South Korea and Nigeria have long sat on opposite ends of global pop culture flows, but that distance is beginning to shift as both creative worlds find new points of connection, influence, and exchange.

Creative spaces no longer move in one direction. While conversations still often focus on influence, there is now growing attention on how different worlds interact, connect, and shape each other in real time. One of the most interesting examples of this is the growing connection between South Korea and Nigeria. Two countries with very different histories and sounds, yet strong cultural identities that have found audiences far beyond their borders. 

From the Hallyu Wave to Afrobeats, both have built cultural power that now appears to be overlapping and responding to each other in new ways. For many Nigerians, Korean content has become part of everyday consumption, with K-dramas widely streamed on platforms like Netflix and K-pop content circulating across YouTube, TikTok, and fan-driven spaces online. Afrobeats is now also beginning to appear in Korean creative spaces, opening up a new kind of exchange that feels both exciting and unfamiliar.

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K-Drama and K-Pop: The major gateways into Korea

As much as it isn’t exactly mainstream, the Hallyu Wave is very much present in Nigeria and continues to grow. The Hallyu Wave, or Korean Wave, refers to the global rise of South Korean culture since the late 1990s, including through K-dramas, K-pop, film, fashion, beauty, and food. In Nigeria, K-dramas and K-pop have been the most defining entry points.

K-dramas often serve as a first gateway, sparking curiosity about fashion through hanboks, interest in cuisine through meals shown, and even curiosity about the language itself. Before the internet made everything easily accessible, access came in less convenient ways — like buying CDs. Now, with online streaming platforms, Korean content is closer than ever.

K-pop then deepens that experience, pulling people further in through artists referred to as idol groups. By “stanning” these groups, one gets exposed to self-produced content, variety shows, and eventually wider exploration of genres like K-hip hop, K-R&B, K-indie, and much more. Over time, simple interest gradually becomes full immersion.

For a long time, this exchange felt mostly one-sided, with Nigerian audiences mainly consuming Korean content. However, in recent years, there have been early signs of Nigerian music and style appearing within South Korea’s creative landscape, pointing to a more mutual and evolving exchange.

The growing influence of Afrobeats in Korean music

My first encounter with a Korean artist exploring Afrobeats was almost five years ago, when I heard “Bolo” by Penomeco. I never expected a Korean artist to take on the genre, let alone do it so convincingly. The moment I listened, it completely caught me off guard — in the best way. After years of consuming Korean media, hearing that kind of sound from a Korean artist, one I had already been listening to, made me elated.

That moment stayed with me, and over time, it became very obvious that it wasn’t an isolated case. More Korean artists and groups have explored Afrobeats in different ways. Artists like Penomeco, Tomorrow X Together, Le Sserafim, B.I, Gemini, Kohway, BM, Marv, Paak, Renée and Para have all experimented with or built within the sound, while many others have shown growing interest in the music style.

The genre’s growing presence can even be seen among the biggest names in K-pop, such as BTS. Most recently, the group also experimented with Afrobeats through member  J-Hope’s remix of their comeback title track “Swim” for the “Arirang” remix album “Keep Swimming”.

Taken together, these moments point to something bigger than detached experimentation. Afrobeats is gradually finding a place within Korean music spaces, and if this is what we are seeing now, then this cross-cultural interaction is only just beginning.

The complicated conversation around Afrobeats in Korea: Appreciation, influence, or appropriation?

The Korean entertainment industry has long faced criticism for the way it engages with black culture, with many people viewing certain instances as appropriation rather than appreciation. From music concepts to portrayals of Africa in Korean media, the execution has sometimes felt surface-level and performative. This leads many fans to question the sincerity behind Korean engagements with black creative styles and, now, Afrobeats.

That history is important because it shapes how these moments of engagement are being received. At the same time, it also opens up space to look more closely at how things are changing, and whether some of these newer interactions reflect a different level of understanding. Cultural creative spaces can come together when approached with genuine regard and understanding. 

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Beyond the surface: how some artists are approaching Afrobeats differently

What stands out in this newer generation is the effort some artists appear to be making to go beyond surface-level engagement. Penomeco, for example, has consistently credited artists like Burna Boy, Wizkid, and Rema as influences on his journey into Afrobeats. Rather than simply borrowing the sound, he appears to have taken time to understand the culture around it — referencing Nigeria’s linguistic diversity. Even experimenting with Yoruba, Igbo, and Pidgin, and working with a Nigerian to ensure accuracy.

