Korean popular culture has taken India by storm in recent years, with K-dramas, K-pop music, Korean cuisine, and skincare products capturing the imagination of millions. From metropolitan cities to smaller towns, the Korean Wave (Hallyu) has generated unprecedented enthusiasm and social media buzz among Indian audiences, particularly young consumers. This cultural phenomenon has transformed entertainment preferences, beauty standards, and lifestyle choices across the country.
Celebrities like Disha Patani, Tiger Shroff, and Rashmika Mandanna have embraced Korean culture and have shown their love for it. From BTS concert talks and their special meal offerings at fast food chains to Bollywood stars fangirling/fanboying over K-pop, to growing fan clubs for BlackPink, Seventeen, and others, along with enthralling K-pop events being organized, Indian K-pop sensations like Shriya Lenka and Aria rising through the ranks, and K-drama shows being remade, we have seen massive growth in the K-fandom and demand for K-dramas and K-pop in India.
With his viral global hit "Gangnam Style," PSY brought K-pop to global attention for the very first time. Even in India, superstars like Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, and Katrina Kaif danced to Gangnam Style on the stage of KBC. In various schools and colleges, students performed this song, but very few were aware that it was a Korean song. This song marked the advent of Korean culture in India.
However, while the Hallyu wave (Korean wave) was growing slowly and steadily, it only accelerated during the pandemic when people across the country and the world were looking for interesting and engaging content. They turned to K-dramas, which in turn led them to K-pop, Korean fashion, skincare, and food, all of which have surged in popularity.
There have been multiple appearances of Indian and Korean celebrities together, which has been received positively by Indian netizens. The appearance of popular Korean soloist IU with Indian superstar Alia Bhatt at the Gucci award show greatly shocked the internet. Rashmika Mandanna was seen with Jung Il-woo at a modeling show. The interaction between Priyanka Chopra and Blackpink's Lisa at the Bulgari show in Rome was also highly praised by netizens.
Apart from this, famous Indian singer and music composer AR Rahman was seen with the biggest Korean boy band 'BTS' at the Grammys 2022. Disha Patani was seen with GOT7's Jackson Wang, and Karan Johar was seen with Kai at many events.
A tremendous increase in the craze for Korean cuisines like ramyeon, kimchi, hotpot, and gochujang noodles has been observed in recent times, with more people trying these cuisines. This is the major reason why companies like ITC, Nestle, and Knorr have started the production and promotion of Korean noodles and ramyeon. A rise in the number of Korean outlets can also be seen in recent times, where the young generation is quite drawn to these foods and is always ready to explore new things. Gochujang noodles, as cooked by Janhvi Kapoor, are seen to attract a large number of audiences worldwide.
Regarding Korean fashion and skincare, various Indian celebrities and influencers are seen following and promoting beauty products that can give them flawless Korean glass-like skin. Indian celebrities like Priyanka Chopra and Malaika Arora are seen wearing clothes similar to those of some prominent Korean stars. Even in general, both young boys and girls spend a lot of money to maintain flawless Korean glass skin and to wear clothes according to K-fashion.
This rise in popularity of Korean dramas and web series can also be witnessed through the Korean entertainment industry creating milestones, with "Parasite" becoming the first foreign film to win an Oscar, "Squid Game" captivating audiences as the most-watched show on Netflix, and BTS claiming the title of the biggest boy band group worldwide.
Shows like "Squid Game," "Crash Landing on You," and "Descendants of the Sun" have emerged as blockbuster hits on Netflix in India.
Some filmmakers have taken the rights to remake these Korean shows/movies. There is also news of making a Bollywood remake of the famous K-drama "Business Proposal," starring Sidharth Malhotra. One of the major reasons for this craze over K-drama and K-pop can be attributed to its availability on OTT platforms and various language subtitles.
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