THE RISE OF K-POP AND K-CINEMA

•South Korea as a country has emerged significantly over the years, whether it's the music industry, the cinema, the cosmetics or the cuisine, korean culture has taken over the world and it's influence on the youth is unimaginable.

From the catchy tunes of kpop to the masterful storytelling of korean films and dramas, Korea definitely has a unique way of blending art and entertainment together. 

•HALLYU: The korean wave (Hallyu) refers to the global expansion of korean culture via music, Television dramas, fashion and other factors. It has turned South Korea into a cultural superpower, greatly influencing modern pop culture worldwide.

Boosting south Korea’s image worldwide, it has also greatly contributed in building the country's economy and tourism. It has also led to an increased interest of people in the korean language as well as it's culture and history.

•Now let's dig deep into the history of how korean cinema and music has evolved in the past years~

•Talking about kpop, which began with the debut of Seo Taji and boys in 1992, it has been giving us some dope hits since ages but do you know about it's golden era? It started in the late 2000s and continued into the 2010s. The 2nd and 3rd generation of kpop not only made it to the top in music charts but also in people's hearts. The craze for korean pop hasn't gone down since then. While the older kpop songs were more focused on cultural themes, the 3rd and 4th gen idols have been exploring more diverse and sensitive topics like self love, healing, youth struggles and anxiety.

When it comes to korean music there is one song that cannot be overlooked. Of course "Gangnam style" by PSY. It broke several world records, including becoming the first youtube video to surpass a billion views and becoming the first kpop song to peak at #1 on the UK chart. From chris gayle to our own King Kohli, Gangnam Style has made it's way onto everybody's playlist.

Speaking of smashing records, we can't neglect groups like BTS, Blackpink, exo, twice, and so on. From Bangtan boys being the most streamed group on spotify to Blackpink being the most subscribed group on youtube. Because of amazing talents like these, korean pop has been growing more and more and it's success is undeniable. 

Language is no barrier when it comes to music and korean music industry has actually proven it. To the stans, the idols are more than just mere celebrities and honestly it's all justified by their music, lyrics and efforts. K-pop idols undergo years of training to enhance their skills and this excellence is represented not only in their music, but also in their choreography and fashion. PS: They don't go easy on anything.

For stans, kpop is not just limited to music but it's a way to get through various phases of life. Speaking from personal experience songs like "Life goes on" and "magic shop" helped me alot during difficult times. Specially during the lockdown, Messages like "Self love" not only helped me but many others. There is a reason why Korean singers are referred to as "idols": we idolize them, learn from them, and, most importantly, respect them. From RM's speech in the United Nations to V's words in the "Winter bear", our idols understand the thought process of the youth more than their own peers do.

•Now coming to the korean cinema~

The hallyuwood or what we call the korean industry began to build around the 1960s. However, it reached its peak in the late 1990s. Directors like Park Chan-wook and Bong joon-ho made great contributions towards the global recognition of the industry. From movies like "old boy" to "train to busan", the korean cinema really puts ahead various genres in the best ways possible. The oscar winning film "Parasite" which was released in 2019 was a huge success and one of the greatest achievements for hallyuwood. It became the first non english film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture, grossing around $262 million worldwide. Other movies like "Haeundae", "Train to busan", "The witch" and many more are the ultimate proof of how koreans showcase such outstanding plots with such unique way of storytelling.

•When it comes to cinema, Korea is not only famous for it's movies but also for it's TV shows commonly known as K-dramas. And when it comes to kdramas people might think romance is all that they contain. However, They are alot more than that. From the incredible heart racing Rom-coms to the heart stopping thrillers, kdramas cover it all. Dramas such as "Business proposal", "Descendants of the sun", "Goblin" which were a worldwide hit whereas Dramas like "Save me" and "Angel's last mission" which are still underrated, all of them give us some amazing stories and plots. Korean dramas convey a wide range of emotions and explore a variety of deep and complex themes such as loss, social and mental health issues.

And talking about cinema we can't forget the contribution of the actors. The skills of the korean actors are not something you can neglect. They really put their heart out and their versatility across genres are no joke.

I personally enjoy kdramas more than anything else and i believe they're one of my biggest sources of entertainment. From the romantic ones making us delusional to the psychological ones forcing us back into reality, kdramas really do magic and leave us with floods of different feelings and emotions.

•Thus we can hereby conclude that, With groups like BTS continuing to break records and the Korean film industry producing such quality content, South Korea’s influence on global entertainment shows no signs of slowing down. So one thing is clear, the korean pop culture has captured people's heart and will continue to do so in the upcoming years. Kpop and k-cinema is likely to keep evolving and hence the korean influence on the world is far from over.