iWorld
The dramatic rise of K-dramas
MUMBAI: Since March 2020, at least six Korean drama titles have featured on Netflix India’s Top 10 Trending list. According to a recent Netflix report, the viewing for K-dramas on Netflix in India "increased more than 370 per cent in 2020 over 2019.” So, for those of us unversed with the hype around K-dramas or even speculating whether “K-drama” is a namesake for yet another saas-bahu soap opera from Ekta Kapoor’s drama factory, maybe it’s time to dive into a bowl of ramen noodles and settle back to watch one.
With no fresh content on television for some months, thanks to the lockdown, and with a whole lot of extra time on their hands, many viewers traded the TV screen for their cell phone or tablet screens, looking for some relief from the barrage of Covid-related news. This upsurge in usage of on-demand OTT platforms during the pandemic led to an increased demand for variety content, language barrier notwithstanding. K-dramas with their feel-good storylines and safe-for-family-viewing content made for the perfect lockdown recipe when most of us were locked in with our extended families. Riding on this wave, K-dramas have had their biggest breakthrough moment in India during the ongoing pandemic, as more people found the time and inclination to explore different kinds of content.
While K-pop, as well as Korean dramas, have been a prominent part of pop culture among India’s GenZ and millennials for the last few years, it's only in the last one year that it's gone truly mainstream. Along with other cultural exports from the country like K-beauty (skincare products) and Korean food, they form a part of the Korean cultural wave, called ‘Hallyu’. So what is it that makes these dramas so binge-worthy and addictive?
Well, for starters, there is the detailing in the scriptwriting, with a focus on strong storylines having positive undertones. Although some of them can have pretty predictable outcomes, it is the conversational dialogues and natural treatment that makes all the difference. The characters are relatable, not larger-than-life with vulnerabilities one can empathise with. There is usually an underdog character one cannot help rooting for. Also, don’t get deceived by the damsel-in-distress looks of the lead women characters in the show, they may look frail but most of them are independent, fiery women who hold their own and do not hesitate to speak their mind or stand their ground when confronted. This understated emphasis on female empowerment goes a long way in making these soaps popular with their women audiences, while also making a statement for gender-equality in a positive, non-dramatic manner.
And of course, not to mention the swoon-worthy, porcelain-complexioned, picture-perfect looking actors clad in the trendiest outfits. Many of the actors from popular Korean fictional shows, including Crash Landing on You, It’s Okay to Not be Okay, Kingdom, Itaewon Class, Guardian: The Lonely and Great God etc like Son Ye-jin, Hyun Bin, Kim Soo-hyun, Seo Ye-ji, Jung Hae In, Park Joo-hyun to name a few, have become household names amongst Indian fans who swear by their Korean screen idols. The immersive plots range from adorable rom-coms to edge-of-the-seat suspense, from heart-warming, soul-satiating family dramas to intense psychological thrillers, covering a whole gamut of profound experiences- one that caters to every taste. The dramas also give us a peek into Korean culture, food and lifestyle. For instance, Crash landing On You, which deals with cross-border romance between a South Korean business tycoon and a North Korean soldier offered a heartwarming insight into the hitherto forbidden land of North Korea and the people living there.
Since Netflix first started showing Korean dramas in 2016, it has brought them to an international audience. Other OTT platforms too have caught on to this trend and many more like Disney+, HBO Max, and Apple+ are all expected to join the K-drama bandwagon. One only needs to glance at the number of Hindi dubbed versions of K-dramas on an Indian homegrown platform like MX Player to understand the size and scope of Korean content in India and its growing popularity. Hit Korean releases from 2016 like Melting Me Softly to What in the World Happened?, 1% of Something and many more have been dubbed in Hindi to cater to the increasing audience demand for Korean fare.
‘Hallyu’ or the Korean Wave is the term used to describe the spread of Korean entertainment and culture in other parts of the world. Die-hard fans of K-series pursue a range of experience, consuming Korean food like kimchi, fashion and music, even learning Korean to better understand their favourite shows; some even going to the extent of travelling to Korea for first-hand experiences of the culture and place.
