The Rise of Kpop
Kpop, i.e. Korean pop music, has exploded in popularity worldwide over the last several years. These days, most people have heard at least one or two Kpop songs, and Kpop artists are even being nominated for Grammy Awards.
For some, it may seem like Kpop came out of nowhere, but it took time and planning for Kpop to reach this point.
Beginnings of Kpop
The beginnings of modern Kpop began several decades ago, and its rise wasn’t an accident. The Korean government used pop culture, including Kpop, as a way to grow its economy.
Kpop’s influence gradually spread to other countries, but the first time that many in the US heard of it was when Psy’s Gangnam Style went viral. The song and music video were suddenly everywhere, and people who were oblivious to Kpop suddenly recognized the dance and music.
Despite Gangnam Style’s success, it took a while for other Kpop songs to break into the US market. Recently, however, groups like BTS and Blackpink have become popular enough that they’ve performed on American television and sold out concerts. Kpop has never been more successful either in the US or in other parts of the world.
What Do People Love About Kpop?
Honestly, it’s no surprise that Kpop has taken off the way it has. Everything about it is carefully crafted. It’s pop music on steroids. The songs are carefully crafted. The dances are eye-catching, as are the videos.
It was designed to take off the way it has.
For a long time, music made outside of the US, especially music in a language other than English, struggled to be successful, but in an increasingly globalized world, that too was probably always destined to change.
Is Kpop here to stay? Only time can tell.
