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Korean wave

K-pop idol groups are a global phenomenon, with millions of diehard fans all over the world. In the last two decades, the K-pop industry has become a cultural sensation, continuing to grow in popularity as groups like BTS and Blackpink break barriers to achieve worldwide success.

What Is K-Pop?

Korean popular music, or K-pop, is a popular genre of music originating from South Korea. K-pop songs contain many musical influences, such as hip-hop, electronic dance, jazz, and rock, performed by groups featuring anywhere from 4 to 21 members. Aspiring K-pop stars undergo intense training together, learning dance choreography and other skills until they are ready to perform live for the first time.

K-pop is one part of the “Korean Wave”—also called Hallyu, a term referring to the popularity of Korean pop culture and Korean TV shows, music, and movies across Asia and other parts of the world.

What Are the Characteristics of K-Pop?

While K-pop is sometimes used as an umbrella term for all popular music from South Korea, there are more specific characteristics to true K-pop music, such as:

Large groups: K-pop groups usually have between 4 and 7 idols per act, but some groups skew much larger, like NCT (short for Neo Culture Technology), which has a whopping 23 members. K-pop groups typically have a higher number of members to ensure that K-pop fans have a variety of idols to choose from.

Hybrid sound: Modern K-pop music often blends traditional Korean musical elements with Western influence like jazz, soul, hip hop, and funk.

Unique style: K-pop idols are known for their colorful and stylish clothing, with styles ranging from street clothing to elegant wear and sleek black-and-white ensembles to themed outfits. Many K-pop groups are fashion influencers, driving some of the current styles and trends for younger generations.

Systematic training: Entertainment agencies select aspiring pop idols for intensive live-in training programs. They receive media training, learn choreography, work with vocal coaches, and practice live performing, which is sometimes recorded and uploaded to tease new talent. The agencies observe the aspiring singers and then place them into groups based on their unique personalities, voices, and performance skills. The trainees can be in the program for years, honing their skills as they wait to be placed in a group.

Extensive choreography: Dance routines are a significant part of every K-pop group, which thousands of fans learn and upload online to pay tribute to their idols. Choreographers work with the groups to create a unique routine that complements each song.

What Does K-Pop Sound Like?

K-pop is a musical genre that utilizes many different sounds and influences. The music features catchy beats, hooks, rapping, and instrumentals for dance breaks. The lyrics are often in Korean, though groups like Blackpink and BTS have a slew of songs that feature English and Korean lyrics. Different groups release various types of music: Some are known for their upbeat, bubblegum melodies, while others are known for their jazzy ballads or heavy hip-hop influences. Some groups will have a hybrid of many types of music at once, and others will change their sound with every album.

More about K-pop music:

• What Is K-Pop Music? Characteristics, Bands & Examples
• All About K-Pop: Inside K-Pop’s History and Signature Sound
• How did K-Pop conquer the world?