Reddit reviews Korea: The Impossible Country

So, I'll be honest. I haven't any of these books, they might be a good primer for a more modern take on Hallyu, though the blog points out that these might be better for the more 'mainstream' kpop (or ga-yo).

If you're more interested in Korean history, particularly modern history, there are a lot more sources--Bruce Cumings is a decent source (though he's way, way, way too kind to North Korea in some of his historical readings), and this book by Daniel Tudor is also a good primer.

Regarding the "cultural-industrial" complex I mentioned, I'm not sure how many would term it as such, or if many articles have been written on it--largely because it's such a strange thing, to Western eyes, to have the government invest so much in something that is so hard to define.

This isn't exactly responsive to your question, but I highly recommend reading Korea: The Impossible Country before you go. It will explain a ton about Korea and make your trip much more enjoyable.