“India topped list of biggest consumer of Korean content”: Korean Dy Minister for Culture and Arts Policy

New Delhi [India], August 25 : Korea’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on Friday held a ‘K-Culture Conference’ in New Delhi and highlighted the rising popularity of BTS and Korean languages among students in India.
“Korea and India saw our bilateral partnership grow stronger than at any time before, owing to the popularity of K-culture. In particular, India recently topped the list of the biggest consumer of Korean content as BTS and Netflix TV series ‘Squid Game’ became global household names. More and more Indian students are learning Korean language to get closer to Korea. I was pleased to note that Korean was officially selected as a second foreign language for Indian students in 2020, which further enhanced potential for deepening relationship between our future generations,” said the Deputy Minister for Culture and Arts Policy at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of the Republic of Korea, Yu Byung Chae.
During the conference, Yu revealed that India recently topped the list of the biggest consumer of Korean content.
He said, “Korea and India forged a diplomatic relationship in 1973, but our bilateral exchange has a history that dates back to 2,000 years ago. As you are well aware, Buddhism came to Korea from India, which left a huge impact on lifestyle and mindsets of Koreans. Our lasting ties continued in hard times when India sent a medical unit, Angels in Maroon berets, to war-torn Korea in the 1950s.”
Korea's Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST) plans to commemorate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and India by enhancing cultural exchange and solidarity among the future generations of both countries, as per a press release by Korean Cultural Centre India.
“Fast forward to May 2023, during the summit with Prime Minister Modi, President Yoon expressed his commitment to deepen partnership with India based on shared values and deep-rooted cultural affinity on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations,” Yu Byung Chae added.
“As we celebrate the 50th anniversary of our diplomatic relations, I hope to see our two countries elevate our cooperation to even greater heights. Building on our ongoing friendship, I have every confidence that Korea and India can usher in a brighter future together in the Indo-Pacific era as partners of cultural prosperity,” he said.