“K-wavification’ refers to the transformation of Korean culture into transnational cultural commodities by commercially appropriating and utilizing the global popularity of the Korean Wave. This process involves corporations, governments, and cultural workers discovering, selecting, adapting, and branding Korean cultural elements aligning with global consumer tastes.”

“Through K-wavification, Korean cultural elements are evaluated and selected based on their potential exchange value. Selected elements are reconfigured as differentiated, globally attractive cultural codes that are accessible, consumable, and spectacularized for transnational appeal.”

“In this round, the leader of Band Nah directly fused K-pop trends with band music, stating, ‘We incorporated elements that always appear in K-pop, such as a build-up followed by a drop, or a rap-like element in the second verse.’ Reflecting the K-pop stage composition that features ‘the ending pose’, Band Nah adopted this pose at the end of their performance.”

“With a rock and roll sound, Surl used the Korean expression, ‘Gulline'(굴리네), which translates to ‘rolling’ in English but also means to make someone work hard, delivering their feelings with the lyrics ‘Rolling, rolling, rolling, Naleul Gulline (you’re making me work excessively).’ Uniquely, the bands express rebellious affects against the intense labor conditions inherent to survival programs, such as tight deadlines and demanding schedules.”