Hallyu, or the Korean Wave, is a buzzword in the entertainment, fashion, and beauty industries. South Korea has captivated countries far and wide, from Europe to the USA. This achievement demonstrably proves that culture is exportable and soft power is not merely rhetoric but a tangible phenomenon. South Korean culture has garnered global attention thanks to the success of K‑pop groups such as BTS and Blackpink, the movie Parasite, and the Netflix series Squid Game. According to Guinness World Records, published in September 2021, BTS has achieved 23 titles in music and social media.
The meteoric rise of K‑culture is the culmination of concerted efforts by a small nation where government, public, and private players contributed to making Hallyu a brand and image that has become a popular cult among youth across borders.
Subsequent to the Korean War in the 1950s, South Korea stood successful on two important touchstones: economic progress and democracy. It developed a manufacturing‑based economic prowess and maintained a democracy that stood poles apart from its neighbour, North Korea. Stability on economic and political fronts provided South Korea with the latitude to focus on cultural branding and convert culture into an industry. Probably after Japan in the Asian region, South Korea is the only country to have achieved spectacular success in cultural diplomacy. It is noteworthy that Joseph Nye first coined the term “soft power” in his book Bound to Lead in 1990, and in the late 1990s only a few years after the fledgling idea of soft power was taking root in intelligentsia circles, South Korea began implementing its Hallyu Wave 1.0. It would not be an exaggeration to state that South Korea literally rode on this soft power.
South Korea has become a polestar for other nations in cultural diplomacy. By riding on Hallyu, South Korea generated tremendous revenue: from its contribution of 0.2% of South Korea’s GDP in 2004, amounting to approximately USD 1.87 billion, to an estimated USD 12.3 billion boost in 2019. It has shown the world how to brand culture and perfectly package it. India, therefore, needs to cogitate on strategies in cultural diplomacy that will create a long‑lasting, coherent brand image of Indian culture worldwide, which could also serve as a source of revenue generation.
India’s Cultural Diplomacy: Past and Present
India has one of the world’s longest‑lasting civilizations and is a pioneer of cultural diplomacy. In most countries where India’s cultural traces are found even today, they were not the result of arm‑twisting strategies but of civilisational gravitas. Many Southeast Asian nations testify to the fact that even after changes in religion, their roots remain anchored to Indian civilisation.
The Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) was established in the 1950s, barely three years after independence and in the same year the Indian Constitution came into effect. One of its core objectives was to project Indian culture and heritage on the international cultural map and to present India through Indian eyes, correcting distortions created by colonial stereotypes. This itself shows India’s early political awareness about strengthening cultural relations with other nations. However, the question that needs to be addressed is why India could not achieve in 75 years what South Korea achieved in barely 25.
A fact that cannot be ignored is that post‑2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid great emphasis on cultural diplomacy. He did not limit himself to powerful and developed states but travelled the length and breadth of the globe, from Bhutan, Fiji, and Myanmar to developing nations such as Sri Lanka and Brazil. He set a narrative in favour of India. His speeches and appeals echoed strong civilisational moorings, choreographed to represent not only India but a grand old civilisation that has guided the world in times of conflict, earning the title of Vishwa Guru.
It is because of Modi’s efforts that India successfully persuaded the United Nations to proclaim 21 June as International Yoga Day, supported by 177 countries. The International Solar Alliance, a joint initiative by India and France, received wholehearted support: over 100 countries signed the framework agreement, and more than 90 ratified it. Despite these achievements, India is yet to reach other milestones, and for that reason, South Korea can be considered a role model.
Seoul’s Blueprint for India
The Government of South Korea is élan vital in the formulation and promotion of cultural diplomacy, and its contribution deserves appreciation. With detailed planning and execution from Hallyu 1.0 to 3.0, ranging from 1997 to the present, the government has provided necessary assistance. Hallyu blossomed from drama, movies, and K‑pop to traditional culture, art, popular culture, and lifestyle. Similarly, India needs to focus on specific segments it wants to impact and chart out a detailed blueprint to promote those sectors domestically and globally. Once India establishes itself in a targeted segment, it can move on to the next.
In this odyssey, the South Korean government has consistently supported the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism with a handsome budget. In 2026, its allocation was reportedly $3.88 billion (KRW 5.7 trillion) for Hallyu promotion. By comparison, India’s combined budget for three ministries Culture, Youth Affairs and Sports, and Tourism was approximately $107.7 million, a fraction of South Korea’s. This allocation in India needs immediate revision.
Hallyu has been successfully integrated with South Korea’s technological advancement and has attracted the private sector to its charisma. Companies like Samsung and Hyundai implemented co‑branding strategies with K‑pop groups, launching the Samsung Galaxy S20+ BTS Edition, Galaxy A80 Blackpink Edition, LG Q7+ BTS Limited Edition, and Hyundai IONIQ X BTS. These collaborations are commercially profitable and deeply penetrative. In India, however, apart from Bollywood co‑branding, there are hardly any notable collaborations between large private companies and players in other segments such as handicrafts, textiles, or traditional art forms. If Samsung can incorporate BTS details into the design of a phone from the box to the interface, what prevents Indian companies from incorporating features of India’s traditional art and culture into modern‑day products? This requires deliberation at the national level.
Another important factor in Hallyu’s success is thorough research and development in creating quality content, cutting‑edge designs, and strict protection of intellectual property. Within the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Popular Culture Industry Division focuses on Korean pop music, fashion, mass entertainment, comic books, cartoons, and other key products. This gives Hallyu a contemporary touch and global connect. By comparison, the Indian Ministry of Culture’s agenda is more focused on museums, libraries, and academies that are preservative and run‑of‑the‑mill activities rather than devising contemporary ways to attract people to Indic culture. This needs immediate correction. The Government of India should formulate a detailed plan to capitalise on culture in trade and commerce, apart from using it as a tool of diplomacy. India has far more advantage than South Korea because most Indian traditional items are eco‑friendly. With appropriate branding on the edifice of eco‑friendliness, India can promote its products far more competitively.
The Government of India should also enact a separate law similar to South Korea’s Framework Act on the Promotion of the Hallyu Industry. Profound provisions in this Act include equal distribution of promotional responsibility among state, local, and central governments. It requires the apex government, while enacting any policy, to consult with relevant administrative agencies. The framework ensures that all participants research institutes, education bodies, private players, and government agencies holistically participate in promoting Hallyu. India needs a similar legislative backbone for cultural diplomacy.
Conclusion
Culture is a very potent weapon. It has the capacity to build nations from scratch and to provide meaning to common people as to why they should come together and collectively work for the nation. It has the power to settle disputes or prevent animosity, and therefore soft power marvels in diplomatic discourse. Culture is the basis of civilisation, binding people not only within borders but also those connected by civilisational ties, irrespective of physical presence in the nation.
India should invest more in culture, economically, commercially, and diplomatically. Efforts must be focused, clear, and consistent. South Korea has shown the way; India must now act with urgency to transform its civilisational gravitas into a coherent global cultural brand.
