K-pop (Korean: 케이팝; RR: Keipap; short for "Korean popular music") is a type of music that started in South Korea. This music style became popular in the 1990s as a way for young people to express themselves, influenced by Western music like dance, hip-hop, R&B, and rock. Today, K-pop is often linked to teen idol groups, such as girl groups and boy bands, who focus on looks and performances. As a music genre, K-pop is known for its catchy melodies and mix of different cultural styles.

K-pop began with "rap dance," a mix of hip-hop, techno, and rock made famous by the group Seo Taiji and Boys in the early 1990s. Their success encouraged the music industry to create more music for teenagers. Lee Soo-man of SM Entertainment helped shape the modern K-pop idol system in the late 1990s by forming groups like H.O.T. and S.E.S., considered the first generation of K-pop. By the early 2000s, artists like TVXQ and BoA became popular in Japan, helping K-pop gain attention worldwide.

In the 2010s, the popularity of K-pop grew because of the Korean Wave and social media. In 2019, South Korea was ranked sixth in the world for music markets, with artists like BTS and Blackpink leading the way. The next year, the market grew by 44.8%, the fastest growth among major music markets.

Although K-pop is influenced by American pop music, some people say it has a unique style and energy. The "Koreanness" of K-pop has been discussed in recent years, as more Western songwriters, non-Korean artists, English-language songs, and global marketing have become common. Some experts describe K-pop as a new kind of culture that spreads across the world.

K-pop is managed by companies that control many aspects of the music and artists' lives. This has led to criticism about the industry's focus on money and how it treats artists. Four major companies—SM, YG, JYP, and Hybe—control much of the industry. In the 2020s, K-pop has seen more freedom for artists, with companies creating music outside South Korea. Groups like JO1 and Katseye are examples of this global influence.

Etymology

The term "K-pop" is the South Korean version of the Japanese term "J-pop." The first known use of "K-pop" appeared in the October 9, 1999 edition of Billboard magazine, at the end of an article titled "S. Korea To Allow Some Japanese Live Acts" written by Cho Hyun-jin, a South Korean reporter for the magazine. He used the term as a general way to describe South Korean pop music. Cho is not certain if he created the term, as some sources say that music industry workers had already used "K-pop" before, though he had never heard it himself.

The term "K-pop" became widely known in the 2000s, especially outside of South Korea. In South Korea, pop music is often called "gayo," a term still commonly used in the country. In 2022, the Korean Music Awards created a separate category for K-pop, describing it as a type of dance-pop music that comes from the Korean idol system and focuses on performance.

In academic studies, the term "K-pop" has been used to describe Korean popular music dating back to the 1930s.

Characteristics

K-pop is a type of music from South Korea and the industry around it. Some people think it includes many different kinds of music and visual styles. A French group called the Institut national de l'audiovisuel describes K-pop as a mix of electronic music, strong dance moves, and bright, stylish clothing. Songs often include pop, rock, hip hop, R&B, and electronic music.

Most people who become K-pop stars start by joining training programs through auditions, online contests, or street casting. South Korean entertainment companies often sign young artists to long-term agreements. Trainees live together in a controlled environment and spend many hours learning to sing, dance, speak foreign languages, and develop other skills. This strict training method is sometimes criticized by Western media. In 2012, a newspaper called The Wall Street Journal reported that training one K-pop idol under SM Entertainment cost about $3 million on average.

K-pop is more than just music. It includes values, identity, and ideas that go beyond being a product for sale. It combines modern Western music styles and African-American influences, such as hip hop, R&B, jazz, soul, funk, techno, disco, house, and Afrobeats, with Korean performance styles like synchronized dancing, changing formations, and repeated movements called "point choreography." Some experts say K-pop shows a vision of modernization because it mixes ideas from around the world. For example, K-pop stars are often praised for their hard work, polite behavior, and high-quality performances, which are developed during their training.

Modern K-pop often uses English words and phrases. Some experts say this is influenced by Korean-Americans or Koreans who studied in the U.S. and use their English skills. Some K-pop singers, like those in groups such as Fly to the Sky, g.o.d., Rich, Yoo Seung-jun, and Drunken Tiger, mix American music styles with English lyrics. These artists often have a different sound than traditional Korean music, which interests younger audiences. More foreign songwriters and producers, like will.i.am and Sean Garrett, now work on K-pop songs. Western musicians, including rappers like Akon, Kanye West, Ludacris, and Snoop Dogg, have also performed on K-pop songs.

Entertainment companies help K-pop reach other countries by using English. This helps K-pop singers connect with audiences in Asia and eventually reach Western markets. Most K-pop singers learn English because it is a common language in music. Some also learn Japanese to reach Japanese fans. More K-pop groups now use English names instead of Korean ones to attract a wider audience.

