In Violence-Hit Manipur, Youth Bond Through K-Culture

In Manipur, where normalcy has become a distant dream, endless curfews dictate lives and routines. For 28-year-old Vdya Elangbam, this means starting work as early as 5 am―her schedule is shaped by the narrow window of curfew relaxation. As she steps out before dawn, the echoes of unrest in the foothills reverberate through the capital. So it’s her headphones, blasting Heart on the Window—popular K-pop song by BTS member Jin on repeat—that brings her a fleeting moment of solace and stability. 

With frequent ethnic clashes between the Kuki and Meitei communities erupting since May last year, life in Manipur has come to a standstill. While Imphal may not face the immediate threat of violence, Vdya says, the ripples of the conflict are felt throughout the state. There is nothing that comforts Vdya during these times, and if there’s one safe space she has been turning to for support, it’s been her K-pop fandom community. 

Vdya is one of the three administrators of a fan group of the Korean boy band Bangtan Sonyeondan or BTS. Initially part of a larger fan community, the trio connected and decided to create their own smaller group specifically for Manipur. What began with just a handful of members has now grown to include about 1,300 followers on their Instagram account and a smaller group of 200 people on WhatsApp. 

The Hallyu wave that swept through Manipur in the early 2000s has evolved into a vibrant K-pop scene in the state. Among its many influences is the emergence of K-pop fan communities bringing the youth together. Today, thousands of young people in the state are part of different fandoms, bonded by their love for Korean pop culture. 

Vdya is part of one such group dedicated to all things BTS. 

“We founded our group in 2019 and is named ‘Magicshop’ after a BTS song,” she says. “Other than discussing BTS, we talk about everyday things and if someone is facing some problems, they can share and talk about it. We are just like a family, we support each other.” 

“When we started the group, we mostly just shared developments and news about BTS, but as we grew we started doing other projects.” What Vdya refers to as “projects” are donation drives and charity events—part of a larger trend within K-pop fandoms inspired by the philanthropic values of the artistes themselves. Known for their stance on humanitarian issues and charity, K-pop artists have sparked a movement where fans―on members’ birthdays or band anniversaries―organise initiatives to help others in meaningful ways. 

“It was BTS themselves who have inspired us Armys (BTS fans) to organise such projects. They were the ones who would donate, mostly secretly, on their own birthdays.” 

Before the clashes, the Magicshop group would meet regularly at cafes or theatres, often arranging for theatres to stream BTS concerts or movies. The K-culture scene in Manipur was thriving, with the rise of Korean-themed cafes, the growing popularity of K-dramas, and an increasing number of people listening to K-pop music. Now they have been limited to meeting virtually. 

For Vdya, her connection with BTS is at such a “soulful” level that she believes she knows each one of the seven members. “They are all serving in the military at the moment, which is mandatory for them, but they pre-recorded some content for the period when they would not be available. We consume that. We never feel left out.” 

The 28-year-old wants people to understand that her love for BTS isn’t merely for “their good looks”. “We aren’t just fangirling. The songs and the message they convey helped me during my hard times, and I really think I wouldn’t have been able to make it without them.” 

As tensions flared and curfew was imposed in Manipur, the BTS fan community in Manipur also raised funds to help “frontline warriors”. “We conducted two types of drives―one with other fandoms and one exclusively for BTS members.” Vdya’s group wasn’t alone in raising funds, other K-pop fan communities, including thousands of fans of other bands like EXO, Blackpink, Ateez, Stray Kids, and many others also rose to the occasion. 

Manipur Carats, a fan group for band SEVENTEEN, was another. Thirty-three-year-old Jessee Moirangthem, who is a member and runs an online K-pop shop, says that their close-knit community quickly became a source of solace as circumstances took a turn for the worse. The group leaned on each other for moral support during these challenging times. 

“We have a few individuals who hail from violence-stricken regions. There are people who have had to migrate to other parts also. And then there are some with whom we have completely lost touch,” says Moirangthem. 

With limited government intervention, members of various fandoms—primarily young students and working individuals with limited power and resources—quickly realised that help was not forthcoming and decided to take matters into their own hands. 

“There are many organisations in Manipur working to help people in relief camps return to normal life. I got in touch with one of these organisations, and they mentioned that for students in the camps, the government had enabled them to tie up with nearby government schools. This created a need for school supplies and shoes. Our first drive focused on providing school shoes and some essential supplies. The second drive was a joint effort with the Carat fandom and other K-pop fandoms—three to five groups working together—to help village volunteers by providing bulletproof jackets,” says Moirangthem. 

As the state of Manipur continues to burn, with no resolution in sight, these fan communities have stepped forward to support one another. In a way K-pop has been the driving force behind it. The influence of Korean culture extends beyond music and television, embedding the ideology of “paying it forward”, a value deeply ingrained in K-pop fans. Moirangthem shares that while the crisis has brought immense suffering to the people of Manipur, K-pop has been a source of comfort for her and many others. 

“This Hallyu wave is like therapy for us. It is a place where we can relax our mind. I want to say that instead of prejudicing or having a negative mindset, we should be open about why people are into K-pop, K-drama and K-culture,” she said. 

Otojit Kshetrimayum, a sociologist and fellow at the V. V. Giri National Labour Institute, Noida, has extensively researched the rising popularity and influence of Korean pop culture in Manipur. He believes that among Indian states, Manipur is one of the first and most deeply influenced by Korean culture. 

The integration of Korean culture, Kshetrimayum says, began as early as in the 2000s and one of the factors behind its meteoric rise was the ban imposed on streaming of Bollywood movies. 

“There was a void waiting to be filled. At the time we had a porous border with Myanmar, there was a lot of smuggling of CDs. People got access to pirated CDs of Korean movies and dramas, and because there was no other source of entertainment, that void was filled by Korean movies and dramas,” he says. 

The process of Koreanisation in Manipur began in the early 2000s when South Korean television dramas like Four Sisters (2001) and Stairway to Heaven (2003), along with movies such as My Sassy Girl and The Classic gained immense popularity. 

This sparked a shift in fashion and make-up trends, as youngsters began adopting the styles of the actors featured in these dramas and films. 

Kshetrimayum notes that the exposure to Korean pop culture began at a “home-to-home” level, with people engaging with the media through their TVs or phones. The influence can now be seen on the streets. 

“If you go to the market, there are now many Korean restaurants serving Korean delicacies. If you see the beauty parlours, they have pictures of Korean stars. The children are actively following the pop culture trend.” 

Despite its growing popularity, Korean pop culture is not seen as competition to Manipur’s traditional music and culture. “Just because we are following Korean popular culture doesn’t mean we are not focusing on our traditional culture and music. Both are going side by side,” the researcher says. 

In terms of movies and dramas, Hollywood still dominates the big screens, while Korean cinema is primarily consumed on television or other devices at home, he says. Therefore, there is a market for both. “There isn’t competition as such; it’s a matter of choice.” 

Kshetrimayum explains that the embrace of Korean culture in Manipur stems from its many similarities with Manipuri culture. 

“In Manipur, we believe in Shamanism and have a rich magic culture, which is also present in Korean society,” he explains. “Beyond that, there are many similarities in our folk songs. When you watch a Korean movie, people connect with the kind of environment they present, the kind of background they have.”