In the last few years, the Hallyu wave has undoubtedly exploded across the globe. In recent years however, this has become much more apparent across Europe, where it took perhaps a second more to settle into pop culture, and Italy is no exception.
Yet while Italian curiosity toward Korea continues to rise, mainstream coverage often lags behind. Koreami.org was created precisely to bridge that gap - offering context and a clearer understanding of Korea beyond trends and headlines. Born from a shared passion for music and cultural analysis, Koreami brings together translators, researchers and creatives dedicated to exploring the substance behind the wave. Following a similar mission, we had the chance to catch up with Elisa and Simona, and trace their journey and mission driving their work.
KpopWise: How would you say the Hallyu wave has been received within Italian media and fans, not just in terms of articles, podcasts, etc. but with an interest of learning about Korean culture?
Our country is a victim of strong cultural conservatism, and Hallyu in Italy presents an interesting contrast. Almost everyone here knows what and where Korea is, but we are slow to actively consume its content. In the 2023 KOFICE report, we ranked 22nd out of 26 for the "Korean Cultural Content Brand Power Index," among the bottom five countries. And yet, the most important data point is this: over 80% of Italians surveyed stated that their interest in Korean content had either increased or remained the same compared to the previous year. This indicates a clear gap between mainstream media coverage and genuine public interest.
The positive side, if we can call it that, is that Hallyu in Italy is not a top-down phenomenon; it has grown and continues to grow from the bottom-up, thanks to the fans. It acts as a funnel: it starts with the melody of a K-pop song or a K-drama on Netflix (where shows like The Glory entered the Italian Top 10) and it inevitably ends with a search for "substance." People move from "what" to "why." The definitive proof is the economy, not just the charts. Italian tourism to South Korea saw a significant increase in arrivals compared to pre-COVID levels, with over 60k visitors last year, drawn by the Korean "3K" strategy—Kimchi, K-beauty, and K-pop. Koreami was born precisely to serve this audience: the one that has moved past initial curiosity and is in search of deeper understanding. Precisely because there isn't enough support from mainstream media and television networks to explore Korean culture in depth or share its entertainment products—unlike what happened with American culture or, in part, with Turkish culture via TV products—Koreami steps in with the goal of building a cultural bridge and offering the Italian public the tools to truly understand Korea and the Hallyu phenomenon.
KpopWise: As we know some media like Panorama have done a great job at beginning to bridge the gap between Italy and South Korea. What in general is the perception and popularity towards the Korean wave for Italian media?
The perception in traditional media has been slow to change. For years, Hallyu was treated with the condescension reserved for a passing fad: an exotic phenomenon, music for teenagers.
The turning point came with the global hits that were impossible to ignore, like Parasite winning the Oscar or the Squid Game phenomenon. The media began to take notice when they saw the numbers: a $10.3 billion industry, with BTS alone estimated to contribute over $4.5 billion to the Korean economy annually. It's true that outlets like Panorama have begun to cover the phenomenon—and huge praise goes to Marianna Baroli, who has done and continues to do excellent work—dedicating reports on K-pop and its future. But the biggest push came from global players. When Netflix announces a $1 billion investment in Korean content, even the most skeptical Italian media outlet is forced to acknowledge it.
The point is, as we who work with it know, Hallyu is a deliberate soft power operation, a "national and institutional campaign" planned by the government since the 1990s. Italian media only started talking about it seriously when the economic aspect became the elephant in the room. They noticed the effect long after the cause had been set in motion. For years, that bridge was maintained only by fanbases and specialized platforms like ours—which still arrived "late" precisely because of this dynamic.
From this perspective, Italy still shows a structural lag. Italian newsrooms rarely have professionals with direct knowledge of Korean culture, and this is reflected in coverage that is often superficial, stereotypical, fragmented, or imprecise. Beyond a few isolated, authoritative voices, the narrative surrounding Hallyu is often full of inaccuracies and, unfortunately, a certain prejudice that is still far too strong in the Italian media.
KpopWise: What are your own personal stories with regards to Korea and your creative journey to where you are today?
Our personal stories are the story of Koreami. The project was conceived by us, Elisa and Simona, the founders. We both started from the same place, music. BTS was the "key" to this world, a discovery that completely changed us. From there, we took parallel but convergent paths.