Even though K-pop uses English, it has not always been popular in North America. Some experts say this is because K-pop can seem like a simplified version of Western music, making it hard for some audiences to accept. Western listeners often value authenticity and individuality in music, which the strict idol training system might limit. Research by Elaine W. Chun shows that while K-pop mixes different styles, some people still prefer traditional language forms.

Over time, more K-pop artists, songs, and lyrics have used English. In 1990, no top 50 Korean music artists had English names. By 1995, 14 of the top 50 artists used English names, such as DJ DOC, 015B, Piano, and Solid. After a financial crisis in 1997, the use of English in music grew. By 2010, 41 of the top 50 artists had English names. Many K-pop singers now use English names like IU, Sistar, T-ara, GD & TOP, Beast, and After School. In 1995, only 8% of top 50 song titles used English. This increased to 44% by 2010. An example is Kara’s song "Jumping," which used many English words and was popular in Korea and Japan.

K-pop companies introduce new groups through special events called "debut showcases." These events use online marketing and TV promotions instead of radio. New groups are given names, themes, and marketing ideas. These themes, called "concepts," guide the group’s music and visuals. Concepts can be general or specific, like "cute" or "fantasy." Groups often debut with well-known concepts to ensure success. Some groups form smaller teams, like Super Junior-K.R.Y. and Super Junior-M, to reach different audiences.

K-pop companies use online platforms like YouTube to share music videos with a global audience. Before releasing a full video, groups share teaser photos and short clips. When artists release new songs, these events are called "comebacks," even if they did not take a break.

Dance is a key part of K-pop. When groups perform, singers often move together in perfect timing, changing positions quickly. This is called "formation changing." K-pop choreography includes "point dance," which uses repeated movements and catchy parts of songs to make performances stand out.

History

Korean popular music began in 1885 when an American missionary named Henry Appenzeller taught American and British folk songs at a school. These songs were called changga, and they used Western melodies with Korean lyrics. For example, the song "Oh My Darling, Clementine" became known as Simcheongga. During the Japanese colonial period (1910–1945), Koreans used changga songs to express feelings about Japanese rule. A popular song from this time was Huimangga. The Japanese took control of changga collections and created their own songbooks.

K-pop started in the early days with a group called H.O.T. Their music was energetic, fast-paced, and showed the rebellious feelings of young people. Performers often danced while singing, and choreography was important for popularity. The first Korean pop album, I Pungjin Sewol, was released in 1925 by Park Chae-seon and Lee Ryu-saek. It included songs translated from Japanese. The first pop song written by a Korean composer was Nakhwayusu, performed by Lee Jeong-suk in 1929. In the 1920s, a Japanese composer named Masao Koga mixed traditional Korean music with Gospel music brought to Korea by American missionaries in the 1870s. This style became known as Enka in Japan and later developed into Trot in Korea. In the 1930s, singers like Wang Su-bok, Lee Eun-pa, and the Jeogori Sisters helped spread folk music.

After Korea was divided into North and South in 1945, Western culture slowly entered South Korea through small bars and clubs. After the Korean War (1950–1953), American troops stayed in South Korea, bringing more Western music. American entertainers like Nat King Cole, Marilyn Monroe, and Louis Armstrong performed for U.S. soldiers, drawing attention from Koreans. In 1957, the American Forces Korea Network began broadcasting, spreading Western music. American music influenced Korean music, as five-note scales were replaced by seven-note scales, and Korean songs began to resemble American ones.

In the 1960s, better recording technology and LP records allowed for more varied musical styles. Open auditions were held to recruit musicians for U.S. army clubs. Many Korean singers performed for American troops in clubs, often singing country, blues, jazz, and rock & roll. As South Korea’s economy improved, popular music grew with the rise of commercial radio and Korean cinema.

When Beatlemania reached Korea in the 1960s, local rock bands began forming. The first was Add4, created in 1962. In 1968, the first rock band contest was held in Seoul.

Some Korean singers became internationally famous. In 1959, the Kim Sisters traveled to Las Vegas and released an album in the U.S. Their cover of "Charlie Brown" reached No. 7 on the Billboard charts. They appeared on TV and radio shows and toured in the U.S. and Europe. The Kim Sisters, Yoon Bok-hee, and Patti Kim were among the first Korean singers to perform in Vietnam and the U.S. Their song "The Boy in the Yellow Shirt" by Han Myeong-suk was covered by a French singer and became popular in Japan.

In the 1960s, Korean artists like Shin Joong-hyun, Pearl Sisters, and Patti Kim, who had previously performed for U.S. troops, began reaching wider audiences in Korea. The influence of The Beatles led to the rise of "group sound" in South Korea, with bands like Add4 and the Key Boys. Add4, Korea’s first rock group, was formed by Shin Joong-hyun in 1962 and created Korea’s first rock song, "The Woman in the Rain," which resembled early Beatles music. Shin Joong-hyun is considered the "godfather of Korean rock."

