Southeast Asia warrants special attention. The Korean Wave in Southeast Asia has not only ended the doubts and debates that Confucian cultural background is the only key factor of its development. In addition, it also confirmed that competitiveness of Korean cultural products in fact spread through the entire region of East Asia regardless of Confucian traditions as a metaphor of the Korean Wave.
In Southeast Asia, there have been mutual positive influences between the Korean Studies programs and the Korean Wave. The Korean Wave created positive image of Korea along with the economic success of Korea among the general public as well as among the student communities. The Korean Studies programs in turn stimulated interests in the Korea Wave among the society. Although the Korean Wave is less influential in Australia, it has made an important contribution to the growth and expansion of the Korean Studies program, through overseas students from the countries such as China and Southeast Asia, where the Korean Wave is significant...
