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From BTS to Itaewon Class, how an Indian got addicted to the Korean entertainment industry
From streaming DNA by BTS to watching Itaewon Class, an Indian charters the journey of how she became a K-Pop and K-Drama fan.
A Pinkvilla reader, Riya Chauhan pens her journey from BTS' DNA to exploring K-Dramas:
About two years ago when I was scrolling my YouTube feed, I came across a song titled DNA. It became the first K-pop song I've heard in my life. Unaware of the language, I don’t know how this song had me glued to the small screen for 4:15 minutes. The song led me to search for the lyrics and I listened to it on loop. For the uninitiated, DNA is a popular song by the renowned K-pop band BTS. Since then, I have streamed many K-Pop songs sung by the septet. However, DNA, Fake Love and Shine are my favourite.
Soon enough, I found myself exploring South Korean movies and dramas. My first film was Oldboy and since then I have seen so many movies. This includes Train To Busan, The Chase, The Man from Nowhere, and Forgotten. One of the movies that caught my attention was Flu. Although it was released in 2013, it stands relevant in 2020. The movie has me connecting with the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. With the Coronavirus outbreak, this movie serves as an interesting watch.
I turned towards K-Dramas when the lockdown in India began. I came across a series called Itaewon Class. The K-Drama featured six people from diverse cultures on the poster. It was enough to convince me to binge-watch the series. When I began watching the series, I felt so connected that it won my heart, from that I had guessed it was going to be a good watch. But when I finished with the drama, I found myself crying for no reason.
At the same time, I wondered neither have I met the people of this country, nor I am aware of their language, yet, there were tears in my eyes. I really do not know why. This drama has taught me so many lessons of life that I had hardly learned from anyone else. It taught me that you don't always get what you want from your life yet you adapt to all circumstances.
Itaewon Class increased my curiosity towards K-Dramas. I have watched over 20 K-Dramas so far. Initially, I used to spend almost five days to complete a series. Now, it takes me no more than two days to finish one. All the Korean dramas that I have seen so far are very close to me but there are some of them that take the top few spots. A few of them being Vagabond, The Lies Within, Chicago Typewriter, The K2, Watcher, and of course, Itaewon Class. I have become so addicted to all of them that now I cannot stop myself from watching them.
Due to these shows, my interest in South Korea grew, thus resulting in more research about the country, reading articles, watching documentaries, and understanding the culture there. Apart from that, many YouTubers like Mountain Trekker, Big Marvel, Korean Dosts, and Yatri Doctor helped me learn more about this country.
Many of my friends ask me how I do not get bored, especially since I can't understand a single word of the Korean language. I tell them one thing: There is a world beyond language and I called it "My Korean World." Also big thanks to English subtitles that made our lives easier and helped me to connect with the international industry.
If I ever get a chance to visit a place anywhere in my life, it would definitely be South Korea I wish to meet the incredible people of this world because I know South Korea is not only limited to this, it’s a lot more than our imagination. Thank you very much South Korea, you have given us so much entertainment, yet I sincerely hope that you will continue to give the same in the future!
Disclaimer: This is user-generated content. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Pinkvilla. Assumptions made in the analysis are not reflective of the position of any entity other than the author.
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