Korean Dictionary
How to say "Korean Wave" in Korean
“Korean Wave” in Korean is 한류 (pronounced "Hallyu").
한류
Hallyu
Usage & Context
The global spread of Korean popular culture including K-pop, K-drama, K-food, K-beauty, and Korean language. The Hallyu wave has made Korea one of the world's most culturally influential nations. It's driven tourism and soft power for Korea significantly since the 2000s.
Example Sentence
한류 덕분에 전 세계에서 한국 문화에 관심이 생겼어요.
Thanks to the Korean Wave, people around the world have become interested in Korean culture.
How to use 한류 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Korean Wave” is 한류, romanized as Hallyu.
Usage tip
Learn this word together with a complete Korean sentence. Meaning often depends on particles, politeness level, and word order.
Common mistake
Do not rely only on the English meaning. Read the Korean example sentence and notice the particles, word order, and politeness level around 한류.
Pronunciation Guide
Say 'hal-lyu' as one smooth word, like 'hal' in 'halt' then 'lyoo' — the ㄴ+ㄹ blend doubles the 'l' sound. It comes out sounding like 'HAHL-lyoo.'
More Example Sentences
Writing a culture op-ed or magazine article
한류 열풍이 아직도 식지 않았어요.
The Hallyu craze still hasn't cooled down.
Posting on social media after a fan event
한류 스타를 직접 만나서 너무 설렜어요.
I got to meet a Hallyu star in person and was so thrilled.
Chatting about global K-culture trends
베트남에서도 한류가 인기가 많대요.
I heard Hallyu is really popular in Vietnam too.
Cultural Context
한류 (韓流) was first coined by Chinese media in the late 1990s to describe the rapid spread of Korean dramas and pop music, and Korea has since embraced it as a national branding term. Koreans talk about waves: 1세대 (first generation, early dramas like 겨울연가), 2세대 (K-pop boom with 소녀시대, 빅뱅), and the current 4세대 driven by BTS, BLACKPINK, and global Netflix hits like 오징어 게임. The government even has a division inside the Ministry of Culture that promotes it.
Editorial note
We review entries like 한류 for pronunciation, example sentence fit, and learner mistakes so the page answers more than a direct dictionary lookup.
Reviewed by Min-jung Park, Korean Language Teacher. Updated May 31, 2026. See our editorial standards.
Common Phrases
요즘 한류가 대단하죠.
The Korean Wave is amazing these days, right?
한류 때문에 한국어 배워요.
I'm learning Korean because of Hallyu.
한류가 세계로 퍼지고 있어요.
Hallyu is spreading across the world.
Related Expressions
케이팝
keipap
K-pop
한류스타
hallyuseuta
Hallyu star (globally famous Korean celebrity)
한드
handeu
K-drama (slang abbreviation)
한류 열풍
hallyu yeolpung
Korean Wave craze / fever
More Culture Words
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