2026 is shaping up to be one of the most remarkable years in K-pop history. EXO, TWICE, BLACKPINK, BTS, and BIGBANG are all active within the same year. This is a convergence of titans that hasn’t happened before at this scale. And yet, the most striking thing about their returns isn’t the fact that they’re happening. It’s what they sound like.

Because increasingly, a lot of them don’t sound like K-pop. Or what we’d expected.1

If there are two genres I listen to on a daily basis, it’s hip-hop and EDM. The beats keep me going through my morning and evening commutes. My Spotify playlists run deep in both worlds. What’s been striking me lately is how seamlessly my K-pop listens have been bleeding into those same playlists. Nearly every K-pop act charting high right now (in March 2026) is pulling from hip-hop or EDM in some form, and the superstar comeback class of 2026 is no exception.

Here I want to map out what’s actually happening sonically — the virality mechanics, the genre influences, and what it means when the biggest names in K-pop don’t really sound like K-pop at all.

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Virality and Repetition

There’s a specific trend I want to point out regarding keywords.

Take a listen (if you haven’t already) to hot rookie girl group KiiiKiii’s “404 (New Era)”, released January 2026:

As you can tell, there’s a distinct sound here. We can conveniently categorize this as “house” — a subgenre of EDM — and “UK House” / “Garage” if we go even further. It’s the type of music you hear at modern apparel stores like Zara or Aritzia; the audience feels chic and nonchalant while bobbing their heads in the consistent rhythm of “404, the new era, era.”

But how often does KiiiKiii actually say “404” verbatim?

The song has 4 choruses, each with 8 “404”s and 7 more times outside the chorus. That’s a whopping 39 “404”s sung in total. No wonder the track is instantly catchy, because our brains get hooked on a single keyword that repeats throughout!

Take another example: boy band ENHYPEN’s “Knife” also released in January 2026:

The keyword here? You guessed it - “Knife”.

“Knife” is on a completely different sonic lane, based on the “rage”-type hip-hop sound popularized by artists like Travis Scott and Playboi Carti. This is another banger that I start my day with. The choruses alone contain 29 “Knife!”s and 2 more outside, for a total of 31. The track is only 2:19 long on ENHYPEN’s latest LP; in fact, 5 of the 11 songs are under 2 minutes, and 10 of those 11 are under 3.

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One last example takes a slightly different approach: LNGSHOT’s “Moonwalkin’”, from January 2026:

Unlike the two examples above, the focus here isn’t necessarily the title keyword, but the specific melody and rhythm that kicks off the chorus - “시간은 계속 tick-tockin / Siganeun gyesok tick-tockin…”. The actual word “Moonwalkin’” isn’t repeated in the same mantra-like way as “404” or “Knife”. Instead, the pre-chorus seamlessly blends into the chorus, avoiding a traditional, delayed climax.

This chorus-first structure, although it existed throughout the years, is worth its own observation again today. Rather than waiting up to a minute for a build-up to the chorus as in more traditional K-pop, we're dropped into the hook immediately and invited to pay attention. The same approach appears in recent hip-hop based K-pop tracks such as ALLDAY PROJECT’s “FAMOUS” (2025) and CORTIS’s “GO!” (2025), both of which open by emphasizing a specific section and rhythm over a long build-up. Here’s an easy comparison chart:

To be clear, not every act is using this formula. ATEEZ and IVE’s continued success this year proves that traditional intro-verse-chorus structure still delivers, Hearts2Hearts captures the “house” approach to a legacy K-pop formula perfected by SM Entertainment, and YENA’s retro-throwback sound suggests there’s even an appetite for an older K-pop aesthetic altogether. But the trend worth watching is the straight-to-the-point approach, and it says a lot about where ears and attention spans are heading in 2026.

Are we being given shorter soundbites and punchline keywords because of our dwindling attention spans? Songs sound shorter today than they were years ago - the average charting song nowadays is 17 seconds shorter than in 2018, and by 29 seconds for hip-hop! Whether this is driven by the current genre trends or our desire for more dopamine is worth studying. What’s clear is that all three songs are engineered for:

• Short-form content and virality,

• Catchy, repeatable dance choreography, and

• A repetitive structure that aligns seamlessly with standard K-pop marketing strategies.

Genre-Driven Convergence

I’ve used the three songs above as examples to illustrate an interesting phenomenon in the Korean music industry right now — a move towards more genre-straightforward sounds that naturally draw from what’s trending in their American counterparts. But to see the full picture, we need to look at the ecosystem outside of just K-pop.

K-Hiphop Updates

The past few years have been strange for Korean hip-hop (“K-hiphop”). Korea’s premier rap competition show, Show Me The Money (“SMTM”)2, went on hiatus for 3 years due to decreased mainstream interest in hip-hop and viewership. Ironically, this mirrors the American industry as hip-hop is no longer as hot worldwide as it used to be.

