South Korea’s Pop‑Culture Surge Turns Learning Korean Into the New Trend
It’s no surprise that a grim, nail‑biting binge called Squid Game has turned millions of Brits and Americans into Korean language newbies. Duolingo says that the deadly childhood‑game obsession spiked beginner registrations by a staggering 76 % in the UK and 40 % in the US – a two‑week surge that would make any market analyst do a double take.
What’s Behind the “K‑Wave” Craze?
- BTS – the seven‑member boy band that can dance, sing, smash sales charts, and secretly inspire language learning.
- Parasite – a dark, clever movie that won the Oscars, proving Korean cinema can bite as much as it can charm.
- Minari – a moving story about an immigrant Korean family in America.
And it’s not just films. The Oxford English Dictionary just added 26 Korean words to its latest edition, including hallyu (the Korean wave) and everyday terms like kimbap, mukbang, and manhwa. This shows that language and pop culture are doing a double dance: the more you watch, the more you want to speak.
That’s Why Korean Is Cheap‑thirty‑Years‑Old
According to the Korea Foundation for International Cultural Exchange, there are roughly 77 million Korean speakers worldwide. Duolingo reports that 7.9 million active users are learning Korean right now – just behind Hindi as the fastest growing language on the platform.
The King Sejong Institute – the cultural ministry’s brainy language hub – grew from 740 students in 3 countries in 2007 to a whopping 76,000 students in 82 countries last year. Students are worldwide, from a Russian version of Sejong to a Portuguese‑born Californian Catarina Costa, who learned Korean to enjoy K‑dramas without subtitles or catch K‑pop lyrics without a translation.
Meet The “Korean Learners” Club
- TalkToMeInKorean – a free e‑learning platform with 1.2 million members across 190 nations. Its course uses OED‑approved words such as kimbap, mukbang, and manhwa and offers a sense of community.
- Ms. Milica Martinovic (Russia) – learned Korean to drop subtitles and understand K‑drama dialogues.
- Ms. Catarina Costa (Portugal) – says the Korean craze is “so cool” that even her friends can’t understand why she’s learning it.
Even before Squid Game or the BTS mania, thousands of people were quietly studying Korean – often alone. But now they’re part of a global phenomenon, and the language has become a cool pastime that is as much about cultural immersion as it is about new words.
Ready to Join the Buzz?
Want to be part of the “K‑wave” fandom and speak Korean? Head to a learning platform, pick a fun topic, and let the entire world’s k-pop, dramas, and dishes inspire your next conversation. It’s not just about learning how to say “thanks” – it’s about stepping into a cultural wave that’s reshaping how we connect, one keogram at a time.