For me, Elisa, it all began in October 2020 with a "thunderbolt" moment during a commercial for a well-known Korean electronics brand. Very quickly, this sparked an immediate need for understanding, which translated into action: first, translating lyrics for friends, then translating interviews to understand the thoughts behind the artists.
For Simona it was a total immersion. Simple curiosity became a journey of growth that unveiled an entire cultural fabric of profound values and sensitivities.
This sociological curiosity sparked a need to go even deeper. That’s when we intensified the translation work: not just song lyrics, but also interviews and analyses, trying to capture the context that would otherwise be lost. And so, over the months, we found ourselves with a huge collection of translations, analyses, and reflections. In March 2023, Koreami.org was born: we needed a repository for all this substance that was accumulating.
But to make our vision complete, we needed a multifaceted, more multidisciplinary gaze. This is where our key collaborators, Eleonora and Rachele, join us. Thanks to them, the picture was complete: the first, as a landscape architect and Ph.D. candidate in urban planning, brought the analytical lens on urban space and social transformations; the second, with her academic background in fashion and style, brought the aesthetic eye and trend analysis.
The moment that cemented everything was when, in the spring of 2023, right as we were launching the site, all four of us went to Seoul together. That on-the-ground experience validated our mission. Koreami is the synthesis of this journey: it is our home for sharing Korea sincerely, without filters or stereotypes, guided by three values: authenticity, respect, and depth.
KpopWise: Your readership numbers show steady growth and as one of the main independent editorial references for Korean culture in Italy, what steps do you take to ensure that factual reporting and sensitivity towards the country. Have you worked with many Koreans within the industry in various fields?
Our growth is built on trust, which for us is linked to sensitivity towards the topics we cover. The online ecosystem is full of clickbait; we've chosen the opposite mantra: "substance over sensation."
For us, sensitivity means context. We are not uncritical cheerleaders for Korea. We try to understand and convey the message that Hallyu is also a policy, the "Hallyu-hwa," a national and institutional campaign that promotes everything from food to cosmetics under the K-Wave umbrella. Factual reporting for us means explaining why the chaebol are basically omnipresent in K-drama plots: they are a narrative vehicle used both to idealize the country and to critique class disparities.
And yes, working directly with Koreans in the industry is fundamental for us. It's our way of applying the "substance over sensation" mantra: we go straight to the source. We don't just observe the wave; we talk to the people creating it. That's why we've collaborated with and interviewed a wide range of professionals. We’ve spoken with those behind the scenes of K-dramas, like creative producer Song Jinsun (What's Wrong with Secretary Kim, True Beauty), and with those who write the hits, like Dailog, 'the secret pen of K-pop.' We’ve promoted gastronomic culture through our interview with Chef Elena Lee, and we have a key collaboration with Hanguk Ara’s podcast korean-italian creator Ara Cho; we publish her episode launches monthly and feature all her videos on our homepage.
Above all, we’ve given a voice to the independent and R&B music scene, speaking with artists like Suran, Aaron Young, Dept, Elaine Kim, Riaan, Dane, STi, Shirosky, SUNHO, Eunhye, drewboi, and many others. This direct access allows us to offer a unique and authentic perspective.
Our cultural sensitivity is born from listening and respect. Every time we write about Korea, we do so with the awareness that it's not just about entertainment, but about identity, history, and real people. This is what distinguishes an accurate story from a superficial one.
KpopWise: Known as the fashion capital, how do you think Hallyu has influenced the social culture of fans i.e. fashion and events such as Milan Loves Seoul which has become a big event at bridging the two cultures.
That's an excellent question. The influence has shifted from a "bottom-up" imitation to a "top-down" integration. Ten years ago, a fan would dress like an idol. Today, it's the major fashion houses, including Italian ones like Prada, Versace, and Gucci—that are naming those idols as global ambassadors.
The Milan-Seoul axis is a structural reality. Milan Loves Seoul is the perfect embodiment of this integration, a project we believe in deeply and talk about often because it's proof of this shift. It's a high-profile B2B and B2C initiative aimed at accelerating cultural exchange and dialogue between Italy and South Korea. Its importance is validated by its partners: not fan clubs, but institutions. We’re talking about the Istituto Marangoni, the Italian Trade Agency (ITA), and Federmoda Milano. When these bodies, along with sponsors like Hyundai, support an event that drew over 1,500 attendees in its debut, we are witnessing the official meeting of "Hallyu-hwa" and "Made in Italy."
