Comments by "K `" (@user-jt3dw6vv4x) on "Koreans React to Global Success of Squid Game | Street Interview" video.

  1. Most people know Kdramas for their romance plots and thus there are many people who may not be fond of them because they have only seen a facet of Kdramas. Kdramas first became popular in other parts of Asia in the 2000s and the ones that gained popularity back then were all romance dramas. Dramas with dark themes were never popular back then. Kdramas, at the time, were considered family-oriented and a culturally suitable and family-friendly alternative to American films/shows and were the reason why they gained popularity outside of Korea in other parts of East, South and Southeast Asia. So when Kdramas were introduced internationally, the romance ones were the ones which received attention because producers already knew that romance sells (as seen in Asia).
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  2. The rise of Korean pop culture on the world stage is clearly a sign of the projected Asian Century. For decades, aspects of Asian cultures have entered the mainstream conscience in the rest of the world, particularly the West. We saw the rise in popularity of Buddhism, meditation and Karma (popularised in the West by John Lennon's single "Instant Karma") in the 1970s and the decades after we saw Asian wellness culture (yoga, mindfulness, acupuncture and other traditional Chinese medicine, cupping, gua sha, Thai massage) gain mainstream popularity. In general, we also saw the popularity of symbols and ideas of Eastern religions and a general interest in Eastern spirituality (dating to the 1970s) as well as the rise in popularity of manga and anime. Now, we've entered a new phase in which content in Asian languages have become popular (as seen with the rise of Kpop and Kdramas). Half a decade ago, I never thought Kpop or Kdramas would become popular in the West simply because they are not in English but it really shows how much times have changed.
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