Is the C-wave Bigger Than the K-wave?

Korea seems to have shaped so many cultural trends in recent times. But when it comes to the origins of what we consume and how we consume, there is another country playing the starring role.

Inspired by this excellent article, I went down the rabbit hole to find out more…

Because, to understand trends before they go mainstream, China is where we need to start, not Korea.

Indeed, the K-wave and the C-wave are so intertwined when we look more closely. As this article states: “The Chinese term for this Korean pop culture wave, hanliu, even made its way back into Korean culture as hallyu - now a widely used catch-all term for the country’s cultural might.”

Let’s dig into the key shifts and why they matter…

Little Red Book, Big Global Trend?

Just like its global counterparts, the half-Instagram, half-Pinterest site, Xiaohongshu is the go-to site for Chinese travellers among many other functions it fulfils (shopping, restaurants, product reviews etc.) But, more importantly for international marketers, it also points the way to what content formats are going to be popular on international platforms in the near future, like this wide-angle, big hands format that has recently been popular in Japan.

Ugly Mainstream

As the aforementioned article nails, people are increasingly drawn to things considered weird or ugly by the mainstream and Chinese creators are, “leading this trend with confidence”. For more examples of this broader trend in China, see the rise of chatbots in people’s personal lives, specifically people in AI relationships because these virtual partners, “know how to talk to women better than a real man”. Don’t be surprised if AI relationships - romantic or otherwise - start to be more commonplace in other markets, opening up opportunities for brands.

Bilibili Vernacular

Internet language feels increasingly irreverent; a seemingly random blend of different words or event letters (see: ‘Skibidi’). But it doesn’t matter where the term started or if it sounds silly to you or me. If people are using it and it has their attention, it matters from a marketing perspective. It pays to see what terms are popular on platforms like Bilibili, the streaming platform described as, “a cultural powerhouse known as a trendsetter for internet vernacular.”

Why does this matter for marketers?

It matters because first mover advantage is crucial with trends.

This doesn’t mean that everyone on the marketing team needs to be on Xiaohongshu or Bilibil on a daily basis, but you do need to stay on top of what is popular on those platforms by reading and watching content about those platforms (like this).

It’s no guarantee of success, but it gives you a better chance of seeing the future.