TikTok ban: Implications for the Hallyu Wave in northeast India

Globalization has led to a rise in cross-cultural communication on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok. These platforms facilitate the creation and sharing of information, ideas, and interests via virtual communities. However, their algorithms can enforce certain cultural narratives and create 'culture bubbles', limiting diversity and perspectives. The Hallyu Wave, a cultural phenomenon , has emerged as a choiced culture in Northeast India due to socio-cultural and political factors. We study how platform firms like TikTok have played a role in fostering micro-communities around Hallyu, diffusing cultural identities. We study how the 2020 TikTok ban in India disrupted the flow of Hallyu, seeing it's engagement and influence in cultural consumption patterns. The study finds that the ongoing spread of Hallyu through alternative platforms demonstrates the resilience of global cultural flows and the adaptability of users in navigating new digital spaces.