MANILA, Philippines – Ever dream of starring in a K-drama or taking the stage as a K-pop idol? You’re in luck, as South Korea is set to launch the Hallyu visa, which will allow foreign Korean culture enthusiasts to reside in the country for up to two years!
To gain eligibility for the Hallyu visa, applicants must register at performing arts academies in South Korea, a report by Forbes said.
The Hallyu visa program will provide opportunities for non-Koreans to participate in South Korea’s culture and entertainment industries.
It will also allow the country to boost its tourism efforts following the blow it suffered during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In October 2023, a report by South Korea’s Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism cited K-pop as the top reason why tourists want to visit the country.
In the Philippines in particular, Korean content garnered 115,385 mentions in 2022 – a significant jump from the monthly average of 30,114 mentions in 2020.
South Korea’s Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism identified “arts, driver of K-culture for the next generation” as one of the six major tasks in its business plan. With this, the country also plans to boost its support toward young artists and college students taking up arts.
Other details regarding the Hallyu visa, such as requirements and important dates, are expected to be announced by the second half of 2024.
Google previously named K-pop groups BLACKPINK and BTS as the most searched music groups of all time in the search engine’s 25-year history – a testament to K-pop’s global impact.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism also conducted a study in 2020 that projected BTS’ hit song “Dynamite” could generate $1.43 billion for South Korea’s economy and also produce 8,000 jobs. – Rappler.com
