K-Everything: the series that uncovers the secrets of South Korean culture

For the 79th edition of the Cannes Film Festival, South Korea has carved out a central place for itself with 4 South Korean productions selected. To top it all off, South Korean director Park Chan-Wook is the president of the jury for the 2026 edition. Director of Old Boy (2003) and No Other Choice (2025), he has managed to establish himself on the international cinema scene.

 

 

The popularity of South Korean culture is in full swing

More generally, South Korean culture is wreaking havoc through music, cinema, beauty products… According to Zone Bourse, South Korean cultural exports have more than tripled in ten years, reaching $9.85 billion in 2024. Kpop is the main reason: it has occupied 6th place in the global music market since 2017.

 

According to Zone Bourse, South Korean cultural exports have more than tripled in ten years, reaching $9.85 billion in 2024.

Audiovisual productions have also managed to establish themselves: season 1 of the South Korean series Squid Game is the most viewed production on the Netflix platform. According to the Yonhap News Agency, the South Korean film and television industry already recorded $15.2 billion in 2022. The popularity of this culture is reflected in the attractiveness of the country. In 1995, South Korea welcomed 3.8 million international tourists, compared to 16.4 million in 2024, according to WorldDatacom.

 

 

Daniel Dae Kim dans la série K-Everything

The K-Everything series explores this phenomenon. Daniel Dae Kim, presenter and executive producer of the series, and “proud American and South Korean” looks back on this dazzling acceleration and this new wave. He is particularly known for his roles in the series Hawaii 5.0 or in Lost.

 

The series is produced by Daniel Dae Kim, alongside Amy Entelis, Ellana Lee, Jon Jensen, Katie Hinman and Ryan Smith for CNN Original Series. This is the first collaboration between the CNN Originals and Global Productions teams based in Asia Pacific. It is also sponsored by Hyundai Motor Company.

 

 

 

Each episode is dedicated to an aspect of South Korean culture

Divided into 4 episodes, the series is released from May 9, 2026 to May 30, 2026, with one episode per week on Saturdays on CNN. Each episode is dedicated to an aspect of South Korean culture and are also available on the HBO Max platform.

Daniel Dae Kim sets out to meet key personalities who enable the development of this sector, such as Lee Byung-hun, the star of Squid Game and No Other Choice, or the singer PSY known for his success with Gangnam Style…. He also visits technical arts studios, a kimchi festival in Pyeongchang, and South Korean beauty institutes… The next and third episode is dedicated to South Korean food, and will be released on May 23, 2026. This episode focuses on the cultural diversity of South Korean food: starting from the typical South Korean barbecue, we discover a rich and varied diet.

 

 

The series attacks this country which has managed to buy its popularity, without hiding the negative. The last episode looks at the country’s beauty products, but also at the beauty standards that are intrinsically linked to them. In addition to the series, CNN created a site to highlight Korea’s creativity and cultural impact. More generally, blogs and sites on South Korean culture are multiplying, another revealing element of the meteoric rise of the country and its influence.