An article by Yoonho Nahm, CEO and publisher of the Korea Daily, featured in the summer 2024 issue of the prestigious Korean Studies journal, the “Korean Journal of Communication (KJC),” published by the University of Texas Press, is drawing significant attention from the Korean American community. This journal is also listed in the “Muse Project” of Johns Hopkins University, one of the most influential institutions in the humanities field.
In his article titled “Voice from the Field: Korean Ethnic Newspapers at a Crossroads,” Nahm introduces the challenges faced by Korean American media in the U.S. through statistics and various field examples. He emphasizes the need for Korean media to be vigilant about these issues. Despite these challenges, Nahm presents an optimistic outlook, suggesting that if Korean media can adapt to the changing times and culture, there is still hope for the future.
He first presents recent statistics from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, Media, and Integrated Marketing Communications. According to these statistics, the number of local daily newspapers in the U.S. decreased from 1,472 in 2005 to 1,213 in 2023, indicating that an average of 13 newspapers disappear annually. In 2023 alone, 17 newspapers were closed. On average, one daily newspaper ceased operation somewhere in the U.S. every three weeks last year.
“In this situation, in 2024, the Korea Daily celebrates its 50th anniversary, and it is remarkable that the Korean ethnic newspaper, published for the Korean-American community in their mother language, has survived for over 50 years,” Nahm wrote.
Paradox: Growing Korean community, declining Korean media
He highlighted that the most significant challenge facing Korean ethnic newspapers is the rapid evolution of the Korean-American community. These newspapers initially catered to first-generation immigrants who were not comfortable with English and relied on businesses targeting this demographic for advertising. “It was a collective of businesses ‘for Koreans, by Koreans, and of Koreans,’” he explained.
Nahm added that, in this environment, relevance to Koreans and their interests was prioritized when determining news value. “Editors assigning articles always included instructions to ‘check whether they are Korean or not,’” he wrote.
However, as he pointed out, the Korean-American community is changing significantly. Successful Korean businesses are now focusing on the mainstream market beyond the small Korean market. Korean grocery stores, household goods stores, and restaurants that thrived through Korean-American customers are expanding their reach and showing a tendency to advertise more with mainstream media rather than Korean-American media.
“Korean conglomerates operating in the U.S. are willing to invest an astronomical amount of money in Super Bowl advertisements, worth over $200,000 per second, they hesitate when it comes to spending on one full-page ad in a Korean newspaper, which costs only $1,000 to $2,000,” Nahm explained. “The growth of the Korean-American economy is good news. However, as the economic status of the Korean-American community grew stronger, Korean-American media began to shrink, creating a paradox of growth in Korean ethnic media.”
Decline in demands due to shrinking Korean-speaking population
Nahm highlighted that demographic changes pose a significant challenge to Korean newspapers. As the first-generation immigrants age, the proportion of second-and third-generation Korean Americans, who tend not to be fluent in Korean, is increasing. “Therefore, it is hard for them to read Korean newspapers written in Korean language,” he wrote.
He shared his experiences attending the funerals of prominent figures in the Korean-American community. “Second-generation children, almost without exception, deliver eulogies for their deceased parents in English because they can’t speak Korean,” he wrote. “I can feel the actual loss of readers and advertisers. With immigration flows declining, this trend will likely intensify.”
As Nahm pointed out, a shift in lifestyle that is now taking place creates another challenge for Korean newspapers. The Korean community is experiencing a notable process of assimilation into mainstream at the social, economic, and cultural levels, which has led to a reduction of ethnic boundaries that once characterized the Korean community.
He added, “For example, there is a significant increase in non-Korean managers in Korean businesses traditionally dominated by Koreans. With the increasing Americanization of the Korean community, the demand for Korean newspapers, especially in Korean language, is already waning.”
Nahm, however, said it is not all hopeless, as positive signals are emerging from multicultural politics, recent election results, and the influence of K-culture.
He pointed out that political consciousness among Koreans has grown and that non-Korean politicians have started recognizing Koreans as a crucial voting bloc. In fact, thanks to overwhelming Korean support, several Korean-American candidates have won in elections.
“Korean media can still play a significant role in rallying Korean voters,” he wrote. “This is why non-Korean candidates still seek endorsements from Korean media.” He explained that the Korea Daily declared endorsements for candidates who would contribute to the Korean community for the first time among Korean media in 2020.
“It expressed support for not only Koreans but also non-Koreans,” Nahm emphasized. “As a result, non-Korean candidates are now actively seeking endorsements from the Korea Daily as the 2024 elections approach. This could become a new source of demand for Korean media.”
English articles that only Koreans can explain
Nahm explained that the popularity of K-culture provides an opportunity for the expansion of Korean ethnic media. With the rising popularity of Korean movies, TV dramas, music, and food, stories covering Korean culture and the community are increasingly drawing attention from non-Koreans. However, he pointed out that mainstream media’s coverage of the Korean community is often limited due to a lack of cultural knowledge.
“Although more non-Koreans would like to taste ‘Jjapaguri’ (from Parasite) or ‘Dalgona’ (from Squid Game), their understanding of its cultural context remains superficial,” he wrote. “Due to a limited understanding of Korean culture, mainstream media may hardly deliver the authentic meanings of Korean content accurately. This is where Korean media could find a new market.”
After explaining the current situation facing Korean-American newspapers, Nahm said, “What is clear is that they are approaching a critical crossroads.” He advised that they need to relinquish their past growth model and construct a new, responsive system to adapt to the rapidly changing social and cultural environments.
“The key to achieving this system lies in how they grow organizational immediacy to meet the new demand flowing in from outside the Korean community and how they break away from the old, narrow shell without delay,” he wrote.
He explained that the conclusion reached by the Korea Daily has been to promote the English media. It is not about completely abandoning the Korean market and competing with existing mainstream media, he added. “Instead, it is about cultivating a niche market through internet-based English media and gradually expanding that market. In a nutshell, our positioning aims to promote internet-based Korean ethnic media providing hyper-local news in English, covering areas that mainstream media do not handle well. We target both younger generations of Korean Americans and non-Koreans who are interested in and eager to engage with Korean culture and the Korean community.”
Nahm admitted that success is not guaranteed and that steering in the wrong direction could create additional challenges.
“But remaining in the past is not an option,” he asserted. “We should not be like frogs that die in a lukewarm pot without realizing it is boiling. Embracing change is essential for growth and resilience.”
BY YOUNGNAM KIM [kim.youngnam@koreadaily.com]
