives of academic institutions and food companies have become members of Hanshik Globalization Development Agency. Hallyu has being used by the Agency to contribute to the governmental project that involves the systematic display of tasty food in many Korean dramas, almost synonymous with hanshik, in its depiction of festive than daily food, which should stimulate the viewers’ desire to taste and to cook it. “K-food” made its appearance in “K-dramas” and “K-films” as an essential part of their narrative in order to spread Korean food culture abroad and, at the same time, to raise Koreans’ awareness of their traditional food culture. In other words, the state power actively intervened in the process of raising hanshik as an international star by riding on the successful wave of hallyu which has expanded the interest on Korean food in screen.