India’s growing K-craze: More youth enrol for taekwondo, Korean classes

Anshita Mehra

New Delhi, April 18

Indian youth are showing an increasing inclination towards Korean culture, with a noticeable rise in interest not just for K-Drama or K-Beauty, but also in learning the Korean language and taekwondo.

The year 2024 is the “Year of Cooperation” for taekwondo in India. The Korean Cultural Centre, India (KCCI) has partnered with the Delhi Taekwondo Association to launch multiple competitions and promotional activities in Delhi schools. These initiatives aim to nurture skills, boost confidence and inspire students to represent India in the sport in the future. Additionally, the KCCI will also collaborate with local taekwondo associations in major cities like Mumbai and Pune to conduct skill enhancement training sessions for local instructors.

Will expand opportunities

Both taekwondo and Korean language classes in Indian schools will further expand opportunities for students to experience Korean culture and will become a starting point for achieving their dreams. — Hwang Il Yong, Director, KCCI

The growing demand for taekwondo is evident from the doubling of student enrolments this year. While 1,530 students from 31 schools enrolled for the sport in 2023, this year saw 3,536 students from 47 Delhi schools registering for taekwondo classes.

Similarly, interest in learning the Korean language has surged across India, with enrolments growing from 1,535 students in 20 schools last year to 2,572 students in 32 schools this year. The KCCI has distributed 2,000 newly designed Korean language textbooks to 32 local secondary schools. The textbooks feature illustrations of Indian elements like ‘naan’, ‘samosa’, and ‘mojari’.

The rising demand for learning the language was evident when the 93rd Korean Language Proficiency Test was organised. Due to continuous inquiries, the KCCI announced an additional test in October after the April batch’s application deadline had passed. A total of 1,248 students applied for the test across New Delhi, Chennai, and Imphal (Manipur), with examinations held simultaneously at designated centres.

Hwang Il Yong, Director of Korean Cultural Centre India, said: “Korean is one of the fastest-growing foreign languages in India. Both taekwondo and Korean language classes in Indian schools will further expand opportunities for students to experience Korean culture and will become a starting point for achieving their dreams. We will continue to strive for the steady growth of cultural exchanges between Korea and India.”