Yet without SMTM dominating the K-hiphop conversation, 2025 turned out to be one of the more innovative years for K-hiphop after a few years of post-COVID stagnation. I’m currently enjoying SMTM 12 in 2026, even if the general hype around me isn’t what it used to be. It’s great to see the next generation of talent in the group OKASHII (Jeffrey White, Mason Home, Raf Sandou), the solidification of ZENE THE ZILLA as a major player, and the recognition of the scene-stealer Marv.

Aside from the show, rapper Sik-K — previously under Jay Park’s H1GHR Music — has now cemented his status as the top dog with his own label, KC. His collaborative album <K-FLIP+> with veteran producer Lil Moshpit (better known as Hwi-min of GroovyRoom) swept almost every major hip-hop award, even the Best Rap & Hip-Hop Album at the prestigious 23rd Korean Music Awards (“한국대중음악상”).3

The album experiments heavily with sampling (drawing mostly from Korean rock, dance, and hip-hop songs, which is unusual) and leans into the rage hip-hop sound. We’ve been hearing similar influences in K-pop boy bands recently, such as the aforementioned “Knife”, CORTIS’s “FASHION”, and RIIZE’s “Fame”.

But the K-hiphop rebound wasn’t just limited to rage; in fact it involved dubstep. Effie (although she’s active been for over 5 years) was recognized as Best New Artist at the 2025 Korean Hiphop Awards, with strong strong recognition from global outlets including The New York Times and Pitchfork. Her EPs stay true to her hyperpop identity, a sound largely shaped by her producer kimj who skillfully builds on the dubstep influences that Skrillex had popularized.4

The musical boundary between K-pop and hip-hop has long been contested. Two scenes once considered bitter enemies are increasingly indistinguishable. Many rappers who started their careers as K-pop idols, or those still primarily associated with K-pop, now move fluidly between hip-hop and mainstream pop without much friction. The lines have been blurring for years, but in 2026 I feel they’ve dissolved further. Although at the end of the day on this debate, I think they all look to the same direction. Any Korean rendition of hip-hop inevitably draws from the West, and ultimately Black musicians that originated those influences.

A lot of current K-pop idol tracks now sound close to K-hiphop, and in turn to the original hip-hop and EDM sounds coming out of the West, that perhaps K-pop may be moving away from building hybrid sounds from scratch — and toward importing and refining what those scenes have already proven.

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The Superstar Direction

K-pop has long been building on the hip-hop and EDM sounds to build something distinctly its own. But we may run into a chicken-or-the-egg parable. Did K-pop's global dominance give its artists the freedom to go genre-purist, or did the audiences evolve first, pulling the artists toward more authentic sounds?

What's striking about 2026 is that K-pop’s biggest acts seem to have skipped the hybrid altogether. After years of K-pop absorbing these genres from a distance, the superstars are now going straight to the source — and the results are some of the most interesting music either artist has ever released.

Of the major 2026 releases, I found BLACKPINK’s “GO”5 the most intriguing. It is more reminiscent of an authentic techno record than what we’d typically expect from the K-pop industry. The chorus replaces a catchy hook with a classic EDM drop, a structure also used in their single “JUMP” (produced by Diplo) last year.

“GO” and “JUMP” actually remind me of K-pop in the early 2010s, when it was heavily shaped by the golden era of EDM: a buildup, catchphrase (ex: “Wow, Fantastic Baby”), and a drop that hits like a freight train. There’s something nostalgic and cathartic about hearing that formula executed at this level in 2026.

I agree with Korean pop critics Kim Do Heon and Jang Jun Hwan, as discussed on their channel ZENERATE, that BLACKPINK’s “Banger Era” may be underway. There is a boldness to the sound experimentation here — a charisma that only artists at this level can pull off — reminiscent of BTS's "ON" (2020).

This brings us to BTS’s long-awaited return. The first track off their new album ARIRANG (2026), "Body to Body", is rooted far more in hip-hop than mainstream pop:

ARIRANG as a whole adopts a heavy, beat-focused direction (with nods to 808s and jersey club) featuring credits from Mike WiLL-Made It, Flume, Diplo, and JPEGMAFIA. The decision to circle back to BTS’s original identity as a hip-hop group seems to have caught many by surprise, as the songs are quite different from the vibrant, colorful, mainstream pop of their pre-hiatus era. The beats here, including the title track “SWIM”, take a far more subtle approach to storytelling.

While I won’t dissect ARIRANG in detail here, I think there’s also something worth sitting with regarding the “Korean-ness” of ARIRANG‘s direction — how BTS chose to convey that identity without leaning on the overtly Korean melodic references of a track like “IDOL” (2018). It’s a subtler, more internalized kind of cultural expression, and it deserves its own deeper look.

