Korean culture has inserted itself into the media and life of the Western World- but when and how has it done so? On the 24th of September, the Victoria and Albert Museum opened its exhibition on Hallyu! The Korean Wave. The exhibition pays a colourful, unique homage to the history of how Korean culture reached across the world and became a part of Western media in numerous aspects.

The exhibition boasts a range of authentic objects from the most notable movements in the Korean wave such as some of the original costumes from the set of Squid Game, a plethora of batons from various K-pop concerts, and a hyper-realistic exact replication of the iconic bathroom in the movie Parasite. The open, bright layout of the exhibition makes sure that there is always something interesting for the visitors to read or watch.

"The Exhibition highlights the impressive progress of South Korea towards becoming a world leader in design, manufacturing, and creative arts." said Lucie Seaton, a member of the Director’s Circle Patron programme of the V&A.

Another intriguing part of the exhibition was a room in which you follow a step-by-step K-pop routine, which is then recorded and projected onto the wall alongside others who had participated previously. This idea, while simple, was innovative and captivating.

The V&A truly did justice to the monumental movement that is the Korean Wave and is definitely worth a visit, even to those not previously interested in Korean culture.

This Is Local London: Replication of the bathroom from Parasite at the V&A museumReplication of the bathroom from Parasite at the V&A museum (Image: Calum Skinner)