Delhi rides the Korean wave

Anurita, a 54-year-old homemaker, said that being introduced to Korean culture by her two daughters has probably been the best thing to happen in her life.
Visitors who attended the Korean fair on Friday.
Visitors who attended the Korean fair on Friday.

Anurita, a 54-year-old homemaker, said that being introduced to Korean culture by her two daughters has probably been the best thing to happen in her life.

An avid lover of music, stories and food, she is enthralled by the quality of Korean entertainment as well as the commonality between the country and India.

With the onset of the pandemic-induced lockdown and the access to OTT platforms, many people started binge-watching K-dramas while being cooped up inside their homes.

This helped initiate the Hallyu wave (Korean wave) in India. Keeping this new-found furore in mind, Kotra, the trade office of the Embassy of the Republic of Korea, unveiled a ten-day-long fair at Select Citywalk, Saket on Friday.

Inaugurated by Chang Jae-bok, the Korean ambassador to India, this event is a dive into the exciting world of South Korea.  

A good turnout

On the first day, the fair witnessed a number of visitors who are intrigued by Korean culture. Delighted by the turnout on a Friday afternoon, Joonhwa Bin, Managing Director, Kotra said, “I am surprised to see so 
many people.” 

From teenagers to adults, it seems that the K-wave has influenced everyone. Not only is the popularity of the K-wave massive, it has, as Anurita mentioned at the start, brought many families closer.

Anubha Vaid, an education specialist, who was rushing to a meeting, said that she would return to the fair later.

“Getting to know about Korean culture and how respectful, humble, and versatile they are resonates with Indian culture. K-Dramas are addictive and while it is difficult to keep up with it because of work, I still watch it.”

An array of products

Bringing in Korean brands and their products across domains including beauty, food, electronics, and more, this all-encompassing event helps showcase South Korea beyond its culture.

You will find a range of products — the BTS-character toothbrush, which might appeal to the K-pop fan; a vegan line of soy milks in new flavours by Yonsei Dairy. Radhika from Yuviny, a Korean brand specialising in sanitary products, said, “Our sanitary napkins are made from corn-fibre so they are recyclable and soft.” 

The fact that many brands sell physical CDs by K-pop artists has floored Diya, a city-based law student. “I discovered K-pop [industry] still makes CDs. They have the whole concept of albums and inclusions. Now, I’ve been able to increase my collection and I’m happy that K-pop is keeping the art [of albums on CDs] up,” she said. 

A blend of cultures

A few visitors we spoke to declared a desire to visit the country and learn Hangul. “The Korean Culture Centre conducts language courses but it fills up so fast,” laments Arpita, a 21-year old student from Delhi University.

This fair then, is a welcome initiative to understand the various facets of a new culture. When we ask Anurita her thoughts, she concluded, “It would be great to attend more fairs like this.”

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