For now, what both BLACKPINK and BTS illustrate is something only superstar artists can afford: genuine genre experimentation. The decision to deliberately step away from the hybrid “K-pop” sound, and lean into authentic techno or original hip-hop, may puzzle some audiences. But it also underscores how difficult it is to box in artists whose global, public personas are perceived as synonymous with K-pop itself.

At this level, star power becomes the buffer. It’s what allows BLACKPINK to release straightforward techno, BTS to pursue their hip-hop origins, and other top acts to defy the very expectations that made them globally recognizable in the first place.

The answer to that chicken-or-the-egg parable may simply be that the genres themselves are everywhere, in broader Korean popular music as a whole. Rage, house, hyperpop, techno, and jersey club are no longer trends to borrow from cautiously. They're ingrained across the entire spectrum, from KiiiKiii, Effie, to BLACKPINK, from LNGSHOT, Sik-K, to BTS.

So perhaps at the very top in any scene, there are no so-called genres. Just artists.

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Closing Thoughts

I realize that the word “K-pop” sometimes gets more complicated than it seems. Depending on who you ask, it conjures entirely different sounds, eras, and artists. This gap only widens as K-pop evolves.

For what it’s worth, I’ve never thought of K-pop as a fixed sound. It’s a constantly changing, flexible idea — a global cultural phenomenon and a business model that borrows, adapts, and reinvents rather than one that restricts what an artist can or can’t do. What I’ve tried to map out here is one snapshot of that reinvention in real time.

The hip-hop and EDM influences were always there. What’s different in 2026 is the confidence, and therefore the willingness to stop filtering those influences through a K-pop lens and just let them exist on their own terms. Whether that’s a sign of the genre maturing, its audiences maturing, or both, I’m not sure. But it’s worth paying attention to.

And if my morning commute playlist is any indication, it sounds pretty good either way. I’m just happy we’re getting more music!

Thanks for reading.

I admit that it was difficult to find writing inspiration for a topic after KPop Demon Hunters. Prior to that, my interest in K-pop had plateaued as there weren’t new structural or thematic shifts to ponder about. After KPDH though, most discussions revolved around the film’s impact.

For my law firm’s holiday party in December, our team went to a concert of artist and client Blood Orange. The artist’s skillful mastery of multiple instruments onstage inspired something inside me, and I was reminded of how obsessed I used to be with playing the piano, drums, and percussion before college. I installed Logic Pro again and started making hip-hop and EDM beats. I even checked out Suno to see what the fuss was with AI music and was astonished by how easily it pumped out a melody.

These experiences in the past few months got me to tackle music from a different angle. I started approaching how the songs were structured, what kind of beats or leads comprise certain sections, and think about why the artists and producers made certain decisions.

Because ultimately, understanding the music business requires attachment to the music itself. For me at this moment, I’m finding new ways to enjoy and understand K-pop again. 2026 is feeling good.

-Wooseok Ki (Wooski)

Soon after, it became Netflix’s most watched original animated film of all time, and is now on track to become the most-watched Netflix film of all time while delivering Netflix’s first-ever box office #1 hit. The soundtrack also dominated numerous Billboard charts, and the lead track “Golden” even hit #1 twice on the Billboard Hot 100.

Whether one is a genuinely interested in music, Netflix, K-pop, films, or pop culture in general, chances are you have at least heard about this in passing. The best part is that the film isn’t just well-made (currently holding a 97% on Rotten Tomatoes as I write this) — it also manages to stay true to the K-pop culture and music, while adding a fantasy twist.

Whether you’re a dedicated K-pop stan or someone who has no idea what K-pop is, KPOP Demon Hunters (hereafter “KPDH”) offers something for everyone.

There has already been plenty of celebratory buzz around its release, but I wanted to take some time to reflect more deeply, building on the previous topics that I had analyzed for <WooskiWrites>, to share what this golden work might mean for the future of Korean content (“K-content”).

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The Role of Authenticity

In a NYTimes interview, Director Maggie Kang says:

KPDH is essentially a “labor of love”, as Tamar Herman puts it in Notes on K-pop. Director Kang led a very authentic effort in representing Korean/K-pop culture as accurately as possible, from the audiovisual elements to the history.

Imagine a K-pop–driven story written and directed by someone with no real knowledge of K-pop. Now imagine the reception from global K-pop fans if that were the case. I’m sure there are a few unfortunate examples already, but I’d rather not go there.

What makes KPDH stand out is its authenticity—not only in its portrayal of K-pop elements through the soundtrack, character design, and reflections of fandoms, but also in how it weaves in Korean mythology, modern culture, and history. The international voice cast bridges the East and the West - stars like Arden Cho, Lee Byung-Hun, Daniel Dae Kim, Ken Jeong, and Ahn Hyo-Seop to name a few.

We are now well into an era in which K-content (or projects that center on Korean themes) has achieved undeniable global commercial success. Consider the examples most often cited: BTS (music), Parasite (film), and Squid Game (series). The common thread among them is that each showcases deeply Korean elements—once perceived as “too foreign” for Western audiences—that have now become the very subjects of both pop cultural celebration and critical acclaim.

