A Korean embassy decided to dance to an Indian song. What followed was far more than a viral video, revealing how spontaneity, culture, and social media could transform public diplomacy.

January 2023. A lazy Sunday afternoon at my residence in Vasant Vihar. It was family movie time, and we had settled on RRR. By then, this Indian Telugu-language period action drama had already become a worldwide sensation, especially the Naatu Naatu song-and-dance number becoming a viral sensation across the globe.

“Wow, that is one amazing dance scene!” My family was mesmerised. NTR Jr and Ram Charan’s impeccably synchronised dance moves, the addictive refrain of Naatu Naatu, and the powerful dance battle scene in the sand at the end… And the craziest thought came to my mind: What if we re-enact this scene at the Embassy and post it on our social media?