Since the 1990s, South Korean culture has increased its popularity, evolving from a regional development into a global phenomenon. This is known at the ‘Hallyu’, literary meaning little wave/flow of Korea. This wave has been carried by the Internet and social media and by the rapid increase and spread of K-pop music videos. Korean handling of social networking platforms has been instrumental in the spread of Hallyu. Hallyu has had a transformative influence on the contemporary culture industry throughout the world since the start of the 21st century. As such, South Korea has become a major exporter of popular culture which forms an important part of its economy. Therefore, the South Korean government has subsidised and funded start-ups in order to best export this culture. The government use these as a form of soft power. Radios were typically unwilling to broadcast foreign language songs. Platforms such as YouTube were crucial in achieving a global audience. As such, K-pop music videos are often considered one of the central components of the product. The popularity of K-pop in parts of the world such as Thailand and Cambodia, has led to Korean cosmetic and skincare products becoming popular with both markets, respectively. As such, specific ranges of products are released to cater to specific ethnic skin tones in order to match those of Southeast Asian women. Around 2007, a new wave of Korean culture spread worldwide. Known as Hallyu 2.0, this wave emphasised user-generated content via the YouTube platform and fan interaction with the media - enabled particularly by social media. The success of South Korean culture led to other governments in Asia, such as Japan and Taiwan, passing measures to limit the flow of products from Korea in an attempt to protect their own industries. Naturally, this resulted in a decline in sales, leading to Hallyu 2.0, which necessitated K-pop artists in particular, to find new markets. This aim helped lead the way for a partnership with YouTube to better access the American, and other markets outside Asia.