Emmys 2022: Squid Game's big win proves that the world is ready for K-domination

To some, Parasite (2019) winning Best Picture at the Oscars was an aberration - a one off incident which some critics seemed to believe wouldn’t happen again. Emmys 2022 saw a repeat with Squid Game (2021) scripting history as it became the first non-English TV series to win a Primetime Emmy Award - that too, in the Best Directing in the Drama Series category. “People keep telling me I have made history. I did not make history by myself. It was you - who opened the doors for Squid Game. We all made history together,” said Hwang Dong-Hyuk as he accepted the award. In his acceptance speech, Hwang hoped that Squid Game is not the last non-English series to win the award.

_Squid Game’_s big win at the Emmys is, of course, significant because it shows, in the words of Parasite director, that the world has largely “overcome the one-inch-tall barrier of subtitles” and is exploring content in languages other than their own. It also shows that the Korean wave, which has gripped the West and the Indian subcontinent, is only getting stronger with each passing day. The show Squid Game’s win, in all likelihood, will urge major studios, the likes of Netflix, Prime Video, et al to invest more in the production of Korean content which will only make the Korean wave, or Hallyu, stronger and more widespread.

How did the Korean wave start? What exactly, were some of the driving forces which made the world care, or frankly, obsess over Blackpink’s next live performance or Netflix’s next big K-Drama?

BTS helms the rise of Hallyu 3.0

It is, of course, difficult to say what exactly led to the sudden uptick in the popularity of Korean content in the mid-2010s but many say it can be attributed to the popularity of the K-pop group BTS whose dance numbers took the global charts by storm. Their massive popularity earned them loyal fans (ARMY, as they lovingly call them) who followed their every move on social media. These fans wanted to know what BTS were like in real life. As they dug out old interviews, they were exposed to interesting aspects of Korean culture. In no time, spicy Korean noodles became a hot commodity in not just the West but even in India. As BTS continued sending out tweets in Korean, many of their fans learnt the language which in turn exposed them to other Korean content - K-Dramas, K-Beauty and K-Food. Thus came Hallyu 3.0, the third-generation Korean wave which currently has the world by chokehold.

There were, of course, popular Korean artists before BTS came into the picture - most notably, PSY, whose Gangnam Style, became a viral hit back in 2012 and was also the first YouTube video to get a billion views. BTS members are apparently focussing on their solo careers now even though the K-Pop collective has vehemently rejected hiatus rumours. Other K-Pop acts however, the likes of Blackpink, SEVENTEEN still continue to dominate the charts.

BTS and subsequently, K-Pop’s massive popularity, soon spilled over to the K-Dramas - Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha, Descendants of the Sun and Vincenzo became household names. They were widely reviewed, discussed on YouTube and even had dedicated Reddit subs which dissected every minute detail in the shows.

K-domination is here! 

Korean entertainment has gone beyond the stage where it was admired and appreciated - it is now revered and even used as a source of inspiration. Many of the outfits worn by BTS and Blackpink - even some of their dance routines are used as source material by artists and choreographers around the world. Several K-Dramas, too, have been adapted internationally owing to their widespread popularity.

That’s not all. The bookworms, too, cashed in to the Korean wave as Korean literature grew in popularity. Indian millennials and the Gen-Z are able to incorporate Korean lingo such as Eonnie, Oppa, Aigoo, Daebak, Kamsahmnida, Annyeonghaseyo, Saranghae in their daily usage with ease. Soju, a Korean alcoholic beverage and the spicy Korean noodles have also become immensely popular. The latter has also given birth to fun Internet challenges. The world is truly at the cusp of K-Dominance and the coming years are likely to see more music, stories and art come out of Seoul.

It was Bong Joon Ho’s Parasite which put K-Films on the world map. In 2021, it was Squid Game, which propelled K-Dramas to international fame and recognition. The show is likely to cause a massive shake-up in the world of entertainment, yet again, with its historic win at the Emmys. The world has, indeed, ‘overcome the one-inch tall barrier of subtitles’.

Deepansh Duggal is an entertainment, pop-culture and trends writer based in New Delhi. He specializes in op-eds based on the socio-political and gender issues in the world of entertainment and showbiz. He also writes explainers and occasionally reviews shows in the OTT space. He tweets at @Deepansh75. 

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