Korean Star Aoora Sings Hindi Jingle for Pulse Candy in Festive Dance Challenge
Mumbai witnessed a unique cultural blend recently. Former K-pop singer Aoora dressed in vibrant Santa Claus red, stood beside a Christmas tree, and energetically sang Hindi words like "deewana" and "khazana." He performed a catchy hook step to promote a year-end dance challenge for Pulse Candy.
This marketing move raises an interesting question. Why would Pulse Candy, a mass-market brand famous for its traditional Indian masala flavors, choose a Korean celebrity for promotion?
India's Growing Love for Korean Culture
India is currently experiencing a strong 'Hallyu' or Korean wave. Gen-Z consumers are actively embracing various aspects of Korean culture. They enjoy authentic Korean food like ramyun, listen to K-pop music, binge-watch K-dramas with subtitles or dubbing, and experiment with Korean skincare and fashion brands.
As Korean stars become more recognizable to Indian audiences, brands are strategically bringing them to the country. Companies are appointing these celebrities as brand ambassadors or extending pan-Asian advertising campaigns to include India.
For example, Crocs launched a monsoon-themed advertisement last year featuring Bollywood actor Siddhant Chaturvedi and Korean actress Chae Soo-bin. This charming ad, styled like a classic Korean drama, garnered millions of views on digital platforms.
Similarly, Colgate India introduced an Asia-Pacific campaign for their Visible White Purple toothpaste starring Korean singer-actress IU. The video achieved nearly 58 million views on YouTube. The company even sells Colgate-branded IU fan merchandise on e-commerce platforms.
Pulse Candy's Innovative Partnership with Aoora
DS Group's Pulse Candy stands out as one of the first homegrown, mass-priced Indian brands to collaborate with a Korean celebrity. The campaign featured Aoora singing a lively jingle in Hinglish. The song highlighted the tangy flavors of Pulse Candy and how they can make anyone go crazy for them.
The promotional video has already crossed 6.7 million views on Instagram across various accounts. Jyotiroop Barua, Business Head for Confectionery at DS Group, explained the strategy. He noted that K-pop enjoys a massive following among India's Gen Z. This presented a unique opportunity to engage this audience through a global pop culture phenomenon.
Barua added that Aoora's willingness to embrace Indian culture, language, and music made him an ideal fit. This alignment helped maintain Pulse Candy's rooted image while effectively connecting with younger consumers.
Korean Trends Influencing Indian Consumer Brands
Indian consumer brands are rapidly adopting Korean trends to attract younger, more savvy customers across different categories.
- Food makers like Too Yumm!, ITC's Bingo, and Prataap Snacks' Yellow Diamond now offer Gochujang-flavored chips.
- Venture capital-backed skincare brands are leveraging 'K-Beauty' trends for growth.
- Major streaming platforms, from Netflix to Amazon MX Player, provide K-dramas with subtitles and Indian-language dubbing.
Aoora's Deep Connection with Indian Culture
While many foreign celebrities greet Indian fans in Hindi or appear on local shows, Aoora has taken his engagement much further. He moved to India in February 2023, immersing himself in the country's culture, collaborating with local artists, and recreating regional music.
Rachna Puri, co-founder of digital marketing agency VectorMob which represents Aoora in India, shared insights. She mentioned that Aoora came to India experimentally because he loved Bollywood content. He appreciated the creative freedom available in India compared to the strict discipline of K-pop idol life in Korea.
After initial work in Indonesia and Malaysia, Aoora received invitations to perform in Jammu and Uttar Pradesh for government-organized events. His team organized a K-pop bus tour for meet-and-greet sessions across schools in Uttar Pradesh. Aoora performed K-pop songs but also sang Hindi tracks like "Woh Kisna Hai" in Mathura. He has also performed at Nagaland's Hornbill Festival.
His popularity led to features in Bigg Boss in 2024 and a television soap by Balaji Telefilms. Aoora has since done advertisement campaigns for Nivea India, ITC's Bingo for their Korean-flavored chips, and Kia India. He has collaborated with singers in multiple Indian languages including Malayalam and Tamil. Currently, he is working on an original song inspired by Lord Shiva's tandav and his personal journey to India.
From Familiarity to Dedicated Fan Following
Korean food, skincare, and entertainment have gained significant popularity in India over recent years. As streaming platforms and TV channels license and dub K-dramas in various Indian languages, Korean stars are reaching broader audiences beyond urban, affluent Gen-Z Indians.
This growing familiarity has led to Indians recognizing and relating to Korean celebrities. Fans are now willing to pay for concert tickets featuring Korean headliners and attend events dedicated solely to Korean music and entertainment.
K-Town, a Korean music festival organized by JetAlive, exemplifies this trend. Its third edition in Mumbai last year headlined by Taemin and Super Junior–D&E attracted over 6,500 attendees. Kumar Razdan, Head of JetAlive, reported consistent year-on-year growth of 20% in overall attendance.
He noted that the event has evolved from a fandom-led gathering to a calendarized cultural destination. It now attracts first-time attendees, repeat fans, and brand-driven audiences alike. Brand sponsors have expanded from Korean-focused local brands to mainstream names like Heineken, Too Yumm!, and Blue Tokai.
Korean acts are becoming regular features at major Indian concerts. Indie rock bands The Rose and Wave to Earth have performed at previous editions of Lollapalooza India.
Future Prospects and Challenges
India can expect more music inspired by K-pop acts. In September, the prominent South Korean music label Hybe opened an office in Mumbai. Known for creating BTS and K-pop-inspired groups like Katseye in the US, Hybe is reportedly planning to create all-boys and all-girls bands in India.
However, Rachna Puri from VectorMob believes there is still a long way to go. She mentioned that many children in tier-2 and tier-3 cities message Aoora, asking when he is coming back "from BTS." Some fans know BTS but are unaware of Korea or Korean culture, assuming it is a country where Korean stars originate.
Puri emphasized that more efforts are needed for Korean sensibilities and influence to reach the mass paying audience in India. Making Korean faces mainstream enough for more brands to feature them in advertisements remains a work in progress.
