I liked PSY but only as a sly dig on rap. choreography was pretty intricate, but utterly tasteless.
I speak Korean and a little Russian. It is nice to know people are discovering Korean food...and in L.A. it can be pretty authentic stuff that Westerners are being exposed to, not just food but Koream spa culture etc...
K- pop is horribly commercial and materialistic, but the country’s arts and culture scene *historically* is definitely inspiring and distinguished in many ways, from neighboring China and Japan. Traditional dance, especially the drumming, the costumes (hanboks), pottery, painting, and theater — all worthwhile.
Modern Korean filmmaking and acting can be of very high quality. And the TV series have a cult international following, and aren’t as cheesy as the K-Pop scene.
And in terms of the Western arts world, Koreans have made srrong strides in classical music and ballet.