Wednesday September 17, 2025

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Outrage in Korea as ICE detains workers in Georgia raid

Daniel Mitchum

An ICE raid at a battery plant under construction in Ellabell, Georgia, has triggered widespread outrage and diplomatic tension between the United States and South Korea. More than 475 workers were detained in the September 4 operation, over 300 of them South Korean nationals, in what U.S. authorities described as the “largest single site enforcement operation” in the agency’s two-decade history.

The U.S. government alleges that some workers had visa violations and had entered under business-visitor authorizations or visa waiver programs that do not allow manual or labor-oriented work, or had overstayed legal status. Footage released by ICE showed detained workers being handcuffed, shackled with chains, and transported in what ICE called standard procedure for that operation, images which provoked anger among South Koreans. After several days in detention, Seoul and Washington reached an agreement to release the South Korean nationals.

The raid has sparked shock and a sense of betrayal among many in South Korea, and comments from political leaders have been severe. South Korea’s Labor Minister, Kim Younghoon, likened the treatment of detained workers to the treatment of prisoners of war, saying that “not even prisoners of war would be treated like that.” During a parliamentary inquiry on foreign affairs at the National Assembly on September 16, Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said, “I realized that this is not the United States that used to cooperate well with many allies and friendly countries,” further elaborating that “it seems the United States has changed as international circumstances have shifted over the past 30 years after the Cold War, while both Europe and the United States have also been struggling with immigration issues.”

In a social media post, U.S. President Trump said he does not want to “frighten off or disincentivize investment into America by outside Countries or Companies.” However, as Georgia has become a hub of investment for many Korean firms in the U.S., the raids have created significant tension among Koreans in the area, while concerns grow that such enforcement raids could extend to other Korean-owned businesses.

‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Shapes South Korea’s Next Wave of Cultural Policy and Economic Growth

Mikayla Basanese

The Hallyu (or Korean Wave, which refers to the global spread of South Korean culture and entertainment) is nothing new. K-pop, K-dramas, and K-food have been driving South Korea’s soft power for decades and generating increased tourism. However, the Netflix hit KPop Demon Hunters, which was released on June 20, 2025, and broke the record for Netflix’s most-watched movie ever, seems to have brought new life to the Hallyu. The success of this movie has catalyzed a cross-sector boom, encompassing tourism, K-food, merchandise, heritage-inspired retail, theme parks, and museums. The movie’s success has even created ripple effects in government and policy. 

Seoul reports an all-time high of 1.36M visitors in July, explicitly attributing the spike to the KPop Demon Hunters craze and the landmarks that were highlighted in the film. This report puts a hard number behind this soft-power surge. The frenzy surrounding this movie also translates directly into retail sales, with ramyeon lines inspired by the movie hitting shelves and brands across beauty and lifestyle sprinting to meet demand. The movie is also increasing interest in products rooted in Korean history and design, with mother-of-pearl passport cases, palace-inspired fragrances, and heritage palettes selling out.

The National Museum of Korea has become a fandom destination, drawing tourists seeking links to the movie’s folklore and symbols. Derpy, the fan-favorite tiger in the movie, has drawn attention to Korea’s cultural symbolism surrounding this creature and even driven merch sales, including the National Museum of Korea’s “Magpie and Tiger Badge”, which has already sold out online until the end of the year. The “tiger boom” has sparked interest in learning more about tigers in Korea and even brought attention to conservation issues. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung handed out Derpy pins to reporters at his 100-day press conference, underscoring how the franchise has seeped into national branding and political communications. 

Beyond merchandise, KPop Demon Hunters is seeding a new experience economy. Everland, the country’s largest theme park, has announced an immersive zone dedicated to the movie, turning beloved characters and storylines into attractions that anchor family travel and repeat visits. Seoul hosted the Hunters Festival, a large-scale event that combines K-pop performances, cosplay, themed food, and travel packages, effectively transforming the franchise into a live cultural celebration. Even the skyline has become a canvas with a spectacular Drone Show over the Han River that reimagined the movie’s battles and characters with hundreds of synchronized lights. Together, these initiatives demonstrate how the franchise has evolved into city-scale programming, blurring the line between entertainment, tourism, and cultural diplomacy. 

Just as KPop Demon Hunters has drawn tourists to museums and theme parks, its soundtrack has become a global amplifier for the K-pop industry. The original soundtrack (OST) has topped the international charts and fueled streaming spikes across platforms. The movie has become an introduction to K-pop for some new fans, which in turn introduces them to South Korea’s live performance and merchandise ecosystems, where concert ticket sales, fan tourism, and idol-branded goods drive additional revenue. The franchise has not just benefited from K-pop’s global reach but also reinforced and expanded it, pushing South Korean pop music further into the mainstream and consolidating its position as the cultural engine of Hallyu. 

Beyond cultural and economic impacts, the overwhelming success of this movie has opened a policy window that may change South Korea’s cultural industrial policy. South Korean Culture Minister Chae Hwi-young publicly argued that foreign-made works about Korea can be “K-content,” and said the ministry is exploring support mechanisms for foreign co-producers. At the same time, he warned that the sector’s boom masks structural gaps (a lack of venues, investment, and IP leverage) and floated expanding the culture’s budget share and fostering domestic streaming alternatives, a sober counterpoint to the euphoria. Opinion leaders are already asking what comes after the surge, and how to convert the moment into durable capacity and export competitiveness. 

The current policy shift in South Korea isn’t just about boosting content exports or supporting foreign-made K-content. It also involves creating the conditions to attract, integrate, and retain foreign talent, particularly in Seoul, to sustain the cultural, technological, and creative sectors that are riding the KPop Demon Hunters wave. A recent panel discussion hosted by the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Ministry of Justice tackled exactly this issue. Officials, foreign professionals, and international students gathered to debate how to make Seoul a place where global creators not only visit but also stay. The panelists emphasized that cultural exports like KPop Demon Hunters help boost Seoul's global visibility and make South Korea more “on the map” for creators abroad, but visibility alone isn’t enough. If Seoul wants foreign creators, content producers, designers, and artists to stay and contribute long-term, it must provide legal, social, and professional infrastructure, including easier paths to work, more inclusive company cultures, internship and startup support for foreign entrepreneurs, and meaningful visa reforms. 

While riding the latest swell of the Hallyu, many are eagerly looking forward to a potential sequel to the hit film. While there has been no confirmation, Netflix and Sony Pictures Animation are in preliminary talks. Directors Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhands have expressed that there are many untold stories, hinting at deeper character arcs and new musical genres that could be explored. A follow-up would mean more than just box-office returns. It could spark another wave of tourism festivals, heritage-linked retail, and music sales, amplifying the ripple effects already felt across South Korea’s economy. 

To fully capture that opportunity, Korean companies and institutions should seek deeper involvement in any sequel or spin-off. Partnerships with Netflix and Sony, whether through co-production, soundtrack collaborations, or heritage and retail tie-ins, would give local firms more creative input and ensure that a greater share of the revenues remains in South Korea. At the same time, careful attention will be needed to avoid over-saturation or cultural dilution. Fans were drawn to the film’s authenticity, including its mix of folklore, music, food, and design. A sequel will need to expand on that foundation rather than simply repeat it. If handled well, the next installment could institutionalize a model where South Korean culture, commerce, and policy align to strengthen K-content’s global reach and make its economic impact more enduring. 

This Week in Korean History

On September 15, 1950, the Battle of Incheon began as United Nations troops launched an amphibious assault operation to retake the area under North Korean occupation. The battle marked a major turning point in the Korean War and led to the recapture of Seoul just two weeks later.