K-pop and Cultural Globalization: Their Influence on the Lives of Mexican Female University Students

Authors

  • Sabrina Nigra Universidad de Guadalajara

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.32870/cl.v2i35.8164

Keywords:

cultural hybridization, globalization, contemporary music, cultural identity

Abstract

This qualitative study aims to analyze the influence of K-pop culture on female college students at a public institution in Mexico, focusing on its impact on identity formation. Various studies have indicated that exposure to this cultural phenomenon leads to significant changes in youth identity. However, this study offers a different perspective based on empirical evidence gathered through structured interviews. The results show that the consumption of K-pop music significantly influences certain aspects of the young women’s daily lives, such as behaviors and aesthetic choices, including clothing styles and musical preferences. Likewise, processes of group cohesion and socialization based on shared interests surrounding this musical genre are identified. However, the findings also show that this influence does not imply a profound transformation in the participants’ personal identities. In other words, although the young women incorporate practices and elements visible in K-pop, these do not redefine their way of being, nor do they replace their cultural frames of reference. Consequently, it is concluded that K-pop culture functions as a cultural reference point that impacts social and expressive practices, but does not constitute a subculture, nor does it shape a distinct collective identity in the context studied.

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Published

2026-07-01