Taking a leaf from K-wave book

IN IRAN, South Korean period TV dramas have become so popular that millions of Iranians organise their meal times to avoid missing the shows. In the Philippines, South Korean-made soaps have proven so popular that they have been remade in Tagalog. Even France - a country often seen as traditionally sceptical of outside culture - cannot seem to get enough of Korean-made films and pop music.

Here in Singapore, we have been kept on the edge of our seat by Korean crime thrillers such as You're All Surrounded, tormented by the divorced hospital interns in Emergency Couple, and love-struck by the romance of Secret Love Affair.

In the music scene, bands such as Girl Generation, Bigbang and Shinhwa have stormed to the top of YouTube video charts. And there can be few people left in the world who have not seen or heard the catchy beat of Psy's hit, Gangnam Style.