I believe that KPDH (animation) will be spoken of in the same breath. In fact, I think that moment has already arrived.

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Creating an IP Franchise

KPDH is undoubtedly a well-crafted audiovisual work of art. There are already headlines about a potential sequel and unsubstantiated rumors about live-action films and stage musicals. Grammy and Oscar gossip galore.

Before we jump ahead to speculation however, let’s think about the most basic, fundamental ideas of the visual world it has created.

The Characters

At its core, KPDH establishes a fresh franchise built on brand-new intellectual property (“IP”)—its own original ideas, characters, and themes. From the idol group HUNTR/X (Rumi, Mira, Zoey) to the Saja Boys, the demons, and the mystical Honmoon (the seal that traps demons away), the film has constructed a distinct mythology and universe. And because KDH has already proven itself both a commercial and critical success, the most natural next step seems to be a sequel.

Reflecting on mainstream animated hits from recent years—Frozen, Inside Out, Encanto, and so on—most have been led by major studios like Disney and Pixar. Netflix, meanwhile, has found varied success in animation: developing original series like Big Mouth, BoJack Horseman, and Blue Eye Samurai; licensing outside content, particularly Japanese anime or Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse; or creating shows based on established IP such as Arcane, Devil May Cry, and Cyberpunk. However, frequent cancellations of original series remain a concern for viewers and executives alike.

Nonetheless with the abundance of content today, I personally find it difficult to get immediately hooked onto an animated film instantly. Unless of course, EVERYONE around me is talking about it. And in this case, they are.

I have previously written about and explored the concept of ‘transmedia storytelling’ - the idea of building a cohesive universe that unfolds across multiple forms of media. If KPDH evolves into an enduring franchise capable of inspiring live-action content, video games, and collaborations throughout the entertainment industry, Netflix may have truly struck IP gold.

For starters, Netflix Shop has an assortment of official merchandise up for sale, such as the below:

In the film, I found the emphasis on traditional mythology and lore particularly compelling. For example, the tiger, magpie, and grim reapers (“Saja,” which the Saja Boys actually reference) stand out as vivid elements. An expanded universe could delve further into other symbolic figures like dokkaebi (goblin), jangseung (village-protecting totem poles), or pigs in dreams (symbolizing wealth and fortune). These original characters and superstitions are essentially a treasure trove of IP passed down through generations by ancestors.1

I’ll return to Netflix shortly. But now, let’s discuss the ‘audio’ component of audiovisual.

The Music

The last time a girl group hit #1 on the Hot 100 was Destiny’s Child in 2001. I doubt anyone expected a fictional girl group to achieve this same feat 24 years later.

On the music front, the KPDH soundtrack has performed exceptionally well. Executive producer Ian Eisendrath assembled a team of veteran songwriters like EJAE, Danny Chung, and Andrew Choi, while including contributions from THEBLACKLABEL (the label behind Rosé and Taeyang, led by legendary producer Teddy Park). The soundtrack even includes the lead single "Takedown" by TWICE members Jeongyeon, Jihyo, and Chaeyoung. Check out what TWICE did at this year’s Lollapalooza Festival:

I resonated with an opinion from Kpopcast on the soundtrack’s mainstream appeal. The songs on the KPDH soundtrack more accurately capture the songwriters’ original vision of the songs rather than being reshaped to fit specific K-pop label strategies. This is a key point as tracks like “Golden”, “Soda Pop”, and “Your Idol” showcase the qualities that make K-pop appealing - theatricality, catchy melodies, and a bit of cheesiness - while remaining standard, enjoyable songs not custom-tailored to any particular artist’s style.

Veteran girl group TWICE, signed to Republic Records for U.S. activities, is both referenced in the film and contributed two tracks to the soundtrack: “Takedown” and “Strategy.” The latter was the lead single of a 2024 EP. Although “Strategy” wasn’t the group’s most memorable title track upon release, it has been climbing the charts again in 2025. This is a testament to what turned out to be a well-executed and, no pun intended, strategy.

While TWICE has already secured legendary status within K-pop, these developments give much to consider about the future of K-pop–based content going forward. If a decade-old veteran like TWICE can continue to reinvent itself with new global strategies, the K-pop playbook is only going to diversify even further.

Expanded Opportunities

There is ample opportunity to capitalize on the two main K-pop groups - HUNTR/X and Saja Boys - through additional albums, offline events with the talent (such as those already hosted by Kevin Woo / “Mystery Saja”), concerts and tours, crossover collaborations, merchandising, and much more. Imagine if the three singing voices behind HUNTR/X - EJAE, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami - go on a limited tour soon. Tickets gone immediately.

