Enrollment in Korean classes has shot up. Thank K-pop
College student enrollment in language classes has plateaued in recent years, but enrollment in Korean language classes rose 78% from 2009 to 2016.
From K-pop phenomena "Gangnam Style" and BTS to South Korea's success on screen with Parasite and Squid Game, interest in Korean popular culture has skyrocketed in the past decade. One way experts have seen this interest manifest is in the steep rise in enrollment in Korean language classes.
U.S. college student enrollment in Korean language classes has risen 78% from 2009 to 2016, reaching 15,000, while total enrollment in language classes has plateaued in recent years, according to data analyzed from. The only other widely learned language with significant growth in the span was American Sign Language, which increased enrollments by 37%.
