India, Feb. 14 -- On a frigid February morning in Ghaziabad, three sisters, Nishika (16), Prachi (14) and Pakhi (12) jumped to their deaths from their home on the ninth floor. Police say that besides other circumstances, contacts on their phones and notes recovered at the scene suggest their inability to detach from a virtual world of South Korean culture aka K-pop and that they had even taken on Korean names for themselves. The teens were obsessed with task-based Korean games. "(The girls) were highly obsessed with the game and thought that they were not Indians, but Koreans. They also portrayed themselves as Korean princesses under the influence of the game," Atul Kumar Singh, ACP Ghaziabad, had told HT City. While this incident is an extreme step and there might be other reasons at play, experts say that K-culture is not the villain. "Exposure to global cultures can be enriching. But when admiration mutates into fixation, it can become alarming. Adolescence is a sensitive period for identity formation. Idol culture can offer belonging and emotional regulation," says leading psychiatrist Dr Deepak Raheja, warning, "But it becomes problematic when it replaces real-world engagement." This is not an isolated story. "My daughter keeps talking about (K-pop bands) BTS and BLACKPINK. She says your daughters are fans too. What is it?" a bewildered mother once asked me about our then six-year-old daughters. Today, such conversations are ubiquitous. Bands such as BTS, BLACKPINK and EXO command formidable fan communities in the country. India now ranks among the top five global markets for K-pop streaming with over 15 million engaged listeners. "I changed my friend circle in ninth grade because I loved BLACKPINK and they loved BTS," says Prakriti, a class XI student, adding, "Now we all dress in Korean aesthetics. When I grow up, I'll get eye surgery to get Korean eyes." K-beauty and fashion, too, have achieved remarkable penetration. Over 60 Korean beauty brands retail in India and consumers are projected to more than double from 12 million to 27 million by 2030. While quantifiable numbers aren't yet widely published, anecdotal reports from clinics in Delhi confirm the demand for Korean look rising. Aesthetic physician Dr Saman Ahmad shares, "Youngsters ask for fox eyes or noses like their idols. If I suspect body dysmorphic disorder, I counsel and refer them to a mental health expert. I tell them one can enhance the natural look, but erasing oneself is unhealthy." Interestingly, this is not the first wave of Korean culture or Hallyu, a term coined by the Chinese media in the '90s for K-pop's soft power. Before our kids started Crash Landing On You, there was their parents' generation dancing to PSY's Gangnam Style. We are in the middle of the third Hallyu (see brief timeline on right). In the aftermath of the Ghaziabad tragedy, parents are doing their best to contain unhealthy obsession in their kids. "I had loved watching the film Parasite (2019) and I have also danced to PSY. Now, I am taking it as a challenge to learn more about Korean culture to make sure my kids know I can relate to their love for K-pop, but also so that I can guide them if they become obsessive," says Vandana Bhatt, a Delhi resident, whose 20-year-old daughter is "only shopping K-cool clothes". Experts stan the approach. "From a therapeutic standpoint, strict prohibition is rarely effective. Parents are encouraged to focus on balance and open communication with their children," says Dr Raheja....