PSYK-pop artist PSY performs at the 2022 Gangnam Festival K-pop concert.(more)That changed in the summer of 2012 when a song called “” by South Korean solo artist went viral. The digital era had come of age, and the song’s humorous video, featuring a tuxedo-clad PSY doing a dance reminiscent of riding a horse, was likely as responsible for the song’s worldwide popularity as its infectious techno-pop sound; the video was the first of any kind to get one billion views on , eventually surpassing three billion views. Through “Gangnam Style,” the world became aware that South Korea had modern catchy music to offer. The following year the K-pop industry unveiled what would become one of their most successful acts: (initially known as Bangtan Sonyeondan, or “Bulletproof Boy Scouts,” and Bangtan Boys; in 2017 they began going by Beyond The Scene). The seven-member group distinguished themselves from other K-pop bands with songs not solely focused on romance but also on , self-love, bullying, and their own stories of the pressures of fame. Their albums and videos grew in popularity outside of South Korea and Japan, and in 2017 their EP Love Yourself: Her debuted on the Billboard 200 chart in America at number seven, the first K-pop album to make the U.S. top 10. In 2019 BTS became the first K-pop artists to appear on the American late-night comedy and variety show , and they made magazine’s list of most influential people; in 2020 Time named BTS entertainer of the year. In 2021 they became the world’s top-selling musical act, playing sold-out arena tours. Beyond multimillions in album sales, concert tickets, and followers on , a measure of BTS’s immense success and influence is their social outreach work. The group collaborated with to support social programs for children and teens, and they have addressed the . In 2022 BTS were invited to the to meet with Pres. about combating the rise of anti-Asian violence in the U.S. Social action is not limited to BTS; legions of K-pop fans used their digital fluency to reserve tickets at a rally for in 2020, creating low actual attendance, along with other forms of social activism. Amid K-pop’s growing popularity, like Twice and have also become prominent in the scene. Twice achieved significant acclaim with their 2016 hit “Cheer Up,” which topped the South Korean charts and won song of the year at both the Melon Music Awards and Mnet Asian Music Awards (MAMA). The group has achieved platinum status for several albums in South Korea and Japan, earning the title in South Korea of “the nation’s girl group.” Blackpink, 2022The members of K-pop group Blackpink are (from left) Lisa, Jisoo, Jennie, and Rosé.(more) has achieved major international fame. In 2020 the for their song “How You Like That” broke five , including three previously held by BTS. A landmark year for Blackpink was 2022, with their album Born Pink debuting at number one on the Billboard 200 chart. The accompanying world tour set a new record for the highest-grossing concert tour by a female group. That year Blackpink also became the first Asian act to headline and was named magazine’s 2022 entertainer of the year. The group has achieved numerous additional awards and distinctions from music organizations including , the People’s Choice Awards, and Billboard, solidifying their status as “the biggest girl group in the world.”, It emerged in the 1990s as a form of youth subculture, with Korean musicians taking influence from Western dance music, hip-hop, R&B and rock. [3][4][5] Today, K-pop commonly refers to the musical output of teen idol acts, chiefly girl groups and boy bands, who emphasize visual appeal and performance. [6] ., Breaking k-pop news, korean viral videos and exclusive content from the biggest k-pop idols. Creators of KCON and biggest k-pop site in the world..