K-pop and korean drama: France's "KPOP LIFE" magazine attracts attention for errors

France has previously shown much interest in K-pop and Korean culture, as idol groups like Wonder Girls and SHINee have appeared in French newspapers, fan-organized protests have been held to have their voices heard regarding an additional date for SMTOWN Live in Paris, and the SMTOWN Live event itselfgenerating $1.6 million USD in revenue. It seems that the cultural exchange goes both ways; in March, actress Han Jihye was named promotional ambassador for French films in Korea.

A K-pop magazine has recently been established in France, publicized by Park Eunyoung's portal site "Paris's Korean Ajumma" on August 8. According to Park Eunyoung, magazine company Leon started the magazine "KPOP LIFE", a 50-page magazine that sells for 4 Euro (~$6 USD).

Park Eunyoung spoke of her desire for France to be able to enjoy not only K-pop, but also Korea's food, travel, fashion, and culture. "KPOP LIFE" covers Korean music, dramas, food, and more. A section titled "Korean Lessons" introduces easy words in the Korean language to those who would like to learn. The wide variety of topics is one reason the magazine has gained a lot of interest thus far.

However, Park Eunyoung's reason for speaking out about "KPOP LIFE" was not just to bring about more readership. She brought attention to the fact that the magazine included a map that labeled what is called the East Sea in Korea, the Sea of Japan. Koreans are generally bothered by when the East Sea is called the Sea of Japan due to the Japan annexation issue. Park Eunyoung expressed that while it was good to have a map to show readers the locations of certain Korean cities, she wished that the magazine had paid more attention to such sensitive issues.

While Park Eunyoung was upset by the issue, she expressed her happiness that K-pop's influence had helped to spread Korean culture throughout her country. Park Eunyoung herself had started liking K-pop after watching SHINee's "Replay" MV.

Although the magazine has just started and is not yet considered a major magazine, Park Eunyoung stated that it would help to spread the Hallyu movement even further. However, she pointed out a few errors in the magazine's content. "Although this magazine is another step at spreading Korean culture, it is not enough," she said. "After looking through the magazine, I have noticed mistakes and typos in the spelling of artists' names." Park Eunyoung did mention that she had not given up on the magazine, saying, "Since the editors have stated they would pay more attention to these kinds of details, I am still maintaining my high expectations for the future issues of this magazine."