Comprehending the Hallyu: Can It Be a Learning Experience for India?

Abstract

The Korean Wave, which is popularly known as the Hallyu, is a cultural phenomenon through which South Korean popular culture has dramatically risen since the 1990s. The K-Wave was originally initiated by the export of television dramas, and it became famous through the intersection of K-pop music, Korean films, food and lifestyle, and others. While a nascent phenomenon in the early 2000s, its popularity was mainly concentrated in the markets of the neighboring countries of South Korea, but gradually it started captivating larger audiences in Europe, the USA, and other parts of Asia. Popular culture, which was once considered emotional and low culture in Korea, has now become a powerful tool of its soft power diplomacy. K-Wave has become a popular cultural phenomenon in India as well, attracting a significant urban youth population. Though India has a rich history of soft power strategy, yet has been criticized for not fully utilizing it. This article will make an effort to analyze the K-Wave and comprehend whether it can act as a learning curve for India’s soft power diplomacy.