The Oscar-winning 2019 Korean movie Parasite can also be credited for this new-found interest in Korean fare. It was the first film not in English to take home the top prize in the academy’s 92-year history. The film’s director Bong Joon-ho while accepting his Best Picture Oscar, spoke about “overcoming the one-inch-tall barrier of subtitles” in order to be introduced to more amazing content. It holds true now more than ever before, going by the resounding worldwide endorsement and success of Korean dramas. Indians sure have broken down the “one-inch barrier” and embraced K-dramas for times to come.
Gaming
India’s new online gaming rules take effect today, banning money games and creating a regulator
The rules, in force from today, separate e-sports from gambling and impose jail terms and stiff fines on violators
NEW DELHI: India’s online gaming sector woke up this morning to a new reality. The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Rules, 2026, came into force today, May 1st, turning a year of legislative intent into enforceable law. The message from New Delhi is blunt: e-sports and social games are welcome; online money games are not.
The rules operationalise the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming (PROG) Act, passed by Parliament in August 2025. Together, they represent the most sweeping regulatory intervention India has made in its booming digital gaming market, one that generated Rs 23,200 crore in 2024 and is projected to grow at a compound annual rate of 11 per cent to reach Rs 31,600 crore by 2027. The stakes, in every sense, could not be higher.
A sector out of control
The urgency behind the legislation is not hard to find. An estimated 45 crore Indians have been affected by online money gaming platforms, with losses exceeding Rs 20,000 crore. Addiction, financial ruin, money laundering, and suicides have all been linked to the sector. Seventy-seven per cent of the market’s revenues came from transaction-based games, a figure that made regulators deeply uneasy.
The government’s response, effective as of today, is categorical. Online money games, whether based on chance, skill, or any mix of the two, are banned outright. So is their advertising, promotion, and facilitation. Banks and payment processors are barred from handling related transactions. Unlawful platforms can be blocked under the Information
Technology Act, 2000.
The penalties are designed to sting. Offering or facilitating online money games can attract up to three years in jail and a fine of up to Rs 1 crore, or both. Repeat offenders face a minimum of three years, extendable to five, with fines between Rs 1 crore and Rs 2 crore. Advertising such games carries up to two years in prison and fines of up to Rs 50 lakh, with repeat violations attracting higher penalties still. Cyber cell officers at state and union territory levels, including at police station, district, and commissionerate levels, are empowered to investigate offences.
The new sheriff in town
At the centre of the new framework sits the Online Gaming Authority of India, a digital-first regulator constituted as an attached office of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, headquartered in Delhi. It is chaired by the additional secretary of MeitY and includes joint secretary-level representation from home affairs, finance, information and broadcasting, youth affairs and sports, and law and justice, a deliberately multi-sectoral design built for a complex sector.
The authority’s powers are broad. It will maintain and publish lists of online money games, investigate complaints, issue directions, orders, and codes of practice, hear appeals on user grievances, and coordinate with financial institutions and law enforcement to ensure effective and timely action.
Its decisions on game classification are to be completed within 90 days, a time-bound commitment that industry players have welcomed after years of regulatory ambiguity. Classification can be triggered by the authority acting on its own initiative, by an application from a service provider, or by a notification from the central government. Games will be assessed on objective factors: whether stakes are involved, whether players expect monetary winnings, the revenue model, and whether in-game assets can be monetised outside the game. The outcome is recorded in a determination order specific to the game and provider.
E-sports gets its moment
While the crackdown on money gaming dominates today’s headlines, the rules also carve out a structured path for e-sports and online social games. Registration, required when notified by the central government, applies to all games offered as e-sports and is based on factors including risk to users, scale, financial transactions, and country of origin. A successful application yields a digital certificate of registration with a unique number, valid for up to ten years. Service providers must display registration details, designate a point of contact, comply with data retention requirements, and follow directions on facilitating payments.
Online money games are explicitly ineligible for recognition or registration as e-sports under the National Sports Governance Act, 2025. The separation is deliberate, and the industry has noticed.
