In 2020, while the world turned to K-pop and K-dramas for comfort during lockdowns, India saw a significant surge in the popularity of Korean entertainment. However, for Nikita Engheepi, co-founder of Pink Box Entertainment, this wasn’t a new phenomenon. Growing up in North East India, where K-pop and K-dramas were already a cultural staple, Nikita was immersed in Korean entertainment long before it became mainstream. In an exclusive interview with All About Eve India, she shared her unique journey from being a fan of K-pop to becoming the first person to organise K-pop concerts in India.

The start of a journey

K-pop had always been a part of Nikita’s life, but her career in event management began unexpectedly. “First, we launched a website — Destination K-Pop,” she said. “At that point in time, there was no one else writing about K-pop in India. So, we thought it would be nice to have a website. Later, we launched Namaste Hallyu to continue promoting Korean content and news.”

Her passion for K-Pop led her to explore new opportunities, and soon, she realised there was untapped potential in India. “Once we launched the website, we thought no one was bringing K-pop to India, and at that point, it felt like there was a market in India for K-pop, and no one was tapping it. It was important for us to make sure there was a platform for the Indian fans to connect with the Korean artists” Nikita explained.

The first K-Pop concert in India

Still a law student at the time, Nikita took a bold risk and organised the first-ever mini K-pop concert in India under the banner of Pink Box Entertainment in 2015. The event featured Korean-American artist Dabit and had an audience of around 200 people. Despite the challenges of working with international clients and having no prior expertise in event management, Nikita was driven by sheer passion. “We were students. We were putting in zero expertise because we didn’t have any. It was just four girls trying to figure something out. And we were trying to work with international clients. So, obviously, there was a risk factor, but I think the reason we decided to do it was our sheer passion to make India into a market where K-pop is recognised.”

Since that first concert, Pink Box has brought several K-pop acts to India, including M.O.N.T, KARD, BLITZERS, Kim Woojin and Hyolyn (online event). Over the years, the crowd size has also increased from a humble 200 to over 12,000, depending on the event. Nikita’s company was also responsible for bringing K-pop acts to one of India’s biggest festivals, the Hornbill Festival, in 2018 and 2019. “In 2018, the then pre-debut group M.O.N.T performed at the festival, and in 2019, the co-ed group KARD came to India for the first time to perform,” she shared.

For Nikita, the popularity of the artists she brings to India isn’t the priority. “For us, every artist is significant. The first artists that worked with us are still very close to our hearts because they believed in India and were willing to come to India when the rest were not,” she expressed. “We are also always thankful to those fans who supported us from the very beginning.”

The way forward

Over the years, Pink Box Entertainment has grown beyond concerts. It now functions as an artist management company, facilitating everything from event planning to contract execution, mediation, and negotiations. “If a company wants to bring a particular K-pop group to India for a festival or concert, they get in touch with us, and we formulate a plan based on their budget,” Nikita explained. They also do consulting for companies who are interested in anything Korean, from K-dramas to K-food to K-beauty. Their responsibilities do not stop there. Pink Box also manages the marketing for a few Korean artists during their comebacks and takes care of the artists from the moment they arrive in India until they depart.

Challenges in event management

The journey hasn’t been without its challenges. In the early days, the biggest hurdle was convincing Korean companies and artists to invest in India and consider it a viable market. “The biggest challenge was convincing the artists and companies to come to the country. We had to explain the diversity of our country and make them understand that the market is big enough for K-pop to exist along with the other Indian music,” Nikita Engheepi shared. While the post-COVID Hallyu wave has significantly increased K-pop’s popularity in India, it has also created new challenges. “It’s now easier to convince the companies, and many are interested to come on their own, but now, the challenge is to identify which artists to bring to India,” she said, noting that fans are more interested in attending concerts for specific artists rather than general acts.

What makes it all worthwhile?

Despite these challenges, Nikita Engheepi takes pride in Pink Box Entertainment’s achievements. The company has worked behind the scenes to bring an artist from SM Entertainment, one of K-Pop’s biggest agencies, to India for a performance. The upcoming K-Wave Festival by Skill Box will see EXO’s leader and actor, Suho, performing in India for the first time. It will also see Hyolyn as another act.

Additionally, Nikita’s efforts have paved the way for other organisers to bring K-pop acts to India. “For us, we feel happy and excited when we see other Indian organisers coming on board or other companies trying to bring K-pop acts to India. Although we have been working for a long time to create this market, we have never believed in monopolising the market. So, we have always helped those who have been interested, and we are proud to say that there are a lot of companies that started doing their first K-Pop concert through our company or with us, through partnerships.”

The best of the best

One of Nikita Engheepi’s career highs came in 2021 when she was invited to speak at the World Cultural Forum as an expert on K-pop from India alongside industry experts from major companies like SM Entertainment, CJEM, MGM Productions, and CAA. She has also been recognised by the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in India for her contributions to the spread of Korean culture in India.

Looking back on her journey, Nikita is proud of how far Pink Box Entertainment has come. “The goal for us has always been to make people know, whether it’s Korea or India, that there is a market in India, and I think it is now safe to say that we have achieved it to some extent,” she concluded.

Through her pioneering efforts, Nikita Engheepi has built a bridge between India and South Korea, helping bring K-pop to Indian fans and solidifying the country as a key market for Korean entertainment.

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