Bhojpuri, a language considered an identity of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, is now gaining popularity abroad, transcending borders. Once considered limited to villages, rural areas, and folk songs, this language has now become a topic of discussion on the global stage. A prime example of this recently emerged when a video of Yechan C. Lee, a South Korean content creator, went viral on social media.
In the video, he is seen teaching the Bhojpuri language to Korean children. It is clear from the video that the children are also trying to speak Bhojpuri with great enthusiasm and are enjoying it. The video shows Yechan telling the children that if you go to India and meet someone for the first time, you should say ‘Ka ho’.
After this, he explains that if you meet the same person again, you should say ‘Ka haal ba’. When someone asks you how you are, the answer will be ‘Thik ba’. Furthermore, instead of just saying ‘bye’ at the time of farewell, one should say ‘Khush raho’ wholeheartedly. The entire class of children repeats these words in unison, attempting to imitate their pronunciation.
This video was shared from an Instagram account named 40kahani. This account has over 3 lakh followers. In the caption of the video, the creator wrote that he got the opportunity to teach Bhojpuri to Korean children, which was a very special experience for him. He says that this video is a part of his journey as a YouTube creator, where he is sharing his culture and presenting linguistic diversity in a new way. Notably, this video has received over 8 lakh views so far and is constantly trending on social media.
The comment section of the video is also filled with numerous reactions from the viewers. Someone wrote, ‘Heart touching video’, while another said that Bhojpuri is becoming more famous abroad than in India. One user jokingly wrote that just as we learn English, now foreigners are learning Bhojpuri, and it’s heartwarming to see. Another person described it as the reach of India’s linguistic richness to Korea and called it an amazing effort.
Yechan C. Lee says that he is a Korean. But his Bhojpuri is good. Many people even call him a Bihari. However, he spent his childhood in Patna, Bihar. He studied here until the 12th standard. It is clear that the identity of Bhojpuri is no longer limited to a regional dialect. This video is proof that the attraction of Indian languages is drawing the whole world. This is not only the promotion of the language but also an effort to re-establish Indian culture and folk traditions on the world stage.
