In 2005, lunchtime crowds in many local malls were transfixed by events unfolding on large television screens. They weren't watching a world-changing incident but the scenes from a Korean drama, Dae Jang Geum (The Jewel in the Palace), broadcast by TVB's Jade channel.
The series' popularity is an indicator of the 'Korean wave', as the booming interest in South Korean culture across Asia has become known. From pop acts and soap operas to food and fashion, the Korea Creative Content Agency estimates cultural exports may bring in up to US$3.8 billion this year.
Spurred by young people's enormous interest in all things Korean, the University of Hong Kong's Arts Faculty is gearing up to be the first to offer a major in Korean studies this year. The idea is to provide undergraduates with a programme that recognises the significant economic and political role that South Korea plays in Asia.
Some students are eager for it to start. 'I started listening to K-pop and really liked the look of the people, their clothing and the fast pace of the music,' says Jeffery Cheung, a first-year student.
'As my interest grew, I wanted to know more about the lyrics. I started studying Korean [language] on my own, and now I plan to enrol in the new Korean studies major at HKU.'
Many senior secondary students may well sign up for the programme if the level of interest shown the university's information day in October is any guide.