Similarly, artist Gemini has spoken about the responsibility that comes with making Afrobeats-influenced music, emphasising the need to respect its history and community while actively researching and learning during his “Love sick” album creation process.

Although there is one artist who has taken this research further, Para. As opposed to engaging with Afrobeats from afar, he came to Nigeria himself, collaborating with Nigerian artists before returning multiple times since 2025, most recently to host a concert in Lagos.

The “Korean Afro Wave Concert,” held in collaboration with LG Electronics and Absolut Vodka, placed Para at the centre of the experience, bringing fans together around his work in Afrobeats.

After the show, I could only speak with him briefly, but his sincerity came through clearly in the way he responded to my questions. It felt like someone genuinely trying to understand where it comes from and acknowledge the people behind it.

In a space where discussions around exchange between cultures can easily become complicated, that kind of effort really matters. Through our short conversation, he spoke more about what drew him to the genre and how his relationship with the sound began to form.

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A conversation with Para on his Afrobeats journey

When asked to introduce himself and describe his sound to someone hearing him for the first time, he responds with intention. “My name is Para, and I’m a Korean artist exploring Afrobeats,” he says. “Since Nigeria is the birthplace of Afrobeats, I came here to learn directly from the culture, and I’ve already been experiencing and learning so much,” he affirms.

He also speaks about the inspiration behind blending Afrobeats with Korean influence and how his journey began. “I listened to ‘Calm Down’ by Rema for the first time, and it felt so fresh and positively shocking,” he shares. “That made me start exploring more Afrobeats songs, and slowly I began to fall deeper into the genre. The more I listened, the more I realised how strong the connection between Afrobeats and dance is. It felt like a natural fit for me, and I really wanted to try it out.”

Now experiencing Nigeria first-hand, certain cultural moments have stood out to him more than others. “In Nigeria, people dance everywhere. I even experienced it at the airport,” he says. “When I witnessed it for the first time, I was really surprised. In Korea, that culture doesn’t really exist, so it felt very different to me. Even little kids know how to dance, and of course, the adults too. It seems everyone knows how to dance, which was really surprising to me.”

As for his future in the genre, his ambition is clear: “Honestly, I want to get to the top like artists such as Rema, Wizkid, and Burna Boy. I really admire all of them, and I hope to reach that level one day.”

And when asked how he hopes to be remembered, he ends on a light but determined note. “I’m always going to keep challenging myself, so I hope people see that and think, ‘Wow, he’s really cool,’” he laughs.

Why real collaboration matters most

One of the clearest ways these interactions can move from simple appreciation to something deeper is through genuine collaboration between Korean and Nigerian creatives. It’s one thing to explore a sound on your own, and that in itself is valid, but there is something far more authentic about working directly with the people who have lived and breathed that culture.

When artists work together with those at the very root of a specific sound, it naturally leads to more respectful and informed creative output. Building real relationships with the people behind the music fosters deeper knowledge, and that‌ allows for a more meaningful partnership.

Ultimately, that feels like the most sustainable way forward. Continued learning, mutual esteem, and shared creation are rooted in awareness of the true origins of the culture itself.

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Toward a more connected future

As the afro wave and Korean scene continue to intersect, we are likely to see even more interaction between both spaces. Due to this, it becomes important for audiences to stay receptive as these crossovers continue to evolve.

We’re already beginning to see this take shape in different ways. In film, the “Nigerian-Korean” film “My Sunshine“” received mixed reactions upon release, but then came its follow-up, “My Alien Lover”. This returned with a more different approach, even featuring Koreans in its cast. More than anything, it reflected an ongoing effort to better navigate cross-cultural storytelling.

In music as well, global Afrobeats star Davido — a frequent reference point for many Korean artists exploring the genre has also expressed interest in K-pop. He mentioned in a recent interview that he is currently working on K-pop-related material. His multiple mentions of wanting to explore that space point to a growing curiosity and openness on both sides. 

The more these two worlds continue to converge, the more space there is for meaningful joint effort and mutual connection. And as long as all of it is guided by value and intentionality, it has the potential to grow into something bigger than what we are witnessing today.

Perhaps the most notable thing about all of this is not just the presence of Afrobeats in South Korean spaces, or South Korean culture in Nigeria, but the fact that both are beginning to meet in more visible ways.

There are still valid conversations to be had about representation, appreciation, and respect — but there is also something hopeful about seeing two distinct worlds begin to communicate with each other. No longer a one-sided flow of influence, things are gradually turning into a more active learning process, with both spaces beginning to respond to each other instantly.

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