And how does this change the fans’ social culture? It legitimizes it. An event in the heart of Brera, one of the most elegant and known neighborhoods in Milan, hosts a talk analyzing "the impact of South Korean culture, particularly K-pop and television dramas, on fashion trends," and the fan's passion stops being a niche hobby and becomes a recognized cultural and economic phenomenon. Milan brings tradition, Seoul brings innovation and the cool factor, and fashion becomes the "language that connects cultures."
KpopWise: Both of you aim to bridge the gap between east and west and you do that by curating various content. You have a strong mantra of “substance over sensation.” How do you decide when to focus on mainstream versus niche subjects?
That's a great question, it gets to the very heart of our mantra! For us, "substance over sensation" doesn't mean avoiding mainstream topics. It means we refuse to treat them superficially. Our strategy is to use the mainstream as a hook, an opportunity to bring our readers to the substance underneath.
Let's use a practical example from articles we've published. Take the Min Hee-jin versus Hybe affair. The K-pop scoop of the year, the gossip, the accusations about shamanism, BTS. Everyone was talking about it. We took that wave of "sensation" to bring the reader behind the news, to the "substance." Instead of just gossiping, we asked: why is shamanism still so relevant in that hyper-technological world? And above all, what does it tell us about the stigma of mental health in Korea that it's sometimes easier to go to a shaman than a psychologist?
Or, when we talk about a "mainstream" K-drama like Weak Hero Class, we use it to talk about and try to understand the very real phenomenon of bullying and pressure in the Korean school system. When we talk about the glittering, magnificent, and much-loved city of Seoul, we try to go beyond the glossy K-Wave showcase, taking the reader "into the real city."
So, it's never "either/or." We use the mainstream object to bridge the gap and earn the reader's trust, then bring them with us toward a deeper understanding of the niche topics we truly care about. Koreami seeks to go deeper, offering context and keys to interpretation that help bring what seems distant or hard to understand closer. We don't look at Korea and Hallyu with rose-colored glasses; we strive to be clear-eyed. It's our way of building real bridges.
KpopWise: Creating community driven initiatives like the K-Book Club is a great way to showcase the works of many Korean writers. Are these sort of ideas you feel sets you apart from other media outlets and aligns with your mission of promoting deeper understanding?
Absolutely. This is precisely what sets us apart. A K-pop news aggregator, which lives off the mainstream treated as mainstream, has no interest in launching a book club. Too much substance, not clicky enough. We position ourselves exactly in that sweet spot: accessible, but deeper.
For us, the K-Book Club is the purest expression of our mission. The initiative can be considered community-driven, but not in the canonical sense, rather because it's our response to the curiosity we see in our readers. It's our way of talking about the works of Korean writers as ambassadors, direct or indirect, of their culture. To go, once again, to the source.
KpopWise: What lessons have you learned about cross-cultural reporting through your work and what do you hope to see continue with how Italian journalism covers international culture?
The most important lesson we've learned about cross-cultural reporting is to never underestimate the intelligence of the audience. For years, Italian journalism operated on the presumption that the public was culturally conservative and only interested in what was happening in its own backyard. Hallyu is demolishing this presumption, proving that there is an incredibly curious, globalized audience that is hungry for complex content—if you present it to them with passion, rigor, and without condescension.
The second lesson is that, in this type of journalism, sensitivity is not political correctness; it is curiosity and rigor. You can't just report that a K-pop scandal involves shamans and think it's a bizarre story. The substance, the real fact, is that if you have the technical means, you should try to explain why: that it's an ancient religion, that it's a practical response to problems, and that in a hyper-competitive society, it's sometimes seen as a de-stigmatizing alternative to psychiatry. Without context, it's not journalism; it's just exotic gossip.
And this brings us to what we hope for the future of Italian journalism. We hope it definitively stops treating international culture as an exotic divertissement to be relegated to the "Lifestyle" pages. The Korean wave isn't just K-pop and K-dramas; it's a multi-billion dollar soft power phenomenon that is influencing countless sectors, more and more, and it deserves to be analyzed with economic, political, and social seriousness.
The audience is already there. The fact that over 60k Italians flew to Seoul last year, not for passive tourism, but to seek out the "infusion of modernity into tradition," proves that a portion of them are certainly ready for a deep analysis. It's time for the media to be ready, too.
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