“Korean Wave” and development trends of the South Korean broadcasting corporation KBS

INTRODUCTION. The study examines the history, development, licensing features, and financial problems of the South Korean broadcasting corporation KBS. The relevance of the topic is due to insufficient knowledge of the influence of the Korean wave and South Korean media companies on the global media market. The goal is to show the features of KBS’s development strategy. MATERIALS AND METHODS. Aspects of the Korean wave, the history of the formation of KBS, its development trends in 2023 and 2024, and broadcasting directions in 2024 are studied. The media products of the South Korean international radio station KBS World Radio, broadcasting in Russian, are considered. The reasons for the occurrence and ways to solve the financial difficulties of KBS are analyzed. Conclusions about KBS development trends are made on the basis of media materials published on the company’s websites, as well as South Korean media news covering changes in the features of paying for the KBS television license. The works of researchers on the features of the Korean wave and KBS’s strategy to combat advertising addiction are considered. RESULT AND DISCUSSION. KBS’s activities are aimed at creating a healthy broadcasting culture and objective news programs and promoting Korean culture. KBS officials announced their broadcast policy for 2024, focusing on ensuring impartiality and promoting innovative content across various media platforms to expand their audience reach. Media company KBS is expected to face significant challenges in 2024. Domestic and international competition for content, changes in the media landscape and KBS’s license fee collection have caused financial problems. CONCLUSION. KBS influences the global media market by promoting the Korean Wave. The radio station KBS World Radio creates content for the Russian audience. The experience of South Korean entertainment media can be used for the activities of leading Russian television and radio broadcasting corporations. The results of the study can be used to increase the quality of Russian analogues of Korean media products. The findings add to the consideration of methods for promoting national culture among young people around the world.