Akshat Rathee, co-founder and managing director of NODWIN Gaming, called today’s operationalisation “encouraging,” pointing to publisher-led registration of esports titles and a time-bound determination process as creating “much-needed certainty for all stakeholders.” He added that the “continued emphasis on clearly separating esports from online money gaming is critical in preserving the integrity of competitive gaming as a skill-driven discipline.” He described it as “a proud moment to see official acknowledgement of the broader benefits of responsible esports and gaming, from building confidence, discipline, and teamwork to creating new career pathways for young talent,” and said the framework sets “a strong foundation for the ecosystem to scale in a more structured and globally competitive manner.”
Animesh Agarwal, co-founder and chief executive of S8UL, was equally bullish. “This clarity is critical in unlocking investor confidence and attracting multi-genre brands, while also enabling organisations to take a more long-term view, whether in investing in talent, scaling teams, or building globally competitive formats,” he said, adding that it “strengthens trust among audiences and mainstream stakeholders, positioning esports not just as a sport, but as a fast-growing youth entertainment category in India.”
But Agarwal urged caution on several fronts. There remains limited clarity around financial frameworks, particularly in how esports earnings are treated by banks and financial institutions. A well-defined pathway for the formal recognition or registration of esports teams is still evolving, as are structured player protections. He also called for smoother visa processes for esports athletes competing in international tournaments and for government support in developing infrastructure, including bootcamps, training facilities, and access to high-performance equipment across titles.
Vishal Parekh, chief operating officer of CyberPowerPC India, pointed to downstream effects on education and careers. “With formal recognition and policy backing, colleges and institutions are more likely to take the sector seriously, whether through dedicated esports infrastructure, training programmes, or curriculum integration,” he said, adding that this helps students view gaming as a viable career spanning roles across competitive play, content, game development, and allied industries. He noted that as esports gains prominence in global multi-sport events, the framework strengthens India’s position in international competitive gaming, and called on the ecosystem to provide the right infrastructure and access to high-performance hardware to unlock opportunities in talent development and job creation.
Protecting users, one safeguard at a time
The rules introduce a layered system of user protections calibrated to the risk profile of each game. These include age verification, age gating, time restrictions, parental controls, user reporting tools, counselling support, and fair-play and integrity monitoring. Service providers must disclose their safety features and internal grievance mechanisms when applying for determination or registration.
A two-tier grievance redressal system sits atop these safeguards. Users who are dissatisfied with a platform’s resolution can escalate to the authority within 30 days. The authority aims to dispose of such appeals within a further 30 days. A second appeal lies before the secretary of MeitY, who must also endeavour to resolve matters within 30 days. Enforcement proceedings will be conducted in digital mode wherever possible, with cases targeted for resolution within 90 days from receipt of a complaint.
Penalties under the framework are proportionate, taking into account gain from non-compliance, loss to users, the gravity of the offence, and whether violations are recurring. Mitigation efforts by service providers will also be considered when determining penalties. All penalties imposed under the Act will be credited to the Consolidated Fund of India.
The money follows the rules
For investors and founders, the implications are immediate and significant. Sagar Nair, head of incubation at LVL Zero Incubator, a 100-day sprint designed to accelerate early-stage gaming startups across India, argues that with real-money gaming now prohibited, capital will shift “away from transaction-driven models toward content-led, IP-driven, and global-first gaming businesses.” He acknowledged trade-offs: for operators with exposure to real-money formats, the market becomes more restrictive in the near term. But he argued that by clearly separating esports and non-money gaming from online money gaming, “India is positioning itself as a hub for responsible, creative, and scalable game development.” The opportunity, he said, is “to view India not just as a monetisation-first market, but as a talent, IP, and scale market,” adding that “for founders and investors willing to adapt, this shift could ultimately strengthen India’s position in the global gaming landscape.”
The government frames the wider impact in equally ambitious terms: a boost to India’s creative economy and digital exports, new career pathways for young people, protection for families from predatory platforms, and a stronger voice in global digital governance. India, it argues, offers a model for other countries grappling with the same tensions between gaming’s economic promise and its social risks, one that shows innovation and strong safeguards need not be mutually exclusive.
Whether the framework delivers on those promises will depend on enforcement, always the hardest part. But from today, the architecture is firmly in place: a regulator with teeth, a classification system with deadlines, penalties designed to deter, and a clear dividing line between games that build careers and games that destroy finances. For a sector that has grown fast and governed itself loosely, May 1st, 2026 is the day the free ride ends.
