Last Updated:November 14, 2025, 08:00 IST

With K-dramas up 370% and Squid Game fever gripping millions, the East is not the “new West” but India’s cultural compass has shifted and now carries an Asian accent

It’s subtle, but it’s everywhere. From the matcha you sip on a Sunday morning to the Korean skincare aisle that’s replaced your favourite French brand; from a Goa bachelorette planned in Bali to playlists filled with K-pop and Thai lo-fi tracks. India, once obsessed with the American dream, is quietly turning its gaze more East. What started as curiosity- sushi rolls, K-dramas, Japanese anime has grown into something that affects lifestyle, travel, even a new cultural identity.

And this isn’t a fleeting trend, Agoda’s travel data based on searches made by Indian families between September to October 2025 for check-ins between December 2025 to February 2026 compared to the same period the year prior shows a significant spike in Indian interest in Asian destinations; Asian food festivals, K-beauty and anime fandoms which have now found solid footing in across the country.

The Travel Turn: From Euro Trips to Eastern Escapes

Forget London summers and Swiss winters, Indians are booking Seoul street markets, Thai beaches and Tokyo art museums instead. According to Agoda, Indian searches for Southeast Asian destinations like the Philippines and Malaysia jumped between 26% and 47% this year. The reason is simple of proximity, affordability and a sense of shared culture.

The data reveals that Indian families are increasingly drawn to snow-covered landscapes, festive atmospheres, and cultural winter experiences, with interest spanning both Asia and Europe. Among Asian destinations, South Korea (+226%), China (+105%), and Kazakhstan (+68%) are witnessing the strongest year-on-year growth in travel interest, while Taiwan (+44%) and Japan (+41%) continue to attract steady attention from Indian family travellers.

Travel influencers talk about how Bali offers “the spiritual calm of Rishikesh with global polish”. Visa relaxations across Japan and Vietnam are helping too. In short, for the young Indian traveller, the East now promises what Europe once did adventure, beauty, and brag-worthy social media moments, but without the 14-hour flight.

The Rise of Asian Palates in India

The Asian wave is strongest in food. In Indian metro cities, eating out has become as much an identity statement as a meal. Restaurants specialising in Korean fried chicken, Japanese ramen or Thai street-food are no longer experimental—they are mainstream — Asian cuisine has moved from niche to mainstream.

A report by Restaurant India notes that Japanese dining is now among the fastest-growing segments in Indian metros. What’s changed is the emotion behind it, people are not just eating sushi; they’re identifying with the culture that made it.

Cooking classes for dumplings and kimbap are packed. Food festivals celebrating “Pan-Asian” identity are the new crowd-pullers. The East isn’t just influencing taste buds, it’s shaping how Indians experience hospitality, presentation, and even everyday eating rituals.

How The Eastern Way of Living Changed Beauty, Wellness & Design?

Beyond travel and food, look at what we apply on our skin or bring into our homes. Walk into any Indian beauty store and you’ll see the shift, snail mucin serums, sheet masks, rice water shampoos. K-beauty has replaced French luxury skincare on many vanities. The appeal lies in its philosophy: balance, ritual, consistency — qualities that echo Indian traditions.

Even home décor tells the story, the minimal “Japandi” aesthetic — a blend of Japanese and Scandinavian calm now defines urban interiors. MUJI stores, meditation corners, bamboo lamps, clean lines India’s design sensibility is syncing with the East’s slow-living ethos as taught by Marie Kondo.

In wellness, acupuncture clinics, reiki sessions and herbal teas are gaining traction. What this really means is — Indians aren’t just consuming Asian trends; they’re adopting Asian ways of being.

What Hooked India On K-pop and Drama?

When BTS plays on Spotify India, or a Tamil YouTuber reviews a Japanese anime, it’s not just entertainment it’s cultural exchange in motion. A recent study by Sophia College, Mumbai found that 66% of Indians engage with K-pop or K-dramas and more Korean fashion labels are opening pop-ups in Indian malls with anime conventions drawing crowds in Delhi and Pune.

