Media discourses in K-dramas and K-pop: constructing youth identities in the context of Hallyu in Guayaquil

Abstract

In recent decades, the global expansion of South Korean popular culture, known as Hallyu, has increased the consumption of media products such as K-dramas and K-pop among young audiences in diverse cultural contexts. This phenomenon has generated new forms of cultural interaction and symbolic identification processes mediated by digital platforms and fan communities. The objective of this study is to analyze the discourses present in K-dramas and K-pop and their relationship with the construction of youth identities among university students in the city of Guayaquil. The research adopts a mixed-method approach with a descriptive-analytical scope. The sample consisted of university students who consume Hallyu-related media content. Structured surveys were used to identify motivations and gratifications associated with media consumption, as well as a discourse analysis of representative media products based on categories related to narrative, visual aesthetics, and social representations. The results indicate that the discourses present in K-dramas and K-pop transmit values associated with self-improvement, discipline, affective relationships, and youth aesthetics, elements that influence the cultural identification processes of the participants. The discussion suggests that these media contents function as symbolic references that are reinterpreted by young audiences within their local context. It is concluded that the consumption of Korean popular culture contributes to the construction of youth identities mediated by processes of cultural globalization and digital participation.