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SHAH ALAM – The global success of Korean dramas, music and popular culture offers lessons for Malaysian creators, but the key is not to replicate Korea’s formula.
Korean television producer and content expert Dr Kenny Kihyung Bae shared the insight while leading a special masterclass at Festival Novel Malaysia 2026, last week, where he explored the factors behind South Korea’s global cultural influence and what Malaysian creators can learn from the Korean experience.
Organised by Grup Buku Karangkraf (GBK), the three-hour masterclass at Studio F, Karangkraf, here examined the development of Korean content from local productions into an international phenomenon.
Bae, who has more than three decades of experience in television, broadcasting, international co-productions and global content said Malaysia should draw lessons from Korea while developing stories rooted in its own identity.
“The thing is, do not simply copy the Korean case, but develop your own stories with the intriguing curiosity and knowledge you have gained today,” he said.
He said Malaysia’s ability to absorb different cultural influences could also become an asset in creating stories for international audiences.
“You are like a sponge that absorbs other cultural aspects. Then, you need to interpret them in your own way and target the world. Then it will work,” he said.
The masterclass explored several aspects of the Korean content industry, including the international appeal of K-dramas and K-pop, intellectual property development, fan communities and strategies for bringing local stories to global audiences.
Participants also took part in an interactive “From Local Story to Global Pitch” exercise, exploring how Malaysian stories, characters, ideas and cultural experiences could be developed for international audiences without losing their local identity.
Bae said he hoped participants would draw inspiration from Korea’s experience and apply the lessons to their own creative work.
“Actually, I share the success of Korean culture, the people behind that success and the strategies that made the Korean experience successful. I hope the participants will gain inspiration and learn from the cases we shared from Korea,” he said.
The masterclass also coincided with the launch of Bae's book, Fenomena K: Bagaimana Korea Mendunia, published by Karangkraf.
The book examines Hallyu (the Korean Wave) beyond the popularity of K-pop and K-dramas, focusing on the wider ecosystem involving creators, the industry, digital platforms and fans.
It also explores how technology, over-the-top (OTT) platforms and audience participation have transformed the way Korean content is produced, shared and consumed.
The book also highlights Malaysia’s role as a multicultural society that not only consumes Korean content, but also interprets and adapts it within its own cultural context.
The launch was officiated by Film Directors Association of Malaysia (FDAM) chairman and Content Forum vice-chairman Datuk Afdlin Shauki Aksan and accompanied by Karangkraf Group chairman and Grup Buku Karangkraf chief executive officer Firdaus Hussamuddin.
Festival Novel Malaysia 2026 took place from Sept 23 to 27, featuring a range of literary and creative programmes bringing together writers, publishers and readers.