During this time, Western pop, Korean rock, and Trot music coexisted in South Korea. Songs like "Camellia Lady" by Lee Mi-ja remained popular.

By the late 1960s, Korean pop music changed again. More musicians were university students influenced by American culture, including the 1960s hippie movement. Young people opposed the Vietnam War, leading the Korean government to ban songs with liberal lyrics. Despite this, folk-influenced pop remained popular. In 1977, MBC, a local TV channel, held a music contest for university students, laying the foundation for modern music festivals. Youth culture, shaped by U.S. influence, included long hair, jeans, acoustic guitars, and folk music. Folk music was often performed by university students and used by politically active youth to protest against the government. The government banned folk music because of its association with anti-government movements. In the 1970s, the Park Chung Hee government also banned American pop and Korean rock music for their links to drugs and sex. Shin Joong-hyun was imprisoned in 1975 for a marijuana scandal. The government also banned Trot songs because of their "Japanese style" due to the influence of Japanese Enka music. However, President Park supported Trot music.

One important figure from this era was Hahn Dae-soo, who grew up in the U.S. and was influenced by Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, and John Lennon. His song Mul jom juso ("Give me water") became an icon among young people.

Industry

K-pop has created a large industry that includes music production companies, event management businesses, music distributors, and providers of merchandise and services. The three largest companies in terms of sales and money are SM Entertainment, YG Entertainment, and JYP Entertainment, often called the "Big Three." Recently, because of the growth of HYBE, these four companies are now sometimes called the "Big Four." These record labels also act as agencies for their artists. They are responsible for finding, funding, training, and promoting new artists, as well as managing their music and public relations. Right now, S.M. Entertainment has the largest share of the market. In 2011, the Big Three companies, along with Star J Entertainment, AM Entertainment, and Key East, started a joint management company called United Asia Management.

In 2009, DFSB Kollective became the first company to distribute K-pop music on iTunes. In 2012, the average cost to download a K-pop song in South Korea was US$0.10, or US$0.002 for streaming it online. According to Billboard, the Korean music industry earned nearly US$3.4 billion in the first half of 2012, which was a 27.8% increase from the previous year. Time magazine called K-pop "South Korea's Greatest Export." In 2017, the K-pop music industry was estimated to have earned US$5 billion.

By 2019, the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) listed South Korea as the 6th largest music market in the world. BTS alone contributed $4.65 billion, or 0.3%, to South Korea's GDP. In 2024, IFPI named K-pop the top global music genre in unit sales, including both physical and digital formats. Seventeen of the top twenty albums on the IFPI Global Album Sales Chart that year were K-pop.

Korean music charts include the Circle Digital Chart and the Billboard K-pop Hot 100. More recently, K-pop songs have also appeared on Japan's Oricon Albums Chart and the United States' Billboard Hot 100.

The Circle Digital Chart collects data from platforms in South Korea, such as Apple Music, Spotify, MelOn, Bugs, Vibe, Genie, Flo, and Samsung Music. Some platforms release hourly and daily charts, which are compiled by the South Korean company iChart. iChart has three achievements: All-Kill, Certified All-Kill, and Perfect All-Kill.

An All-Kill happens when a song is number one on all major music platforms in real-time. A Certified All-Kill occurs when a song is number one on all platforms' real-time and daily charts. The highest achievement, a Perfect All-Kill, happens when a song is number one on all platforms' real-time, daily, and weekly charts.

"Sajaegi" is the Korean word for manipulating music charts by buying many copies of albums or using bots to increase streaming numbers. This can make the charts less reliable.

The system of training K-pop trainees for a long time before they debut was started by Lee Soo-man, founder of SM Entertainment, as part of a concept called "cultural technology." Lee Soo-man said this allows his organization to work in an organized way and to create a formula for producing culture. The Verge described this as an "extreme" system of managing artists. The CEO of Universal Music's Southeast Asian branch said the Korean idol trainee system is unique worldwide.

Because training can last for many years and requires a lot of money, agencies are very careful when launching new artists. SM Entertainment says trainees can be trained for at least one year and up to six years. Trainees can join an agency through auditions or be discovered by scouts. Once recruited, they live in accommodations and take classes in singing, dancing, rapping, and foreign languages like Mandarin, English, and Japanese. They also take tests on their singing skills, such as tone, vocalization, and rhythm, to match global trends. Some young trainees attend school while training. There is no age limit for becoming a trainee, and there is no set time limit for how long a trainee can stay in the program. Some trainees may never debut after completing their training.

