K-Pop originated in South Korea. Thanks to its uprising in the 2010s, it has steadily been expanding the American market in more ways than one.
Keep reading to learn about K-Pop integrating to the American Market.
English Releases
K-Pop songs are typically sung in a mesh of Korean and English. As songs may gain exposure to non-Korean speakers, the English lyrics allow listeners to comprehend them and sing along. Full English releases in K-Pop allow groups to gain exposure to American music charts such as Billboard, or be heard on local radio stations. Groups such as BTS charted #1 on Billboard with English release Butter for 10 weeks.
American Collaborations
To further promote a song, K-Pop groups can have song collaborations with American artists. This way, both the artist and the group can gain exposure from the other’s fans. On January 18th of 2024, K-Pop group IVE collaborated with singer and rapper Saweetie to create the song All Night. Saweetie’s music video, rap, and singing appearances made fans ecstatic. Typically, in K-Pop collaborations, the featured artist is or isn’t in the music video. Or, they get one verse throughout the song. American collaborations also have the opportunity to chart on Billboard, making it a success for both artists.
U.S. Interviews
In South Korea, K-Pop idols usually go on variety shows to promote their new release. Variety shows are programs that showcase celebrity’s talents, personalities, and competitiveness during games. Common variety shows are Knowing Bros and Running Man. For a more American approach, K-Pop groups receive interviews from media outlets such as Buzzfeed and Seventeen. These interviews commonly consist of personality quizzes and interacting with puppies, differing drastically from variety shows that mostly keep idols active.
K-Pop groups have all sorts of ways to expand in an American market. From interviews to including fully English songs, they manage to catch the eye of onlookers and gain potential fans.
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