S3 B1-B2 K-EVERYTHING: KOREA'S POP CULTURE TAKEOVER

to aspire to global status

to try to become famous/influential worldwide

on the cusp of sth

at the point when sth is about to change to sth else

export appeal

how attractive products are to foreign buyers

it is down to sth

it is caused by sth specific

government

the group of people that controls a country

to come to a crashing halt

to stop suddenly and completely

in debt

owing money to others

to export pop culture

to send music/TV/fashion to other countries

all-encompassing

including everything or everyone

soft-industry

businesses like entertainment and culture (not factories) that increase the country’s soft power (cultural influence)

to step in

to get involved to help or control

to enhance the appeal

to make sth more attractive

drawn to Korean cosmetics

attracted to Korean beauty products

endorsed by K-pop stars

supported/promoted by k-pop idols

12-step skin-care regimens

long, detailed skin care routines

adorable packaging

cute product containers

to turn Korea into a desirable brand

make Korea seem attractive worldwide

to wane

to become weaker or less popular

the halo effect of Korean pop culture

the fact that K-pop makes other Korean things seem good

Korean ventures

Korean business projects

to pay off

to bring successful results (especially after hard work)

innovation

new ideas or methods

depicted as emotionally intelligent

shown as being good at understanding feelings

shaped by female screenwriters

created mainly by women writers

to challenge toxic masculinity

go against harmful male stereotypes

to be into K-dramas

to be interested in Korean TV shows

to set/have high standards

to create very difficult expectations

emotionally available

able to talk about/share feelings

deeply devoted

extremely loyal and caring

to stem from sth

to come from a particular cause

to sell a fantasy

to offer an ideal (but unrealistic) dream

to feature sth/sb

to include or show sth/sb

a slew of desirable traits

a lot of attractive qualities

to possess a quality

to have a particular trait

handsome

good-looking (for men)

swoon-worthy male leads

charming male protagonists that make the audience adore them

refreshing

pleasantly new and different

distant hyper-masculine male leads

cold overly 'macho' main characters

to reflect an aspirational version of romance

to show an ideal love story

to cherish one’s partners

to deeply value one’s boyfriend/girlfriend

removed from reality

not like real life

to provide a much-needed emotional escape

to offer a comforting fantasy

to lift sb’s mood

to make sb feel happier

to miss out on sth

fail to experience sth good

portrayed in K-dramas

shown in Korean TV series

to set a positive precedent

create a good example to follow

to prevail

to succeed or become common

K-pop stan

an extremely enthusiastic and devoted K-pop fan

parasocial relationship

one-sided emotional connection with a celebrity

to be blind to the issue

to ignore or not see a problem

prevalent in the industry

very common in this business field

delusional

believing things that aren't true or realistic

sane person

sb who thinks and behaves normally

to owe it to sb

to have a responsibility to sb

limited edition photo card

special, rare picture of a celebrity (for collectors)

cultural appropriation

the act using elements of another culture inappropriately or even offensively

global phenomenon

sth known and popular worldwide

obsessed with fair skin

extremely focused on having light skin

(under) scrutiny

close examination and criticism

to get into K-pop

to become interested in Korean pop music

baddie (inf)

sb with a cool, attractive, confident style

to go to great/tremendous lengths to do sth

to try very hard to do sth

to meet the idol standard

to try to look/act like K-pop stars

prevalent part of the industry

common aspect of this business

causes for concern

things that worry people

double eyelid

eyelid crease that some Asians get surgery to have

there is no ethical consumption under capitalism

in a capitalistic society buying and consuming media is always harmful in some way

dedicated fan

very loyal supporter

buzzword

a popular word or phrase that people use a lot

glass skin

extremely clear, smooth, shiny skin

sheet mask

a thin face-shaped cloth with skincare liquid

to spark a global beauty revolution

to start big worldwide changes in the beauty industry

to ride on the back of Korean wave

to benefit from the popularity of Korean culture

to overtake US

to become more popular/successful than America

glowing skin

healthy, bright-looking skin

moral integrity

strong principles of honesty and good behavior

to form the backbone of sth

to be the most important supporting part

to maintain healthy skin

to keep skin in good condition

flawless complexion

perfect skin

to craft a new narrative around skincare

to create a new approach to skincare

distinctly Korean

clearly coming from Korean culture

radiant

shining with health/happiness

tied to an aspirational lifestyle

connected to a desirable way of living

to master the art of sth

to become extremely skilled at sth

transparency

honest business practices

to set sb apart in the market

to make sb better than competitors

highly competitive

having many companies trying to succeed

indulgence

allowing yourself special treats

to cleanse your skin

to clean your face properly

to cater to sb

to provide what particular people want

instrumental in sth

very important in making sth happen

calculated

carefully planned

to reinforce unattainable standards

to support impossible beauty goals

empowering

making people feel stronger/more confident