Ongoing hype has led to a limited offline sing-along event in theaters. I’m reminded of last year’s sing-along film adaptation of Wicked, and I believe we should not only expect soundtracks to play a much bigger role in films but also anticipate more fan-centered live events going forward. This trend promises increased audience participation, more interactive activities, and extra fun for viewers:

I personally believe there is potential to expand into virtual experiences - whether through a VR headset, pop-up events, or even an amusement park attraction. A 3D/4D rollercoaster ride inspired by the KPDH universe might also work very well, provided someone is willing to invest in bringing it to life.

They can get very creative here, and I won’t be surprised!

Big Money, Big Players

Sony Pictures invested about $100 million to produce KPDH, which is about to become a huge franchise. However, Sony will only make about $20 million. How did this happen? Entertainment journalist Matthew Belloni even calls this a tragedy.

Well, this happened because Sony sold the distribution rights to Netflix instead of opting for a traditional theatrical release. What could’ve been, right on time for a summer blockbuster too! The deal was part of a 2021 agreement between Sony and Netflix, under which Sony agreed to license titles—including KPDH—to Netflix for direct-to-streaming release. Sony will produce, but Netflix retains major rights to the franchise and will leverage significant profits from streaming, sequels, spin-offs, and music tie-ins under the arrangement.

I also think a mix of the following factors may have weighed in too for Sony passing on it:

• Lack of confidence and familiarity in the source material

• No strong advocates for a traditional release

• Timing / Release / Schedule conflicts (ex: COVID-19)

Would KPDH have been successful with a theatrical release? I’m not certain, but I do think it benefited from the streaming model’s global reach, fan engagement, and Netflix’s algorithm. Big companies aside, at the end of the day we as the audience are winners.

Where are we going?

But outside of the giants in Netflix and Sony, where does this place K-pop, K-content, and the South Korean entertainment industry?

There is an interesting panel discussion featuring KPDH director Maggie Kang, Jeongyeon and Jihyo of TWICE, DJ and producer R.Tee, music critic Kim Young-Dae, and the South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on KPDH and K-pop:

Although the entire panel is in Korean and there are no subtitles, I found this bit important - when asked where she thinks K-content is headed, Director Kang believes:

“I think it’s limitless. I realized that there are so many things I didn’t previously know about Korean culture during my research. There is so much we can show the rest of the world.”

I also agree with critic Kim’s sentiment that the global audience is drawn to K-content because of its distinctive Korean qualities, unlike in decades past when K-content was often tailored specifically to suit Western audiences. KPDH was significant due to its authenticity, capturing and showcasing Korean-ness through K-pop, traditional culture, and reflections of present-day Seoul.

One of the main reasons why I have long been very passionate about K-pop (and K-content generally) is because of its complex, constantly evolving culture and innovation. South Korea has successfully exported high-quality content to global audiences while simultaneously attracting investors, students, and fans inward. What once had to be downplayed or shed—its distinct Korean-ness, considered too foreign—is now recognized as valuable and celebrated.

This dynamic of cultural diffusion and exchange is fascinating and a bit strange sometimes, but the after effects it produces are truly magical once felt. K-pop and K-content represent a unique phenomenon that bridges tradition and modernity while reshaping global entertainment and cultural identity.

However, I think we’ve celebrated the initial global success of K-pop as much as we can (never stop, of course) and should consider next steps. At this point, the discussion has evolved to consider how much longer K-pop–centered content, like KPDH, will need to rely on South Korean talent and production. As I’ve written, localization of K-pop has been ongoing for years, and the role South Korea will play is clearly evolving.

There is skepticism as to what South Korea gains from overseas projects like KPDH beyond expanded soft power and the industry status quo, especially since Netflix and Sony made profits without needing direct executive involvement from Korean giants like CJ Ent. or HYBE. Otherwise, foreign investors and capital will continue to recruit the necessary talent and consultants while South Korea just provides cultural inspiration. But of course, we’ll still see fresh executive collaborations like the recent “KPOPPED” co-produced by Miky Lee2 and CJ Ent on Apple TV+.

Think of it this way: the K-content software is clearly updated and thriving; the hardware, however, may need an upgrade someday - everyone wants in on K-content now. Essentially, the Korean entertainment industry will need to develop newer yet firm infrastructure to expand content monetization while shrewdly attracting global investment, thereby cementing its executive leadership in global entertainment beyond initial successes and mere outsourcing.

Fascinating times lie ahead, with more complex questions about K-pop and K-content, that will hopefully result in more innovation.

So where are we going? We’re goin’ up, up, up, it’s our moment…

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Thanks for reading.

I had originally started writing this one in June, but somehow ended up sitting on it for about 2 months. In hindsight however, it’s good that I took proper time to see what’s been happening rather than write a basic celebratory review.

I am been diligently working and serving diverse clients as a music lawyer lately. Hopefully next year I’ll have some interesting perspectives to share on that front as well. My output on <WooskiWrites> may not be as frequent but ideally I will write more substantive pieces.

