K-pop, Squid Game, gochujang — are you keeping up with the Koreans?
Ever since Squid Game released on Netflix, it has taken the whole world by storm — no less the UK. But the hype around Korean stuff is much older than that. Long before we were introduced to boy band BTS was a big deal, almost as big as One Direction. If you’re among those who’ve remained untouched by the K-drama and K-pop wave and are seeing lots of Korean food on your Insta feed, know that these pop culture hits are at play.
Food, fashion, music and even language from the east Asian country are becoming ubiquitous in UK-life with so-called K-culture becoming so popular with Brits the Oxford English Dictionary added 26 Korean words to it’s latest edition this week.
Duolingo even reported that they have seen a 76% increase in users signing up to learn Korean.
When it comes to style, we have also noticed an increase of 45% in traffic on our Korean Glasses since October.
TV & FILM
‘The rise in popularity of all things Korean is not by coincidence. Since the 2000s South Korea has established itself as a major exporter of popular culture. The South Korean government pledged financial support to creative industries through subsidies and funding for start-ups,’ she explained.
‘The Korean Wave gained traction thanks to social media and online video sharing platforms such as YouTube, allowing the Korean entertainment to reach a large global audience.
‘Streaming services such as Netflix have enabled widespread availability of shows such as Squid Game, which are able to be enjoyed by Brits thanks to subtitles.
MUSIC
‘The seeds of the Korean Wave were quietly sown back in the 1990s, driven by the popularity of K-dramas and K-pop across Asia initially, although for many of us in the UK, the first contact we had with K-Pop (Korean pop music) was the global hit Gangnam Style by South Korean singer Psy released in 2012,’ Brenda added.
‘The song and its music video which went viral thanks to its popularity on YouTube and influenced popular culture worldwide.
‘By the end of 2012, Gangnam Style had topped the music charts of more than 30 countries including Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Russia, Spain, and the UK.
FOOD
Outside of entertainment, Korean food is also surging in popularity in the UK.
‘Korean entertainment, food, fashion and even beauty products have commanded the attention of us Brits. Korean restaurants offer dishes and street food options that a is simple, tasty and wholesome,’ Brenda added.
‘Even if you’ve never tried it, its almost certain you’ve heard of kimchi; a traditional side dish of salted and fermented vegetables, which has also made the Oxford dictionary’.
Not all Korean dramas are grim — there are also many sunny stories with happy endings. And even those that are don’t put off the growing international K-fandom. The phrase “Korean Wave” might make it sound transient, but actually Hallyu more accurately translates into Korean Wind. A force that ebbs and flows, maybe, but never goes away.
