Experts believe K-pop can win over India’s youth, but only with patience, respect for local culture
India, home to some 1.46 billion people, has recently emerged as a potential new frontier for K-pop, with a looming opportunity to replace China as the region’s growth market. Yet questions remain about how K-pop can navigate the country’s vast geography, linguistic diversity, varied religions and strong cultural pride.
In September, South Korea’s largest entertainment company Hybe announced its entry into India, marking its fifth overseas branch, following Japan, North America, Latin America and China. But India remains largely untapped by many K-pop agencies and artists, despite the young population and thriving digital infrastructure that make it an especially attractive market.
Nearly 40 percent of India’s population is under 30, with an average age of 29. According to the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, the country has 185 million streaming users, making it the world’s second-largest market after the US.
K-pop’s popularity in India is also growing rapidly. Data from the Korea Foundation for International Cultural Exchange shows that K-pop streaming in India surged 362 percent between 2018 and 2023. Analysts attribute this growth to greater internet penetration, smartphone adoption and accessibility to streaming platforms.
“One can already feel that India is emerging as the next base after China in the domestic entertainment industry,” an entertainment official said. “India produces culturally unique content, and the question is when K-pop will transition from China to India. The population is comparable and K-pop has relied heavily on Chinese audiences, but now, due to the Hallyu ban in China, India is being considered as an alternative.”
Yet confidence in K-pop’s immediate success in India is limited.
So far, Hybe is the only major K-pop agency that has publicly announced its India strategy. The Korea Herald learned that G-Dragon’s agency, Galaxy Corp., is preparing for an entry, while Jackson Wang of JYP Entertainment boy band Got7 recently visited India for a short-term engagement. The “Big Three” of SM, JYP and YG Entertainment have yet to announce any plans.
Experts are cautious about traditional promotional approaches.
“India is extremely vast, and its cultural zones are very different,” music critic Lim Hee-yun said. “Bollywood dominates films and its music culture is very distinct from K-pop. The other challenge is offline promotions; India is so large that organizing events is logistically restrictive. These limitations must be considered.”
Korean singer Aoora, who has established himself in India, echoed these concerns.
“Indians welcome outsiders, but they have a strong sense of their own culture, so they don’t easily accept other cultures,” he said. “They respond more to storytelling and emotional appeal. Korean dramas are liked, but remain niche.”
“Usually, middle-class mothers and children with some disposable income are the ones interested in Korean content. And many only know BTS,” he added.
Aoora added that understanding and respecting Indian culture is key.
“K-pop provides fantasy. Fans appreciate the sweetness of Korean performers — idols and actors who are courteous in dramas. Musically, songs like BTS’ ‘Dynamite’ that are in English and easy to sing along with are popular. Targeting these preferences is crucial for success.”
The challenge is like that for Netflix’s “Squid Game,” which initially flopped in India due to limited subtitle options for the country’s many languages. By the time the second season came around, it expanded subtitle offerings in India to Hindi, Telugu, Malayalam, Tamil and English.
Nevertheless, targeting India’s youth offers hope. Aoora predicts that with focused outreach, K-pop could attract a substantial following within three to four years.
Lim said, “Young Indians are smartphone-savvy, immersed in short-form content and social media. Even if market barriers exist, influencers can gradually break through. Given the market’s size, once a successful formula is found, it can generate substantial revenue consistently.”
Hybe is adopting a localization strategy to maximize its chances. Hybe India’s mission is “Where Voice of India Becomes Global Stories,” aiming to discover and train talented local artists, produce acts with an Indian sensibility and connect them to global audiences. The company plans local auditions, a training system optimized for India and support for existing Hybe artists’ activities in the country.
Though not a local group, Hybe’s experimental use of Katseye offers a glimpse of potential.
The six-member girl group, a collaboration with Geffen Records, includes Lara, a US citizen of Tamil and Indian descent, who highlights her heritage through attire and a bindi. While her activities have drawn attention among Indian K-pop fans, broader engagement has yet to materialize. Unlike in Southeast Asia, Indian audiences’ support is so far inconsistent, making success difficult to predict.
jaaykim@heraldcorp.com