Fall is almost here, but let’s push until the end of year!

-Wooseok Ki (Wooski)

I’d like to personally thank veteran critic & columnist WooJin Cha for spending time with me to explain some big-picture themes in K-pop right now. It’s always an illuminating experience to learn from veterans that have been in the game for a long time.

This piece touches upon K-pop localization, which I’ve analyzed on its own before. As it was intended for a broader audience, there are certain themes that you may have seen either from my book or my past post. Nonetheless, they are all equally important.

Off we go!

Currently, HYBE is the largest Korean music-focused company, only behind the likes of the Big 3 (UMG, WMG, Sony Music) and Tencent in the music space. As K-pop has surged globally in the past decade, there has been much speculation about whether its exponential success can be replicated in the years to come. Naturally, this leads to questions: Where are the market opportunities for K-pop labels, especially since BTS will not be back until 2025? Will they continue to engage in strategic partnerships and acquisitions with global labels? Or are there plans to shake up the status quo long dominated by existing industry practices?

Let’s take a look at the market capitalization of the Big 4 K-pop labels as of December 2023:

• HYBE Corporation – $7.23B

• JYP Entertainment - $2.34B

• SM Entertainment - $1.53B

• YG Entertainment - $800M

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HYBE & Bang’s Approach

In early 2023, Bang Shi-Hyuk—the founder and chairman of HYBE—noted an apparent stagnation in K-pop sales and streaming. He also spoke against rumors surrounding a monopolization of the K-pop industry and emphasized the lack of K-pop exposure compared to Latin or Afrobeats markets. HYBE has previously taken expansion steps: It launched HYBE America in 2017 and acquired key U.S. players in Ithaca Holdings in 2021 and Quality Control in 2023. However, a recent acquisition of a Latin music label further amplifies HYBE’s steps to address the void. That’s a lot of corporate action recently, right?

This led to August 2023, when Bang proposed ridding the “K” in “K-pop” for mainstream success in the Western market. It’s important to clarify that HYBE’s position and concern do not necessarily equate to those of other K-pop labels. But notably, Bang, alongside JYP Entertainment’s founder Park Jin-Young, admitted further concern on a Korean interview program in November 2023:

“K-pop fans’ vigorous engagement and consumption may limit K-pop’s expansion. There is a lack of ‘light’ (casual) fans and thus the structure must support both the superfan and the light fan.” 

For example, one superfan may buy 50 albums and related merchandise instead of having 50 casual fans buy one each. With the abundance of K-pop idol groups that depend on a sustained fandom, the barrier to entry for a layperson to commit to the superfan consumption behavior must be lowered. Consequently, Bang’s statement was met with many negative online comments in light of increasing concert prices and merchandise. 

According to JYP’s Park, K-pop labels have developed time-tested production and fan engagement strategies that can predict the labels’ annual earnings estimates. As U.S. major record labels increasingly grapple with cultivating superfans and effectively monetizing their support, they can gain valuable insights by further partnering with the K-pop industry to employ such successful approaches.

However, this is a valid concern since the superfan dynamic is finite. With constant global inflation and the abundance of paid entertainment content, consumers become comparatively limited in how much they are willing to spend for their favorite artists. In the U.S., government efforts are underway to address rising ticket prices, as touring is a huge part of artist revenue. As K-pop artists derive a substantial percentage of revenue from physical album sales and merchandise, there is only so much an average fan can keep up with.

This reality brings us to another question: How to appeal to casual fans when K-pop heavily relies on superfan dedication? 

This dilemma seems contrary to issues in other markets. According to Luminate’s 2023 Mid-Year Report, 15% of the US population are superfans, and K-pop fans spend 75% more money on music categories per month than the average U.S. music listener. Despite declining physical album sales, K-pop artists have achieved significant success in that area. In 2023, more than 100 million physical units were sold, with six K-pop artists dominating the top 10 CD album sales (U.S.) alongside the only other non-K-pop artist in Taylor Swift. 2022, nearly 80 million physical units were sold, with seven K-pop artists ranking in the top 10 CD album sales alongside well-known names like Taylor Swift, Harry Styles, and Beyonce. 

An outlier example prompts food for thought for the East and the West. Fifty Fifty, a rookie K-pop group from a small label, lacked an initial global fandom but launched the viral TikTok hit “Cupid,” accumulating 1.2 billion on-demand global audio streams. Unfortunately, the group subsequently encountered legal issues with its label, which was under much scrutiny by the Korean media and public. When considering Warner Music Korea’s bold offer to purchase Fifty Fifty’s label amidst the scandal, the substantial value of this potential investment becomes evident. The golden business opportunity here was focused on the audience and fan engagement rather than the established credibility of an artist. Perhaps next time, maybe.

