Korean Media: United States First, China Second, Is South Korea a "Soft Power Superpower"?
On November 11, the Korean media "Seoul Economic Daily" published an article stating that in recent years, the concept of "soft power" has been widely concerned. Thanks to the global success of various Korean cultural content such as K-pop, Korean dramas, and Korean films, South Korea's soft power is increasing. Has South Korea really achieved the status of a "soft power superpower"?
Usually, "soft power" refers to the ability to attract other countries through culture, values, and appeal, rather than hard power such as military or economic strength. This concept was first proposed by Professor Joseph Nye of Harvard University in 1990. If this power expands, it is expected to enhance the country's international image and popularity, contributing to the creation of diplomatic and economic benefits.
South Korea will achieve significant growth in this aspect. According to the "Global Soft Power Index 2025" released by Brand Finance, as of February this year, South Korea ranked 12th (60.2 points), rising three places from the previous year, making it the fastest-growing country among the top 100 countries.
However, South Korea still lags behind traditional powers such as the United States (79.5 points), China (72.8 points), the United Kingdom (72.4 points), Japan (71.5 points), and Germany (70.1 points). The countries ranked 6th to 11th are France, Canada, Switzerland, Italy, UAE, and Sweden respectively.
Considering this ranking, it seems somewhat inappropriate to call South Korea a "soft power superpower," and "emerging power" seems more appropriate.
The Global Soft Power Index 2025 measures eight core pillars. These eight pillars are: Visibility and Influence, Culture and Heritage, Media and Communication, International Relations, Education and Science, Human Values, Business and Trade, and Sustainability. Each pillar's score is based on surveys of over 100,000 people in 193 countries and regions, economic data, and media analysis.
In the 2025 assessment, South Korea improved in six of the eight pillars, especially in cultural heritage, media communication, and business trade. However, South Korea performed weakly in international relations and human values. For example, former President Yoon Suk-yeol's attempt to implement martial law and impeachment in 2024 significantly weakened South Korea's international credibility, leading to a 5% drop in its score.
The soft power assessment comprehensively measures a country's cultural appeal, international trust, and economic and technological competitiveness. This means that South Korea cannot truly become a "soft power superpower" just by relying on the competitiveness of its cultural content. Political stability and the enhancement of human rights values must also be pursued. It needs to be considered whether the South Korean society has given sufficient attention to these aspects.
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1848458136224779/
Statement: The article represents the views of the author.