You are listening to ‘Baysharam Rang’ in your room when you hear your mother drop a snide remark about how ‘1947 – A Love Story’ was so much better. Your grandfather might also jump in, saying nothing beat Muhammad Rafi.
You might be watching a Pixar movie on the telly when your Uncle asks why are you watching a boring animated movie. ‘Hum to ThunderCats daikhtay thay’. Your grandmother might add that ‘Tom and Jerry” were the funniest.
You might be buying a cinema ticket for the new AntMan when your father helpfully tells you that superhero films are boring and you should watch Lord of the Rings instead.
Sounds familiar?
If it does, then it should come as no surprise to anyone that our generation is riding high on the K-wave. For those that don’t know, K-wave is the growing global popularity of Korean music, dramas and movies. It has now spread to beyond entertainment, with Korean makeup, skincare and fashion as much of a global phenomenon as their creative industries.
While part of the appeal is the aesthetics of the industry, one main reason for loving the South Korean juggernaut is the novelty that comes with it. It is a new phenomenon for the world. It was discovered by our generation, propagated by people our age or slightly older. No one can tell us that an old Korean band sang better than BTS because they don’t know about older Korean music. No one can tell us that twenty years ago, K- dramas were so much better, because twenty years ago they were watching Kyonkay Saas Bhee Kabhi Bahu Thee.
This exclusiveness has paved the way for us to claim ownership like no one else can. Yes, maybe our parents watched and enjoyed Squid Game. But their interest doesn’t go beyond tuning in to a global hit. We, on the other hand, know which actor starred in which movie. We know which singer had a spate of flop songs. We know what the latest K-fashion trend is. We know what K-skincare is coming up with. As I said, all of this is ours, and ours alone.
There might be the odd person or two who watched Korean horror films. But I can pretty much guarantee you, even their interest in those films didn’t extend beyond just watching them. They will most likely not know the names of the actors or about the director’s body of work.
And most crucially, they cannot gloat about how what they listened to or watched was so much better than what you choose to spend your time on .
The next time your parents give you their recommendations, turn the table on them and ask which Korean band they listened to. Chances are, they will leave you alone to your devices.
