This study aimed to provide a comprehensive diagnosis of Europeans' empathy and perception of the Hallyu phenomenon by analyzing Hallyu-related articles reported in French newspapers. To fulfill this research purpose, the study analyzed articles related to Hallyu reported in French newspapers and academic journals. The primary goals were to identify the issues that French society is focusing on and to examine the construction of meaning and the direction of societal discussions regarding these issues. The analysis focused on Hallyu-related coverage in the French press from 2011 to 2021, a period when the Hallyu phenomenon expanded from Asia to Europe. The study conducted a thorough examination of French media using keywords such as Hallyu, Korea, Korean culture, and K-pop. The results of the analysis revealed a shift from past discourses that consistently portrayed Korea as the 'land of religious converts' and a 'passive kingdom of seclusion.' Instead, in today's French media, Korea is depicted as a dynamic cultural exporter, a small but influential cultural powerhouse that acts as a subject in dynamic cultural exports and exercises global influence through soft power. In this way, French media reproduced discussions about Korean society exerting influence globally through Hallyu, constructing a strong image of Korea.