K-POP AND K-DRAMA REVOLUTION IN INDIA

 K-Pop and K-Drama are Trending in India. Find out Why…

The Korean entertainment industry can be credited with having its finger firmly on the pulse of what is needed to take the world by storm. They know their target audience, and it shows in the way that they keep churning out good content for them.

Consequently, it is no surprise then that more and more people are getting hooked to K-pop and K-drama in India. K-drama is a great way to spend free time and enjoy something fun. From romantic comedies to family dramas, there is something for everyone. K-drama has a huge following in India, so much so that many Indian production houses have started remaking some of our favorite shows.

K-drama

K-drama revolution in India can be traced back to 2009 when the Disney Channel India (now known as Hungama TV) started airing K-dramas on television. The channel aired popular shows like High Kick Through The Roof, Dream High, and Coffee Prince at the time but it was Boys Over Flowers that changed everything. Starring Lee Min Ho and Gu Hye Sun, the show became an instant hit in India and catapulted K-dramas into popularity.

The channel was earlier known for airing anime and cartoons but with Boys Over Flowers becoming so popular; they started airing more K-dramas every week. As soon as one show ended, another would start soon after. The channel aired many other shows like Dream High, You're Beautiful, Flower Boy Ramyun Shop, Playful Kiss and more.

 Over the years, the demand for South Korean dramas has soared with some of the online streaming platforms reporting a threefold increase in viewership of these shows since 2017. This demand increased significantly in 2020 during the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. There was a lock down and as such people had time to catch up with their favourite shows.

According to Netflix, there was a three hundred and seventy percent increase in the number of Indians who watched K-drama in India in 2020 when compared to 2019. 

Some of the Korean shows that Indians loved during the pandemic include Crash Landing on You, Love Alarm and My love from another star.

Crash Landing on You was released in December 2019 but became an instant hit in India when it started being streamed online during the lockdown period. The story follows Yoon Se-ri who is a successful businesswoman from South Korea. The show became Netflix's second most-watched original series in India after Sacred Games and was also the most searched K-Drama in India in 2020 on Google.

Love Alarm revolves around a mobile app that alerts users when someone within 10m has romantic feelings for them. It has received high ratings and was Netflix's first Korean original series to be renewed for a second season.

K-pop

According to India today, K-pop revolution in India began as early as the ‘90s and gained popularity since then.

With their catchy tunes and slick dance moves, K-pop bands like BTS and BLACKPINK have become household names in several parts of the country. The BTS songs are very addictive and have been topping charts across the globe, including India.

K-Pop boy band BTS became the first foreign artists to get a certification from Music Board of India for their album 'Map of The Soul: Persona'. The album was certified platinum for over 100 million streams on audio streaming platforms like YouTube Music and Spotify.

K-Pop band Blackpink's hit single 'Sour Candy' featuring American popstar Lady GMusihas once been at number 1 position on Indian music charts.

In 2020, the top twenty two percent K-pop listeners on Spotify were Indians. Many of the India listeners loved the K-pop Daebak playlist. 

The reason that this genre has become popular is that the production quality of their songs is so high and they have originality. The songs have a variety of beats and genres that keep you hooked to it throughout. 

K-fans

So strong is the influence of Korean culture that Indian fans have formed their own clubs to support the Korean pop bands or K-pop acts.

One such fan club is TeamEXOIndia which supports K-pop sensation EXO and has garnered a huge fan following in India. 

As reported by ThePrint after interviewing the administrator of the fan club, Ritika, in 2019 members of the fan club ordered 2000 EXO albums. This fan club has a weekly magazine where they provide EXO updates. 

The club was initiated by a group of friends who bonded over their love for the band. EXO, a South Korean boyband is one of the most popular K-pop groups in the world.

Conclusion

There is no doubt that K-Pop and K-Drama have changed the Indian Music Industry and its people. How these changes will unfold and which side of the fence you are on is a matter of your opinion, but the honest truth is that the competition has become fierce between Bollywood and K-Pop.