What Is K-Pop Music?
Korean Pop, K-Pop music in short, is a vibrant and infectious Pop music genre that originated in South Korea.
It's popular for its catchy tunes that blend Korean and English lyrics, impressive K-pop music videos with fun and energetic choreography, plus many charismatic K-pop idols (singers).
At its core, K-Pop is about celebrating individuality, creativity, self-expression, and breaking boundaries by setting new trends, all while having lots of fun with catchy choruses and killer dance moves!
History of K-Pop Music
The history of K-Pop music can be divided into three or four βgenerationsβ:
1st generation (1990s - early 2000s) - K-Pop was only starting to gain popularity.
2nd generation (late 2000s - mid 2010s) - K-Pop was starting to hit more and more audiences in South Korea and worldwide, with some popular global hits.
3rd and 4th generation (late 2010s - now) - K-Pop is a mainstream genre with songs frequently in the top charts, and going viral on social media. 3rd and 4th Gen Kpop Groups are most popular today!
The term βK-Popβ was first officially used by Billboard magazine in 1999, but before that, specifically on April 11th 1992, the first official K-Pop boy band, Seo Taiji and Boys, performed live on TV for the first time.
But even before that defining moment, there were Korean pop music bands, like The Kim Sisters in the 1950s, that planted the seeds of modern-day K-Pop Music by gaining recognition in both South Korea and overseas.
In the 1990s, when the genre gained more popularity, K-Pop groups became notoriously highly manufactured.
Only performers who fit strict selection criteria and undergo rigorous professional training could go on to become K-pop idols, especially nowadays when the genre enjoys so much mainstream popularity.
Why Is K-Pop So Popular?
K-Pop is so popular for its catchy song lyrics, impressive music videos and dance performances, plus attractive and fashionable K-pop idols.
There are many K-pop fan bases that unite based on their βbiasesβ (favourite K-pop artists) and songs.
Fans love lip-syncing their songs, learning cool dance moves, choreographing their own dance routines, and taking fashion inspiration from their biases.
5 Most Popular K-Pop Music Videos Streamed on YouTube are:
Gangnam Style (κ°λ¨μ€νμΌ) by PSY (5 billion views)
Ddu-Du Ddu-Du (λλλλ) by BLACKPINK (2.1 billion views)
Kill This Love by BLACKPINK (1.9 billion views)
Dynamite by BTS (1.7 billion views)
Boy With Luv (μμ κ²λ€μ μν μ) by BTS feat. Halsey (1.7 billion views)
What Was The First K-Pop Music Video?
The first K-Pop music video that was uploaded to YouTube seems to be of the song Catch by Ock Joohyun (2004).
Some of the Most Popular K-Pop Music Groups & Bands Include:
BTS
BLACKPINK
TWICE
Stray Kids
(G)-IDLE
EXO
Some Individual Popular K-Pop Music Artists are:
PSY
Jung Kook
Jimin
JENNIE
JEON SOMI
LISA