Pinoy Wave

If there is one trait or value that our schools should be teaching the Filipino youth, it should be loving everything that is Filipino and Philippine-made.

- MARY ANN LL. REYES

Just look at the Koreans.

The Korean Wave or Hallyu, the meteoric rise in terms of international popularity of everything Korean—be it pop culture, entertainment, music, TV dramas and movies, food, technology, cosmetics—did not happen overnight or by accident.

An article published in The Korean Times noted how the Korean people love all things that are Korean. "Flags fill hallways, roads and office buildings. The anthem is sung with gusto before baseball games. The local food and drink are consumed with deep pleasure. Heroes are elevated. The very word 'Korean' brings with it a sense of pride, identity and belonging," it said.

The same article explained how Korea has emerged from the shadows of China and Japan and finally established itself as recognized by millions of people around the world. "While the phrase 'do you know kimchi' was once asked in earnest, it's now seen as bordering on offensive" (because everyone is expected to know what it is given its growing international popularity).

"The food, cities, the culture have entered the global lexicon. Mukbang, daebak, japchae, kimbap, and a whole assortment of other Korean words were added to the Oxford English Dictionary. Even the letter K is now officially defined there as 'forming nouns relating to South Korea and its popular culture such as K-beauty, K-culture, K-food, K-style, etc,'" it added.

From music to movies, technology to food, the world has fallen in love with everything South Korean.