Entrepreneurship Lessons Perceived by Korean Drama Audience: Itaewon Class Series as a Source for Learning Entrepreneurship Education in University

Abstract

The wave of Korean popular culture has not only created new trends in the fashion and music industries. Since the emergence of Korean dramas in the 2000s, the number of k-drama fans continues to increase every year. One of the famous series at the end of 2020 is Itaewon Class. Instead of carrying the theme of romance, Itaewon Class presents business education content for young people. This study aims to determine the meaning or audience reception of the Itaewon Class series, especially for undergraduate students. In particular, this study wants to see how Korean dramas can be a medium of learning, a source of information, and education and can motivate students to dare to be entrepreneurs. This study uses a qualitative approach that focuses the data on ten selected informants. Data collection techniques are through online surveys with open-ended questions and observations through screenshots of personal blogs or personal opinion articles that contain the author's views on the Itaewon Class series. In addition, interviews were also conducted to deepen the meaning of K-drama from the informants. Data analysis uses the principle of reception analysis which prioritizes the meaning of the message received by the audience from a film. The results showed four points of meaning from the Itaewon Class series. These points include (1) studying the mindset of a new entrepreneur in running his business, (2) managing finances for new entrepreneurs, (3) managing human resources and maintaining human relations in a business, and (4) company management for beginners. These findings will assist policy makers or universities in developing appropriate policies and programs to promote entrepreneurship for university graduates at the national level.