SEOUL/TOKYO -- South Korea's soft power has been in rising recent years, with K-pop group BTS becoming a global sensation, "Parasite" winning Best Picture at the Oscars, and dramas such as "Crash Landing On You" winning viewers across the world.
But while the momentum of the Korean Hallyu cultural wave appears relentless, The New York Times' decision last month to move Asia-based digital news operations from Hong Kong to Seoul came as surprise to many.
