“Gangnam Style”, BTS, kimchi, Squid Game: in the last two decades, South Korean pop culture has been rippling across the world in what has been called the “Korean wave”, or "Hallyu". It’s a phenomenon that in September will be at the centre of a new exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum. How did it happen? "Hallyu has infused already-popular categories such as pop music and sentimental dramas, with elements that are distinctively, unapologetically Korean — giving new life to the familiar," writes @instapini_. “Combined with a government-backed desire to lift the country out of poverty and the fortuitous development of streaming platforms and social media, Hallyu has taken shape as a rare example of a soft power with the capacity of challenging American pop culture hegemony."⁠ ⁠ Tap the link in bio to read the story in full, or pick up a free copy of Art of Fashion AW22 inside this weekend's paper.⁠ ⁠ 📸: Psy performing ‘Gangnam Style’ in New York on the ‘Today’ show, in 2012 (Jason Decrow, Invision/AP/Shutterstock)