Rise of K-Pop





If you would’ve asked me two years ago, I would’ve scoffed at the idea of listening to Korean pop songs. However, today, I am unapologetically a K-Pop stan. I love their bright and advanced visuals, coordinated dancing, stable vocals, exciting performances, and fervent fandoms.

Similar to me, millions of Americans and Westerners have undergone this transformation to K-Pop in recent years. In the late 1990s, the early K-pop pioneers began their international venture with the neighboring Asian markets: Taiwan, Japan, and China. But the United States — the world’s largest market and the fountainhead of modern pop music — has always been the ultimate prize.

BTS finally claimed that prize earlier this year, when their Love Yourself: Tear album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. This year alone, K-Pop groups BTS and Blackpink have broken records and successfully established a place in Western world. BTS and Blackpink have beaten Ariana Grande’s “Thank You, Next” video for the fastest videos to reach 100 million views in 24 hours. BTS were the first K-Pop act to perform at the BBMAs, AMAs, and most recently – SNL. K-Pop girl group, Blackpink just performed at Coachella and are on their US World Tour.

The most successful Korean pop culture producer, BTS has demonstrably contributed considerably to the South Korean national economy. According to the Hyundai Research Institute, the band is estimated to bring more than $3.6 billion into the South Korean economy annually.

However, as K-Pop permeates Western culture, some questions start to arise about its future: Will K-Pop increasingly start to add English words? Will idols begin to lose their culture? Will most music, like K-Pop, reggae, and Latin pop begin to become Westernized to enter Western markets?

As an Asian-American starting to see more representation in media (through movies like Crazy Rich Asians or K-Pop), I am proud, but also worried about the future.


- Sheryl



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