K-pop Immersion

Music, in my opinion, can be one of the greatest platforms to connect people, society, and cultures. In the US we are most aware of the music that fits Western standards. Even the love for classical music is dying off as the music we see in pop culture takes over. That being said we've started seeing an influx of K-pop supporters in the US in recent years.

If you aren't entirely aware of what K-pop is it's essentially their equivalent of pop music just geared towards a genre most popular in Asian countries. From China to Japan, and especially Korea these artists aren't just the solo divas and performers we are used to. They have popularized the concept of idol groups either consisting of well-trained men, women, or even sometimes both. This isn't as popular of a concept in the Western market as the 90s and early 2000s saw the decline of boy bands and even girl groups. Now as we reach 2024 we do have a few popular groups that hold their own, but the majority of the groups we see dominating the scene are solo artists or bands. The Western market has been proven to be a tough industry for Korean idols to break into. Even back in the early 2000s groups were trying to break through to gain popularity in the US. Several groups tried and rarely succeeded, but not all was lost as this fight would prove to be more of a slow incline versus overnight success.

Slowly but surely as groups were starting to draw attention in the mid-2000s more global fans were coming forth to show their support to their favorite groups and artists. While this growing popularity was seen as a good sign it was hard for groups to break out still and the language barrier didn't help the situation. Many groups tried to remedy this by releasing English covers of their most popular songs or even releasing new English singles, but this only helped speed up that growing popularity by a little. It wouldn't be until we saw groups like Twice, Blackpink, BTS, and Straykids that K-pop would blossom into the scene it is known in the US. These groups are selling out stadiums and even making decent album sales in the US. It helps that these groups have English speakers to further peak the interest of the Western market. In recent years we've seen these groups get nominated and even win awards in some big named Award shows. Last year Blackpink went home with two VMA awards. BTS was nominated for 5 different awards in the 65th annual Grammy Awards. Twice accepted the Breakthrough Award at the Billboard's 2023 Women in Music. Even StrayKids went home with an award at the 2023 VMAs in September. Groups, especially smaller groups, are also drawing more attention by attending and performing at KCons across the nation, especially KCon LA. This K-pop wave has even taken over the typical airwaves. The fact that one can walk into a Walmart and listen to BTS on the loudspeaker should say enough. It's a wonderful site to see something so uniquely different gain popularity in a country that seems the idolize the concept of a diva.

What's in tune for the future of K-pop in the US? Well, I think we'll find it continuously growing and gaining speed. With the inclusion of uniquely diverse groups forming through survival shows like A2K, Dream Academy, and Universe Ticket, A2K mainly focusing on American contestants going to Korea and training, the idea of a global group has rendered even more attention allowing the idea that we too could achieve this dream of becoming an idol. I think with this trend the K-pop genre will become even more popular while allowing the Western music market to broaden its horizons. As we continue to see K-pop garner support and fans in the US and other countries I only hope we see a greater appreciation for the culture that music comes from as well. To allow people to immerse themselves in learning and appreciating other cultures and languages as well. I hope this is the future this K-pop immersion opens doors to.