A Future Which Is Ruled By The East
Have you ever heard of BTS? Well, if you are someone who frequents the internet quite often and if you consider yourself a part of the big global village, 99.99% chances are you know BTS and probably even fangirl( or fanboy?) them. Ever danced like crazy with PSY’s Gangnam Style? Or probably you are too indulged in the world of Naruto-Sasuke and Hinata. Maybe you had pulled an all-nighter, binge watching Crash Landing On You. And now shared or even personal Netflix accounts make it even more convenient to entertain yourself in a whole new world of East Asian shows and Anime. After all, Netflix knows what the future and even the present self of you want!
The rise and burst of K-pop, K-drama and the whole K-culture itself
Let’s go back to BTS or Bangtan Sonyeondon (Bulletproof Boy Scout). This septet from South Korea is now dominating the pop culture no doubt. Only if we take into account their MV views on YouTube, their songs’ Billboard ranks, innumerable fan accounts on Twitter and Instagram and art pages floating with their marvelous fan arts. Not to mention, they boost of having the most organized, dedicated and largest fan base on earth known as A.R.M.Y or Adorable Representative MC for Youth. There are these equally or at least not too less popular K-pop groups and artists knowingly EXO, BLACKPINK, GOT7, BIG BANG, NCT, TWICE which saw a rise in their popularity after BTS achieved their global stardom, since their debut in 2013. Their bewildering dance moves, tight choreography, breathtaking vocals, out of this world visuals are candies for all your senses. Vibrant music videos, humble fan services and equal talent while on stage and acting in front of camera; you name it, they have it all.
Now, let’s talk about K-dramas and K-movies. The 2016 hit Train To Busan and 2020 Oscars winner Parasite, along side Miracle In Cell NO.7, Tune In For Love, Poetry, Mother, Forgotten are my fav on this long list of amazingly made Korean films. Well what about dramas? K-dramas normally follow the pattern of 16 episodes, where each episode runs for 60–77 mins. And the whole plot doesn’t take more than 1 season to start, flourish, reach its climax and end. A swoon worthy and typically unique storyline, a very serene environment, incredible original sound tracks(OSTs),awe-inspiring cinematography, beautiful as hell actors and actresses will keep you hooked on hours after hours. Once you into it, there’s no way back. Guess what? Yes, now you have caught the Hallyu Fever too and sad enough, there’s no remedy for it.
What’s even with this Hallyu thing? Hallyu, a term picked for the Korean Wave depicts the increase in global popularity of South Korean culture since the 1990s.First driven by the spread of K-dramas and K-pop across East, South and South East Asia during its initial stages, the Korean Wave evolved from a regional development into a global phenomenon, carried by the Internet and social media and the proliferation of K-pop music videos on YouTube. If you thought that this boom in Korean Wave is just a part of history that was totally unplanned and the Koreans had no idea how it was happening what was happening, then you’re very wrong. Yes, it was all so spectacularly planned. The Koreans even got a term for this which they call THE CULTURE EXPORT OR EXPORT OF CULTURE to outside. Various agencies and companies in South Korea hardcore train promising artists for years in dancing, singing, acting, how to interact with fans, modeling and thus they debut in their respective groups or categories. They recruit future idols from all possible places that look East Asian; Japan, China, Thailand, even expatriates. What you see on your screen or in K-pop concerts is a result of intense planning, insane hard work and some raw talent polished into something magnificent. Applauses!
Japanese Anime, Manga and the Cosplay culture
Ever had any Anime crush only to find your non-weeb friends teasing you saying, “Oh! You got crushed on one of those cartoon characters?”? Come on guys, cartoon and anime ain’t the same. Now, get this universal fact already! Anime is something that catches the heart of all, no matter how young or old they are. So, who’s your favorite? Attack On Titan legend Levi or the non-binary king Suzuuya from Tokyo Ghoul? Anime history dates back to early 20th century in Japan. Present day anime are all adapted from hand drawn or digitally painted Manga, each having unique storyline and visual style originated and common in Japan. Drama or real life movie adaptations of these manga and anime are found throughout Asia. One popular example is the manga Hana Yori Dango which was adapted into immensely hit drama series in Taiwan, India, South Korea and China. Cosplay events are regularly organized throughout the world, keeping in mind the huge anime fanbases in the Western Lands too. Imagine how boring the world would have been without Japan, ah!
C-pop and Mandarin-Cantonese Dramas
Let’s be honest. C-pop isn’t as popular as K-pop itself. But still, it managed to gain more international fame in the recent years than the J-pop artists could. After the arrival of Netflix, Chinese dramas are more and more blooming on the platform. Historical, innocent first love, cute romance, nostalgic look back at your school days or a bunch of doctors’ daily struggles faced in their work place? Any genre you want! Well yeah, it’s pretty much the same as K-dramas, only that it has more episodes in it, it’s in either Mandarin or Cantonese, and has some awe fully good looking Taiwanese, Chinese or Singaporean actors and actresses in it.
The Influence Of It All On Our Present And The Future
As we are growing up, consuming the entertainment of the East, the more we are seeing ourselves having that Yellow Fever as they call it. Be it streaming K-pop song MVs on YouTube 24/7, or binge watching Chinese and Korean dramas on NETFLIX. We are following their beauty routines, taste in fashion and styling now more than ever before. Even K-dramas have made Tteok-bokki and Ramyeon from the Korean cuisine a household name. Korean marts are being built in every corner of the world to meet the infinite demands of Koreaboos. Wanna take an ‘Instagram-Will-Go-Wild’ kind of photo or decorate your home in the most refined way possible? Follow the East Asian aesthetics and interior designing ideas. We all know where our love for Bonsai and red lamps come from. More people are willing to learn Mandarin, Japanese or Korean now and settle there. We all are dreaming to find our dream-come-true partner in East Asia. (any Oppa here? kidding) Jumunjin beach where the Goblin scenes were shot of Eun Tak and Kim Shin or the Suga shrine in Tokyo where the Kimi No Nawa last scene seems to have taken place in the anime are our favorite holiday destinations now. Not to mention the K-pop and anime-manga marches and their intense demand on online stores. Its not a surprise anymore when we see BTS taking the NO.1 spot on Billboard Top Chart for months, making the Grammys go wild or giving speech in the United Nations referring to self love and the obstacles faced by today’s youth. So be prepared to witness and live a life in a world ruled and dominated by the East, which isn’t far away. Sayonara till then!
