Korean culture rides in on mobile technology

People line up to buy fried chicken at a Korean restaurant on Hongquan Road, Shanghai, on Monday. A popular South Korean drama, in which the female protagonist idolizes beer and fried chicken, has made chicken popular again, despite a recent spate of bird flu cases. [Photo / China Daily]

Flanked by a DJ and a drummer, South Korean pop group Exo sauntered onto the stage at the Hunan Satellite TV station on Friday, joining the line-up for the Lantern Festival Show. The studio was flooded with fans holding light sticks in various colors, signifying allegiance to one or other group member.

On the same day, thousands of kilometers away at Shanghai's Pudong International Airport, the arrival of heartthrob Lee Min-ho, who starred in the TV series The Heirs, attracted a hardcore of young women willing to pay 3,800 yuan ($626) to access his half-hour media briefing.

"I'm totally attracted by his slim figure, chiseled abs and perfect complexion," said Li Min, a primary school teacher in Shanghai, who rushed to the scene for her dearest "oppa", a respectful Korean term used by women to refer to older males.

The popularity of the mobile Internet has helped to promote the phenomenon of Hallyu - or the wave of South Korean culture flooding other countries. Live concerts and entertainment shows become immediately available to thousands of die-hard fans who discuss endlessly the whereabouts of their favorite celebrities.

Avid viewers of the South Korean drama My Love from the Star took note when the female protagonist said she adored "beer and fried chicken" as her favorite food when the first winter snow began to fall.

Barbecue houses and lemonade booths along Hongquan Road in Shanghai's Korean area have become new favorites for Chinese women hungry for a genuine taste of Korea.

"I lined up for three hours simply to get a piece of fried chicken. It was on a work-day afternoon and raining heavily. Like-minded friends often go there every month," said Zhang Yuting, a big fan of Korean culture, who takes trips to South Korea to watch concerts every year.

The droves of people and the long lines are often seeking the spicy side dish kimchi or a spicy broth containing soft tofu, clams and an egg, said Kim Gi-chan, owner of Korean restaurant Gubaowu.