The Korean Wave, or Hallyu, generated $19 billion in exports last year, with music exports surging 84 percent from a year earlier, according to a report by the Korean Foundation for International Cultural Exchange and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. The report released Monday, titled "Study on the Hallyu Ecosystem," estimated that the Korean Wave's economic impact grew in 2025 to reach $18.98 billion in exports, up 15.9 percent from 2024. Among content exports, which grew 14.2 perce