Some young trainees have left school to start training as K-pop idols. For example, Rosé from Blackpink left school at 16 to train with YG Entertainment for four years before debuting. This is not unusual, as seen with Taemin from Shinee, who started training at age 11. Rosé was one of the few who openly talked about the challenges of being a trainee. Dr. Sarah Keith explained that idols are valuable to agencies because they have many talents, such as singing, rapping, dancing, or songwriting. Because of this, they often face restrictions on what they can say due to the money agencies invest in them.

In September 2024, Hanni from New Jeans told Korean lawmakers about workplace harassment and mistreatment she experienced at Hybe. She said she was ignored by managers and senior idols at the company and wished younger trainees would not have to go through the same experiences.

In the 2020 Netflix documentary Blackpink: Light Up the Sky, Blackpink's Jennie said the trainee system is what defines K-pop. Hybe and Geffen Records created Katseye, a multiracial, English-speaking girl group modeled after K-pop principles. The Netflix docuseries Popstar Academy: Katseye showed the girls' experiences in auditions and their journey through the 2023 global competition reality show Dream Academy. Mitra, president of HXG at Hybe America, said survival shows are created because some K-pop fans want to follow trainees early. The goal of Hybe and Geffen Records was to remove the "K" from K-pop to build a diverse talent pipeline. Nadia Hallgren, director of the docuseries, said the key takeaway was that even with talent and training, people must mentally push through challenges to achieve their dreams. After 120,000 submissions, 20 finalists were chosen, and viewers voted for their favorite trainees. The trainees had opportunities to show their personality and talent through challenges.

The fan voting system created competition and tension among the girls. Eliminations were major moments for the contestants, who left high school to join the show.

Culture

K-pop artists are often called idols or idol groups. These groups usually have a leader, who is often the oldest or most experienced member and represents the group. The youngest member of a group is called the maknae (Korean: 막내; RR: mangnae; meaning "the youngest in a family").

• From 2003 to 2018: Korean Music Festival at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles
• From 2011 to the present: K-POP World Festival in South Korea
• From 2012 to the present: KCON in California
• From 2015 to the present: KCON in New York and Japan

As K-pop becomes more popular worldwide, K-pop groups and idols are appearing more often at well-known music festivals.

• 2022: J-Hope at Lollapalooza (first K-pop act to headline)
• 2023: Blackpink at Coachella (first K-pop act to headline)
• 2024: Seventeen at Glastonbury (first K-pop act to perform on the Pyramid Stage)

Foreign relations

On May 25, 2010, South Korea used the loudspeaker system along the DMZ to play the music video "HuH" by the group 4Minute after North Korea was accused of sinking a South Korean naval ship. North Korea responded by saying it would destroy any loudspeakers placed near the border. Later that year, The Chosun Ilbo reported that South Korea’s Ministry of National Defense considered using large screens across the border to show music videos by popular K-pop groups, such as Girls' Generation, Wonder Girls, After School, Kara, and 4Minute, as part of a strategy to influence North Korean attitudes. In September 2012, North Korea released a video showing a manipulated image of South Korean president Park Geun-hye dancing to "Gangnam Style." The video falsely claimed she supported the autocratic Yusin system created by her father, Park Chung Hee.

Since the early 2010s, several leaders have recognized the growing global influence of Korean pop culture. In 2012, U.S. President Barack Obama visited South Korea and noted the role of social media in spreading Korean culture, calling it "no wonder so many people around the world have caught the Korean wave, Hallyu." Later that year, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon praised South Korea’s success in culture, sports, and the arts during a speech at the National Assembly, saying the Korean Wave is "making its mark on the world." This followed comments by U.S. State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland, who said her daughter enjoys Korean pop music, which led to media attention in South Korea after a journalist from Yonhap News Agency interviewed her.

In November 2012, the British Minister of State for the Foreign Office, Hugo Swire, told South Korean diplomats at the House of Lords that South Korea and the United Kingdom share strong ties and noted that South Korean music, like "Gangnam Style," has a global reach. In February 2013, Peru’s Vice President, Marisol Espinoza, told Yonhap News Agency that K-pop is a key reason many Peruvians want to learn more about South Korea and encouraged more South Korean companies to invest in Peru.

According to an article in Foreign Policy, the spread of Korean pop culture across Southeast Asia, parts of South America, and the Middle East shows how non-Western countries are gaining influence through culture. However, an article in The Quietus magazine raised concerns that discussions about the Korean Wave as a form of influence might echo outdated fears about the "Yellow Peril."

In August 2016, China limited access to Korean media, including K-pop, to protest South Korea’s decision to deploy U.S. THAAD missile systems. This restriction, which lasted until 2017, hurt the stock prices of Korean talent agencies, though prices eventually recovered.

On April 1, 2018, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un hosted a K-pop concert in Pyongyang.