Russia embraces K-pop and anime as sanctions limit Western entertainment

Young Russians are warming to anime and K-pop as wartime sanctions limit access to Western entertainment.

Moscow hosted an anime festival last year, and the owner of a K-pop dance school told Reuters that she hosts thousands of students across three large Moscow studios.

Russia saw spikes in sales of K-pop albums and books after Western artists canceled concerts following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, the Russian business newspaper Kommersant reported.

Local concert promoters are reportedly interested in bringing K-pop acts to Russia, but that may prove difficult for an industry that goes to great lengths to appear politically neutral.