Korean studies scholarship describes teenagers doing K-pop cover dances in Manila using the language of "penetration," "conquest," and "capture." This article argues that the soft power framework has captured the field—and proposes "Korea as Signifier" as an alternative that finally explains why "Korean" spaces exist without Korean content, and why semiotic slippage is the mechanism of cultural influence, not its failure.

Why authentic research experience matters in the age of AI disruption. KARSI offers Korean students university-level fieldwork opportunities in Vietnam and the Philippines with PhD faculty supervision. Real ethnographic research, cultural documentation, and portfolio development that admissions officers can't dismiss as ChatGPT content. Learn how Korean students can leverage their unique insider advantage in Hallyu research.