The data and current events exemplify K-pop’s successful business model coupled with the fandom-driven strategy, and we are about to see shake-ups in the paradigm as this model is exported. 

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Understanding K-pop’s layers 

A discussion of K-pop already encompasses the music and artists, the Korean industry, and the broader global sociocultural phenomenon. However, since defining K-pop can take various approaches, I’ve drafted a basic diagram of K-pop’s elements. It's crucial to acknowledge that there's no universal definition, as K-pop continuously evolves with technological advancements and cultural shifts. But numerous resources and music critics may discuss variations like the one depicted below:

Streaming platforms and music award shows frequently categorize K-pop as a genre to conveniently organize music originating from Korea. But whether K-pop possesses a uniform sound is a topic open to debate, prompting consideration of business strategies like the training system, PR practices, and social media strategies. 

Successful K-pop artists often follow comparable patterns in achieving breakthrough performances, supported by an engaged and active fandom culture. Understanding the global K-pop phenomenon requires considering the complex sociocultural dynamics that weave the above triangle together for success. 

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K-pop business, exported

Our focus is on K-pop’s business strategies, specifically the exportation of the business model and the increased label-level collaborations. But this also requires considering K-pop’s music and culture.

Now, HYBE’s Bang and JYP’s Park advocate further localization of K-pop by exporting the current business model to other countries to create local artists that sing in the local language. 

I spoke with veteran pop music critic WooJin Cha, who suggests it’s time to accept K-pop as a business model for cultivating superfans instead of an artist training production system. The K-pop industry is heavily company-centric, where crucial rights like intellectual property (IP) are typically delegated to the label instead of the artist. Therefore, global labels are increasingly attracted to the K-pop model as it inherently mitigates risk even if the artist becomes too big to manage. Cha emphasizes that the growing interest from major global labels in the K-pop industry is a consequence of its adeptness in leveraging fandom engagement as a business strategy rather than a narrow focus solely on individual music or artists.

Consequently, we are seeing increasing collaborations of this business model via Korean labels’ collaborations with international counterparts: 

• HYBE and Geffen Records’ girl group KATSEYE

• JYP Entertainment and Republic Records’ girl group VCHA

• SM Entertainment and UK-backed Moon & Back’s British boy band

Notably, girl groups KATSEYE and VCHA explicitly target the U.S. market, featuring predominantly non-Korean members who sing English tracks. This complements the traditional K-pop artists produced in-house at HYBE and JYP, such as TWICE and Le Sserafim.

Music critic and ethnomusicologist Youngdae Kim predicts that soon, in addition to existing traditional K-pop artists from Korea, we may also witness:

1. groups co-produced by Korea and other countries, and

2. localized groups independently produced by following the K-pop business model all competing  in the same global market.

As HYBE and other K-pop labels prioritize exporting a localized business model, it’s expected to shift existing notions about K-pop's cultural identity and the “K” in K-pop.

For example, BTS member Jung Kook's album "Golden" featured an all-English tracklist created by global songwriters and producers specifically targeting the international market. Its success blurs the line between K-pop and international pop, showcasing Jung Kook's ability to perform music akin to solo pop stars like Harry Styles and challenging the conventional artist expectations imposed on K-pop. Through localization, the K-pop industry exports its successful artists and productions. Conversely, by looking at the K-pop business model, Western artists and labels may benefit from newer approaches to garnering superfans and cross-cultural collaborations.

As K-pop artists and labels increasingly engage in global collaborations and promotions, they confront the challenge of maintaining K-pop's unique essence while pursuing commercial success. Amid debates over what defines a "K-pop" artist or song, the focus should shift from defining K-pop as a genre category towards expanding its influence through its business model.

The past decade largely focused on audiences and the global music industry understanding what to make of K-pop. Now, with the diversification of the global talent pool, evolving production approaches, and long-term expansion concerns, K-pop labels are poised to produce another generation of stars that may no longer be bound by mere categories and superficial genres.

Wooseok Ki is a New York City-based attorney and the author of K-POP: The Odyssey. He has worked in the tech, music and gaming industries and publishes original analysis on the intersection of media, culture, and tech at WooskiWrites. Connect with him on LinkedIn or social media @wooskiworks.

In this post, I refer to three major entities in the K-pop industry: HYBE, JYP Entertainment (“JYPE”)1, and SM Entertainment. While primarily recognized as 'music labels' within the K-pop context, these entities possess significant non-music subsidiaries and assets. Therefore, I use the term 'companies' in a broader sense here.

For starters, here was a notable interview this year:

The full CNN interview with HYBE chairman Bang Si-Hyuk is worth a watch as well his segment at this year’s Bloomberg ScreenTime conference. If you speak Korean, I also recommend the interview You Quiz on the Block segment Bang appeared in with JYPE’s founder, Chief Creative Officer, and artist Park Jin-Young.

