The Korean Wave Reshapes Indian Shopping Carts

Synopsis

The Korean cultural wave, or Hallyu, is now a part of the Indian daily lives, manifesting in real growth figures of imports of Korean skincare, K-pop listening habits and Korean cuisines on quick commerce platforms. The current trend appears to be more of a structural shift in consumer aspiration than a trend of “temporary fad,” according to industry data.

Fans to the shopping cart, it's a world of change

Hallyu's presence in India has transcended the streaming charts. According to the data from Spotify in a report by Jefferies, the listening base of K-pop has expanded by 300 per cent in the last five years in India, and it now has more than 15 million active K-pop fans.

This is seen as proof that the Korean wave is not just a fleeting trend, but a structural change that is changing the face of retail in India.

Quick-commerce websites have rolled out quickly to take advantage of the trend. To boost distribution of its products, Instant noodle maker Nongshim joined hands with Blinkit to deliver 19 products to major metros in India, following the 18.3 per cent on average annual growth rate in exports to India during 2023-2025.

Lotte Wellfood, on its own, had a turnover of over $6.7 million in a single recent year via the quick-commerce arm in India.

The key word is localisation

Adjusting to the Indian market has been a key element to success. In response to the Indian food and religious preferences, Nongshim has created the chicken-broth certified as halal and made it its flagship Shin Ramyun.

“Unlike a trend, Korean flavors are a cultural phenomenon, and we want to prepare for that,” said Yogesh Tewari, Vice President of Marketing for snack brand Too Yumm!

K-Beauty's Measurable Growth

The most obvious data path is the skincare segment. According to the Trends Report of 2024 by Sciative Solutions, Korean beauty brands have increased by 2.5 times in India's beauty industry in a span of one year.

It's a kind of 'halal effect,' she said, explaining that more than 60% of first-time buyers learned about K-beauty through dramas or K-pop, while the actual results of the products led to the repeat purchase intent. "It's culture that is the spark, but efficiency is the engine," she added.

The size of the category makes it a global market ripe for investment, as brands are investing heavily in the Indian market. Celebrities and social media virality are a major contributing factor to the growth of the global K-beauty products market, which is expected to reach $38.29 billion by 2033 at an annual growth rate of 11.3 per cent, from $14.61 billion in 2024.

Beyond Gen Z

The industry is growing, and representatives say it's not just teenagers who are involved. Aditi Shorewal, Tinder's communications lead for India and Korea, and food industry executives in another context all say the interest is not confined to Gen Z and has seeped into other consumer groups, with fast-food chains stating Korean flavour interest has spread to others beyond the Gen Z.

The economic impact is enhanced with tourism statistics. In 2024, over 150,000 Indian tourists visited South Korea, injecting nearly ₹800 crore into the South Korean tourism sector, and since 2020, the Hallyu wave has created a total of about 50,000 jobs in India across various sectors such as content dubbing, translation, and more.

Outlook

The Korean wave seems poised to establish itself as a permanent force on the Indian consumer market as entertainment, beauty and food companies develop strategies to localise their products for India.