K-pop craze in UAE: Korean wave sweeps universities, youth amid global influence

"Ayy I never walk alone; If you and I are together, we can smile...; You never walk alone, no matter how far apart we are."

This BTS track is an epilogue to the K-pop phenomenon, which almost cast a spell on fans worldwide, weaving them into a tapestry of culture, life, and language that once seemed alien to millions of K-poppers.

A clear trend has emerged where young people worldwide are increasingly drawn to Korean cuisine, culture, and music, including students in UAE universities who are adopting these influences.

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For university students and childhood friends Maha Al Shemsi and Naela Nasser, Korean music came to their rescue when they were going through rough teens. “I was being bullied in school and K-pop gave me an outlet to deal with it,” recalled Maha. “People say that you don’t find K-pop, it finds you when you need it. I completely agree with it.”

Korean pop music, commonly known as K-pop, is generating significant levels of enthusiasm among young people, particularly girls, leading to widespread fascination. The influence of K-pop has reached various regions including the Middle East, America, and China.

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Their interest in Korean music eventually led them to fall in love with the culture itself and make friends far and wide. “We met a lot of people online and in real life who loved Korean music and drama,” said the UAE national. “It widened our circle and we became friends with a lot of people who would have never met otherwise. It was a uniting factor that transcended a lot of boundaries for us,” added Naela.

Similarly, Saimah Mohammed, who is a Doctor of Medicine (MD) student in Year 2, is the leader of the Korean Club at the Gulf Medical University.

“As the Hallyu Wave or Korean Culture Wave, has been sweeping the UAE, our club has noticed a notable rise in students' interest in food, music, and entertainment dramas, among other facets of Korean culture. Despite having different hobbies, all 68 members of our group – which was founded in October 2022 – have a deep love and enthusiasm for Korean culture.”

“While some are enthralled with the world of K-beauty, others are lured to the mouthwatering aromas of Korean food. Many of our varied group's members are also ardent fans of K-dramas and K-pop, demonstrating the multifarious attraction of Korean culture,” added Saimah.

Korean street snacks

The university’s food court already includes Korean street snacks, known as Bunsik, that dominate the menu.

These include popular items like corndogs, instant ramen, and tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes).

Valerie Farag an Egyptian expat who is also pursuing his Doctor of Medicine at GMU, said, “Our university cafeteria recently introduced instant Korean ramen to the menu, coinciding with the winter of 2022 when there was a surge in popularity for 'Korean spicy ramen' and 'trying Korean convenience store food' trends across social media platforms. These additions have quickly gained popularity in our food court, becoming highly favoured among students.”

K-pop and Korean makeup

With K-pop gaining popularity, a lot of people want to look like their favourite celebrities. Due to this, there has been a notable surge in interest in Korean cosmetics as well, which is well-known for its capacity to create delicate, young appearances that are frequently enhanced by individual colour analysis methods.

“Young people also strongly value Korean skincare products because of their inexpensive price and therapeutic qualities. I am also a Korean beauty content producer,” added Saimah.

K-pop bands heavily rely on makeup, with many members following a rigorous 10-step skincare regimen. This contributes to their appeal among both male and female fans aspiring to replicate the flawless skin of their K-pop idols through similar beauty routines.

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