In all of these, both Bang and Park advocate for exporting the K-pop production model to other countries. Their goal is to create localized idol groups tailored to specific markets, aiming to address a slowdown in K-pop growth and expand its influence.

Globalization of K-pop - what did this look like before?

• Phase 1 - A Korean K-pop idol group singing in Korean2

• Phase 2 - Recruit international talent for a mostly Korean, K-pop idol group singing in Korean and other languages3

• Phase 3 - Collaborate or export the production to a local (non-Korean) company for a local idol group singing in the local language4

So what does Phase 3 look like? Let’s talk about 2 different examples.

Here’s NiziU - a Japanese girl group co-produced by JYPE and Sony Music Japan, in which Park personally drafted the members through a national TV audition program. All members are of Japanese ethnicity, release songs with Japanese lyrics, and perform primarily in the Japanese music market. Occasionally they’d appear on Korean music TV programs, music festivals, or award shows. Their first Korean single was released in 2023.

Is NiziU a J-pop or K-pop group? Most would say J-pop (with roots in the K-pop industry). But the influences shared across K-pop and J-pop have been long rooted especially in the 00s. With K-pop artists frequently releasing Japanese songs, this isn’t as tricky to answer.

Now compare XG - a Japanese girl group, signed to a major Japanese label’s subsidiary, produced by ex-K-pop idol JAKOPS5, trained under the K-pop trainee system in Korea & Japan, that sings English-lyric songs. They’re well received on social media and have performed at the 88rising festival in the U.S. as well. You’ll notice both XG and NiziU have unique respective aesthetics.

So what kind of music is XG’s? The sound is K-pop adjacent, in that it could attract a similar audience demographic, but it’d be a stretch to classify XG as K-pop per se. If anything, XG has publicly declared themselves performing “X-pop”, an original sound that blends both K-pop and J-pop. Yet there is some pushback from some audiences (especially Korean) as XG promotes on Korean music TV programs despite its label head declaring “XG is not K-pop….Why do I have to lose to Korea like this?”

So we’re now having discussions whether a non-Korean artist is K-pop or not. Previously, I’ve seen arguments about Korean artists - for example Korean hip-hop trio Epik High or even BTS - whether they’re “K-pop”6. However you may feel about that topic, it appears that K-pop is evolving beyond it.

In terms of more localization as part of globalization, both HYBE and JYPE are producing girl groups targeted towards the American pop market - KATSEYE and VCHA, respectively in collaboration with American labels. I think it’s important to note that both groups still have Korean members, despite their emphasis on the teams’ diverse, global backgrounds primarily aimed at the West. Additionally, SM Entertainment is set to launch its own global idol project, targeting the UK.

So instead of exporting artists, the K-pop industry is exporting the production model itself as part of a full-out business strategy. They’re all going to compete against the existing and upcoming artists.7

I wonder if fans of respective artists will become more sensitive to K-pop's authenticity, or if we'll collectively become more open to cultural exchange in pop music. While I've noticed a strong mainstream resurgence of K-pop (due to girls groups’ success) especially among my Korean friends, the new projects seem like uncharted territory that would require more effort to stay engaged with.

I’ll leave it up to you whether you think whether these new groups are sufficiently “K-pop” or not. To wrap up here, I wanted to bring back a bit from the LinkedIn post I wrote last month on how I feel whether these new approaches are disrupting the existing norm and if K-pop is losing the “K” for the sake of business:

I don’t think we can literally delete the “K” in “K-pop” per se - removing K-pop's footprints to conform to an existing mainstream in “pop” would be bland in a competitive market. But labels are merely labels. The focus should really be on the music and authenticity. The real challenge is for the industry to capitalize on these new localization strategies in times of apparent stagnation.

Thus maybe it won’t matter too much on how we attempt to categorize new artists and sounds, since the K-pop influence will always be there. What holds more significance is the implementation of business strategies and their success in the broader context of the K-pop phenomenon. I found some more thoughts as to the changing “K” in K-pop in journalist ’s note here from.

But yes, I think it’s fascinating to think that the K-pop model, which was built on imported global sounds and influences, is now being exported out for its production model. So a Latin idol group soon? What about Afrobeats? We as consumers are winners here.

Let’s stay tuned for now.

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We’ll dive a bit more into more K-pop-related analysis in posts to come. In the meantime, check out:

• Luminate’s report on K-pop streaming data

• This year’s K-pop Radar Conference which breaks down data for the Top 20 Countries in K-pop YouTube consumption.

If you enjoyed this, I’d love to hear from you on what topics you’d like to read about. Although K-pop is one of the topics I’ll be writing on here, I’ve created separate section as a compilation on this subject upon further research.

I am also working on a separate, wider collaboration piece that deals more with K-pop’s business aspects of localization and the current picture. There will be a big social media blast about it when it’s done, so connect with me on LinkedIn or @wooskiworks.

See you soon!

-Wooseok Ki (Wooski)