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Japan-South Korea ties are finally improving, but will this last?
Their respective soft power strengths and the younger generation in both countries may be key to better ties
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South Korean boy band BTS member J-Hope attends the Mnet Asian Music Awards 2022 in Osaka, Japan on Nov 30, 2022.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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TOKYO/SEOUL – The Hallyu, or South Korean wave, is an unstoppable juggernaut in Japan, where the top-grossing artiste for two straight years has been South Korean boyband BTS, which raked in 31 billion yen (S$315 million) in 2021 and 2022.
Three South Korean girl groups – Twice, Ive and Le Sserafim – performed in Japan on New Year’s Eve on the televised Kohaku music programme in 2022. All three groups have Japanese nationals as members.
