Why Indian Youth Are Obsessed With Korean Culture—and What It’s Costing Them

The name South Korea instantly triggers a familiar montage—K-pop beats, glossy K-dramas, flawless skin routines. What once lived inside phone screens has now spilled onto Indian streets, malls, cafés, and public spaces. Korean music dominates playlists. Dance covers mimic Seoul’s pop choreography. This is no longer a digital fascination. It is a lived presence.

But the influence stretches far beyond music and movement.

After Squid Game reshaped global streaming records, the Korean language emerged as the fastest-growing foreign language in India. Enrollments surged. Cultural curiosity deepened. Alongside language and entertainment, Korean cuisine quietly became an integral part of everyday consumption. 

India’s instant noodles market—valued at over ₹15,000 crore—has seen its fastest expansion driven by Korean ramen brands such as Samyang, Nongshim, and Ottogi. By 2024, South Korea’s food exports to India crossed $4 billion, with ramen sales alone recording 30%+ year-on-year growth. Food delivery platforms reported Korean cuisine orders rising nearly 59% compared to 2024.

The obvious question is not why South Korea became popular.
The real question is how this fascination turned into deep emotional attachment—almost overnight.

This transformation was not accidental.

South Korea executed one of the most deliberate cultural export strategies in modern history. Music, dramas, fashion, beauty, food—every element was engineered, packaged, and distributed globally. The aim was never passive consumption but gradual imitation. This phenomenon is known as the Hallyu Wave.

The outcome is visible. Korean culture in India has moved beyond preference into obsession. Because people do not abandon reason, identity, and safety for something they merely enjoy.

AI Generated Image Only For Representation

In January 2024, a disturbing case surfaced from Karur, Tamil Nadu. Three 13-year-old girls left home with just ₹14,000, travelling first to Chennai and then Vellore, attempting to find a way to reach South Korea to meet BTS. There were no passports, no tickets, no concrete plan. They were later rescued at Katpadi railway station. The incident shocked the country, not because it was isolated, but because it revealed how deeply pop culture fixation had penetrated adolescent thinking.

This was not a singular episode. Similar reports have surfaced across multiple states, pointing to a broader psychological grip rather than isolated fandom.

So a difficult question emerges:
While Indian youth consume Korean beauty, dramas, food, and music at an emotional level, does the obsession run both ways?

The answer is no.

Numerous accounts and recordings expose a parallel reality—one shaped by racial bias and social exclusion. Incidents of dismissive behaviour toward Indian customers, prolonged stares, and overt discrimination have been repeatedly documented. Some establishments openly display signs stating: “Indians Not Allowed.”

Travel content emerging from South Korea consistently reflects this discomfort. Brown skin attracts scrutiny. Acceptance is selective. Visibility offers limited protection. For those without cameras, the experience is often harsher.

This is not about demonising a nation. Every society carries contradictions. But blind idealisation demands scrutiny—because South Korea is not the fantasy it is marketed as.

From Ruins to Riches: The Untold Beginning

In the 1950s, South Korea was not a cultural powerhouse. It was a devastated land. The Korean War (1950–1953) flattened cities, erased infrastructure, and crippled industry. By the late 1950s, South Korea ranked among the poorest nations on Earth. Hunger was widespread. Electricity was scarce. Education and employment barely existed.

Seventy-five years later, the transformation is staggering.

Miracle On The Han River

South Korea evolved from an agrarian economy into a global industrial and technological force—an evolution famously labelled the “Miracle on the Han River.” Today, its economy stands at $1.8 trillion. Samsung, Hyundai, and LG dominate global markets. The Seoul metropolitan region alone generates close to $1 trillion in GDP. Ultra-fast internet blankets public spaces—metros, cafés, streets—connecting the country at unmatched speeds.

With connectivity came cultural reach.

In 2012, Gangnam Style became the first YouTube video to cross one billion views, signalling Korea’s arrival as a global cultural exporter. K-pop groups like BTS and Blackpink followed, cementing influence across continents.

But global glamour carries a cost.

The Cost of Manufactured Perfection

A growing number of Indian youths openly express preference for Korean beauty standards—particularly Korean men—perceived as emotionally refined, gentle, and flawless. At the same time, dissatisfaction among Indian boys with their own appearance continues to rise. Searches like “How to look like a Korean” attract millions of views.

What remains largely invisible is the system behind that perfection.

K-pop idols are not discovered—they are manufactured. Training begins as early as age 10 and can span 10–12 years, with no guarantee of a debut. Contracts restrict autonomy, controlling diet, sleep, relationships, and income. Training expenses convert into debt, forcing even successful idols to spend years repaying agencies.

Then comes cancel culture. One misstep can erase a career overnight. The psychological pressure is relentless.

In 2019, South Korean K-pop star and Actress Sulli died by suicide at 25 after years of online harassment for openly discussing mental health, feminism, and body positivity.

According to updated OECD data, South Korea continues to record the highest suicide rate among developed nations. In 2024, preliminary figures showed a 10.1% increase in suicides during the first half of the year alone, driven by economic pressure, isolation, and social expectations.

A Society Under Relentless Pressure

Education is unforgiving. Admission to the elite SKY universities—Seoul National University, Korea University, and Yonsei University—largely determines life outcomes. School schedules extend from early morning until late at night. Average sleep hovers around 4–5 hours. Private coaching centres (hagwons) operate until midnight. A single eight-hour entrance exam decides futures.

Work life offers no relief. Workplace harassment—known as gapjil—remains widespread. Surveys conducted between late 2025 and early 2026 indicate that 30–33% of Korean workers have experienced verbal abuse, power harassment, or workplace bullying. Enforcement remains weak. Cultural change is slow.

Debt compounds the pressure. Nearly seven out of ten young Koreans carry loans simply to afford basic living. Housing in Seoul costs crores. Monthly rents range from ₹80,000 to over ₹1 lakh. The jeonse system demands massive lump-sum deposits, often financed entirely through debt.

The demographic impact is severe.

South Korea’s fertility rate remains the lowest in the world. Even after a brief marriage rebound in 2024, births in 2025 only nudged the rate to approximately 0.75–0.8—far below replacement level. Long-term projections remain grim, with population decline now considered structurally irreversible.

Beauty as Identity, Identity as Burden

Unrealistic beauty standards dominate daily life—fair skin, V-shaped jaws, slim bodies, large eyes. Cosmetic surgery is normalised, sometimes even gifted at graduation. South Korea ranks among the highest in per-capita plastic surgery globally.

These ideals are now seeping into India through trends like “glass skin.” Studies in regions such as Delhi NCR reveal growing body dissatisfaction among teenage girls, directly impacting confidence and mental health.

Self-improvement empowers.
Self-worth chained to appearance destroys.

The Full Picture Matters

This is not an attack on South Korea.
It is a correction to the illusion.

Every culture holds brilliance and burden. Learning and appreciation are healthy. Blind worship is not.

Admiration must never turn into obsession.

Because no country—no matter how polished—exists without shadows.

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Disclaimer:

This article is intended for informational and educational purposes only. The views expressed are based on publicly available reports, research, and documented events, and are presented to encourage critical thinking and discussion. The content does not aim to defame, target, or disrespect any country, community, culture, or individual. Cultural trends and societal issues discussed here are complex and may vary across regions and personal experiences.