Hallyujah, K-pop fans are popping up 4 the planet

If you don’t know by now, Hallyu refers to the growing popularity of South Korean culture, which has become a global phenomenon. The MTV Music Video Awards now have a dedicated K-Pop category, streaming giant Netflix has added countless Korean dramas to its offering and that famous glass-skin makeup technique experts swear by is courtesy of the Koreans.

South Africans have jumped on the bandwagon too, with DStv launching tvN, a pop-up channel dedicated to all things Korean. Remember K-Pop sensation PSY’s Gangnam Style, one of the most streamed videos not only in SA, but the world? Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng viewers continue to rank among the highest web searchers when it comes to the term “Korean dramas”. Highly popular dramas Healer and Pinocchio also continue to be Googled regularly by South Africans.

In terms of beauty trends, Gautengers lead the pack when it comes to interest in Asians’ regimes. Korean face-sheet masks (affordable mini-facials), beauty water (a type of skin toner) and snail slime are all the rage in some of the province’s beauty salons. You guessed it, we have the Koreans to thank for that glowing skin.

With Earth Day being celebrated on Thursday, the highly influential Kpop4planet, a K-pop fan-driven climate-action platform, has established an initiative that promises to benefit the world for decades to come.

The social media campaign, called Tokopedia 4 Bumi, is asking Indonesia’s largest e-commerce company, Tokopedia, to use 100% renewable energy by 2030. Bumi is Indonesian for “Earth” and the drive is in line with K-pop fans heeding the call to play a part in highlighting the dangers of climate change.

South Africans will know popular K-pop musical outfits such as BTS and Blackpink, which are responsible for hits such as Dynamite and How You Like That, respectively. What they might not know is that it is these bands’ biggest fans who are asking Tokopedia to help limit global warming.

Kpop4Planet has also started a petition page (www.tokopedia4bumi.kpop4planet.com) that allows fans to voice their concerns directly to Tokopedia CEO William Tanuwijaya.

“Tokopedia has successfully expanded its business by collaborating with K-pop stars. Therefore, we hope that it will also act like our idols and influence positive changes in the world by going for renewable energy,” said Nurul Sarifah, Kpop4Planet’s organiser. 

• Kpop4Planet was created for and by fans to become the number one platform for K-pop fans to gather, discuss and learn about the climate crisis, as well as to take action with other like-minded fandoms. It was launched in the lead-up to the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in November.