The growth of K-pop on the world stage has continued in the last decade.
But can K-pop reach the next level?
Billboard and Nielsen Music discussed global digestion of K-pop and its future at the World Knowledge Forum in Seoul.
Kan Hyeong-woo has the report.
K-pop, the biggest music phenomenon since the Beatlemania, has rightfully become synonymous with words like top, hot, best, and global success.
But how has it captivated the hearts of literally millions of people across the globe?
"It's for a number of reasons. But fundamentally, K-pop is more than just music. It is… It's about the fashion. It's about the dances. It's about the production as well…. K-pop is also a very visual medium. And with YouTube being as big of a platform as it is globally, K-pop thrives."
According to a survey by Nielsen Music,... K-pop fans spend more hours per week listening to their favorite artists than fans of any other genre or artist.
They are also more active on social media... using it to stay informed on their favorite idols while keeping their names relevant and trending online.
The total K-pop album sales in the U.S. took a huge leap last year when the figure skyrocketed to some 900-thousand - a 600 percent increase from the previous year.
What's remarkable about this is that while K-pop's popularity and profitability surged in the U.S., the American album market slided down... resulting in a 16 percent decrease in the same period.
Experts and observers in the industry are now raising a question that would probably be answered any time soon: What's K-pop's chance of becoming number one on the Billboard Hot 100?
"Listen, I mean the day is coming. I mean we saw it with BTS and Halsey. It may take a collaboration to help push it through the door. But, you know, there have been foreign number ones in the past and foreign top tens. And I promise you we will see something soon."
With BTS dominating the Billboard's Social 50 chart - a ranking of the most active artists on global social networking sites - for 145 consecutive weeks now,... the 7-member boyband, who has stirred the biggest fandom since the Beatles according to international outlets, seems to be on its way to becoming the first K-pop artist to claim the top spot of the Billboard Hot 100.
Kan Hyeong-woo, Arirang News.
