Based on the geographical location what makes people
diverse and unique is the set of practices or rituals we have incorporated into
their lives. Korea is a far more developed country with an advanced lifestyle
and economy and so many Bangladeshi people have created open-mindedness to
accept their culture to create a new sense of identity for us. If we look
around the world people, all-around lives with their own diverse set of cultures
or rituals that makes them stand out in the crowd. Bangladeshis hold some
distinct cultures of our own, despite that, people from different backgrounds
shake hands to exchange the variety of cultures they have to offer in their
region. In this blog, we are going to particularly focus on the penetration of
Korean culture in Bangladesh.
We see a spread of the Korean wave among
Bangladeshis in recent times. With rapid globalization and the spread of Korean
brand awareness, an increase in the trend of liking Korean culture can be
observed particularly among the youth of Bangladesh.
Korean
Skincare
During the
pandemic, we saw a massive rise in the import and export business. which
ultimately lead to an increase in online stores. Pages started selling their
products on Facebook live and pushed their products by sponsoring them to
appear in their newsfeed more often in prime times and giving discounts. Moreover,
as skincare products particularly fairness creams gained popularity in South
Asia because of the social pressure a girl deals with when going to adulthood
this made room for capitalization of this situation. This has to do with the
entertainment people consume on the daily basis in the form of watching YouTube
or following fashion and the increasing number of advertisements in magazines
and dramas leading them to imitate their favorite artists. It is to be noted
that it is an essential part of the Korean lifestyle to be appearance concerned
so they put a high level of maintenance in ensuring both males and females are
raised in a way where they put enough care to have good skin. This might
include incorporating several steps in the daily routine just to keep
themselves looking beautiful. Many women are seen investing in healthy skincare
routines devoting hours of effort. The popularity and effectiveness of the use
of such products have been exponentially rising. According to the need,
Bangladeshi users go for herbal skincare brands or chemical added skincare. The
customers access a pool of information about the chemical composition of a
particular product they are buying from the internet or reviews of their brand
and hence go forth their purchase. To combat the effects of pollution and
stress on the skin a viral skincare product used is sheet masks that make the
skin feel hydrated and relaxing as well as glowing. With sufficient experiments
or research, consumers have become more aware of what formulas work on their
skin and what not to acquire the right treatment for their skin problems. The
usage of these products gives a sense of self-satisfaction and assurity in the
minds for they have been following the beauty standards set by their favorite
celebrities on screen.
Korean food habits
Furthermore, with passing time more and more people are
adopting Korean food habits like spicy ramen, kimchi, tofu, Korean sauce, etc.
are gaining popularity tells us the extent of Korean cultural impact on our
lives. Also, food bloggers play a huge role in provoking interest and
introducing different food cultures to us. Other than that, mukbang content
creators are also responsible for bringing to the audience all the details of
its availability and the taste of the food to hook them on to try.
Korean
music
Bangladeshis and Koreans also show a shared interest in
music, songs have gained popularity worldwide such as Gangnam style for
instance. Korean songs have beautiful storytelling concepts with a great
display of colors and versatile dancers, such as among the teenagers and young
adults there is a craze for boyband BTS and girl band Black pink. Furthermore,
in many universities or fairs nowadays Korean fest is arranged that promotes
the spread of Korean culture. Not only that it also brings together the
Bangladeshi and Korean communities and serves as a platform to exchange mutual
interests and create collaboration.
Korean
movies and dramas
Recent hits like Parasite and Squid Game brought Korean
cinema to remarkable heights. On top of that websites that stream K-drama which
arguably has emerged as a genre on its own has managed to captivate a huge
number of audiences. K dramas are taking the world by storm, with their
intriguing plots and twists. One factor that works in the favor of k dramas is
their relatable display of the dynamics of life. It usually has an underlying
life lesson hidden and often the dramas aim to break the stereotypical mindset
that still exists in our society. Also, the episodes are usually of short
duration which works in keeping in holding the attention span of the audience
intact. Shows with realistic storylines are continually emerging to meet the
demand. With the ever-growing love for Korean culture among Bangladeshis,
people are creating more and more platforms to give exposure to their favorite
dramas through discussions among fellow enthusiasts and to organize watch
parties and gatherings.
All in all multicultural values
has great significance in the representation of a particular group of people and
their living habits. It creates room for coexistence despite the variety of lifestyles
and makes room for accepting others' views of life. Nowadays with the increase of
social media platforms, we notice people jumping to peruse any trend they witness
and like, it gives them a sense of belongingness in the community.
To sum up, multicultural differences
between us make the world worth exploring. It brings people from different ethnicity
and customs close so as to live life like others and choose to become or adopt
what they like.
Thank you for giving my
writing a read-through. Feel free to let me know your thoughts on the Korean culture-making room in Bangladesh at the end of this blog in the comment section below.
Photo credits
Image 1: taken from
google image of Korean beauty brand
Image 2 taken from google
image of Bangladeshi food blogger
Image
3 taken from Amino website
Reference
Haider, M. H. (2022, May 24). The Daily Star. Retrieved from The Korean story of Bangladesh: https://www.thedailystar.net/life-living/news/the-korean-story-bangladesh-2967376
Kabir, S. (2020, November 14). Why is Korean dramas
so beloved in Bangladesh ? Retrieved from The Daily Star : https://www.thedailystar.net/arts-entertainment/news/why-are-korean-dramas-so-beloved-bangladesh-1994681
Tisha, M. S. (2022, february 11). The Financial
Express. Retrieved from K-beauty’s Popularity in Bangladesh:
https://thefinancialexpress.com.bd/others/k-beautys-popularity-in-bangladesh-1643712260