This fandom is reshaping how Indians express emotion, creativity, and even identity. Netflix reported Squid Game as its biggest-ever series launch, with over 142 million households tuning in. In India, viewership for K-dramas rose 370% in 2020. Teens sprinkle Korean phrases in conversations, makeup artists mimic K-beauty looks, and designers borrow silhouettes from Seoul’s street style.

For an Indian with a matcha latte in Bengaluru, a Japanese interior in Mumbai and a favourite K-drama in Hyderabad, the East isn’t “new”; it’s simply part of the mix. And that mix may very well define the next decade of Indian lifestyle.

The Travel Turn: From Euro Trips to Eastern Escapes

Forget London summers and Swiss winters, Indians are booking Seoul street markets, Thai beaches and Tokyo art museums instead. According to Agoda, Indian searches for Southeast Asian destinations like the Philippines and Malaysia jumped between 26% and 47% this year. The reason is simple of proximity, affordability and a sense of shared culture.

The data reveals that Indian families are increasingly drawn to snow-covered landscapes, festive atmospheres, and cultural winter experiences, with interest spanning both Asia and Europe. Among Asian destinations, South Korea (+226%), China (+105%), and Kazakhstan (+68%) are witnessing the strongest year-on-year growth in travel interest, while Taiwan (+44%) and Japan (+41%) continue to attract steady attention from Indian family travellers.

Travel influencers talk about how Bali offers “the spiritual calm of Rishikesh with global polish”. Visa relaxations across Japan and Vietnam are helping too. In short, for the young Indian traveller, the East now promises what Europe once did adventure, beauty, and brag-worthy social media moments, but without the 14-hour flight.

The Rise of Asian Palates in India

The Asian wave is strongest in food. In Indian metro cities, eating out has become as much an identity statement as a meal. Restaurants specialising in Korean fried chicken, Japanese ramen or Thai street-food are no longer experimental—they are mainstream — Asian cuisine has moved from niche to mainstream.

A report by Restaurant India notes that Japanese dining is now among the fastest-growing segments in Indian metros. What’s changed is the emotion behind it, people are not just eating sushi; they’re identifying with the culture that made it.

Cooking classes for dumplings and kimbap are packed. Food festivals celebrating “Pan-Asian” identity are the new crowd-pullers. The East isn’t just influencing taste buds, it’s shaping how Indians experience hospitality, presentation, and even everyday eating rituals.

How The Eastern Way of Living Changed Beauty, Wellness & Design?

Beyond travel and food, look at what we apply on our skin or bring into our homes. Walk into any Indian beauty store and you’ll see the shift, snail mucin serums, sheet masks, rice water shampoos. K-beauty has replaced French luxury skincare on many vanities. The appeal lies in its philosophy: balance, ritual, consistency — qualities that echo Indian traditions.

Even home décor tells the story, the minimal “Japandi” aesthetic — a blend of Japanese and Scandinavian calm now defines urban interiors. MUJI stores, meditation corners, bamboo lamps, clean lines India’s design sensibility is syncing with the East’s slow-living ethos as taught by Marie Kondo.

In wellness, acupuncture clinics, reiki sessions and herbal teas are gaining traction. What this really means is — Indians aren’t just consuming Asian trends; they’re adopting Asian ways of being.

What Hooked India On K-pop and Drama?

When BTS plays on Spotify India, or a Tamil YouTuber reviews a Japanese anime, it’s not just entertainment it’s cultural exchange in motion. A recent study by Sophia College, Mumbai found that 66% of Indians engage with K-pop or K-dramas and more Korean fashion labels are opening pop-ups in Indian malls with anime conventions drawing crowds in Delhi and Pune.

This fandom is reshaping how Indians express emotion, creativity, and even identity. Netflix reported Squid Game as its biggest-ever series launch, with over 142 million households tuning in. In India, viewership for K-dramas rose 370% in 2020. Teens sprinkle Korean phrases in conversations, makeup artists mimic K-beauty looks, and designers borrow silhouettes from Seoul’s street style.

For an Indian with a matcha latte in Bengaluru, a Japanese interior in Mumbai and a favourite K-drama in Hyderabad, the East isn’t “new”; it’s simply part of the mix. And that mix may very well define the next decade of Indian lifestyle.

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