In this chapter, I examine the benefits and potential pitfalls of using visual and aural tradition to brand popular music products as Korean. Once Korean traditions and Korean popular culture were fields that rarely intersected, except in the holiday greetings of pop stars to their fans. However, in recent years, Korean tradition has become increasingly linked to Korean popular music. For Korean artists, the use of Korean tradition provides another avenue to set their music apart from pop music from the United States and other Western countries. It can be inspiring, and it can serve as a vehicle for expressing pride in their nation, something that also appeals to local fans. Unsurprisingly, the Korean government has welcomed this trend, seeking yet again to capitalize on Korean pop culture’s attractiveness by financially supporting and organizing everything from television programs to fashion shows that foreground Korean traditions while linking these events to the successes of pop stars. In today’s Korea, tourism advertisements seamlessly meld tradition and pop, and politicians seek the cooperation of pop stars in their diplomatic projects. In this chapter, however, I argue that the current use of Korean tradition, interpreted through pop culture, may benefit everyone except traditional performers. The traditional performers, who are the stakeholders and protectors of the knowledge and skill related to tradition, have benefited the least from the international visibility of Korean tradition.