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Young people from South Asia are shaping the youth cultural landscape not only in their own countries but also beyond their borders. In India, for example, where more than 65% of the population is under 35, and most of them are active internet users, these people are setting trends in online entertainment.
The globalization of world culture is a phenomenon that cannot and should not be denied—a good example is K-Pop, which is becoming increasingly popular in India. In 2023, the number of streams of BTS, BLACKPINK, and Seventeen increased by 350% (compared to 2021). Delhi, Pune, and Hyderabad have the most K-Pop fans, who organize large-scale projects dedicated to their favorite idols, including not only social events but also sponsorship of advertising campaigns. For example, in Mumbai in 2022, fans of the group BTS installed a screen in honor of Jungkook’s birthday. At the same time, one should not think that local pop culture is being replaced by Korean pop culture — soundtracks to Bollywood films are still being downloaded millions of times. For example, in 2023, Shah Rukh Khan’s film Pathaan conquered not only India but also the Persian Gulf countries. Tens of thousands of remixes of his songs were made on TikTok.
But music and cinema are not the only areas driving the growth of digital content consumption in India. Millions of Indians choose video games as their everyday leisure activity. In 2024, there will be over 570 million gamers in India, with 95% of them playing mobile games. Projects such as GMI (Battlegrounds Mobile India), Free Fire MAX, Call of Duty: Mobile, and Ludo King remain at the top of the popularity charts, but niche genres are also becoming increasingly interesting to players. These are primarily hyper-casual games and arcades, as well as crash entertainment. These are genres where reaction speed and a bit of luck are important.
The most popular games are those characterized by short rounds and instant gratification, with a small amount of risk that does not spoil the fun, but rather enhances it. In some games, gambling mechanics are combined with gamified visuals. The most popular mechanic is the “soaring coefficient,” where the player’s task is to catch the peak before it hits zero. One such game is Lucky Jet game in India, which has become particularly popular thanks to widespread advertising on social media.
Such games go viral on TikTok and Telegram because they are easy to learn and have a visual style that is simple on the one hand and bright and attractive on the other. Short clips, which are recordings of sessions, have a viral effect, and there are also videos with vivid emotions from players and more practical ones with tips on tactics. Getting tens of thousands of views for such a video is no problem at all. On regional YouTube channels dedicated to gaming, such videos are extremely popular.
The level of engagement in digital entertainment is not only related to people’s desire to relax. It is often linked to the fact that players feel socially involved. They stream and share their achievements, so even the simplest games become part of their online identity.
Young people actively discuss PUBG and BGMI matches, and their interest in them is no less than in Taeyang’s new tracks. This makes online entertainment a new language spoken by the younger generation. Social media plays a key role in all these processes.
Entertainment is no longer just leisure, it is a form of self-expression and also part of the digital economy.
Alternative formats such as online quizzes or simple games with luck-based mechanics are becoming increasingly popular, mainly because content is increasingly consumed in between other activities, such as while commuting. The leisure time of today’s youth is a culture in motion, where clicks and swipes are becoming part of a new dynamic.
