Currently, there’s not a single household without at least one K-POP fan. This led us to think about when K-POP became popular. The Korean wave has no doubt reached almost every corner of the world. However, this sensation did not happen overnight. Numerous productions, songs, and artists have worked hard to achieve this global presence. The power a small country like South Korea currently holds in the worldwide scenario is impeccable. Let us take a few steps back and retrace the path these artists had to work on to get where they are today!
Right now, K-POP is literally the face of South Korea. The artists are a matter of pride and joy for the country, who are lavishly showing off their creations. In fact, Korean music has turned into such a statement that it became the highlight of the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics held in South Korea in 2018. Numerous artists, including EXO had a special stage dedicated to them amidst a worldwide sports event! However, how did it all happen? When did Korean pop music truly become so popular?
A Brief History of K-POP
Let us turn back time to the 90’s era when music and expression had just started garnering fame. The period saw tremendous changes in the music industry, and western artists were bent on revolutionizing this space. Correspondingly, the relatively smaller and conservationist country of South Korea was making its own reforms. Most of us know K-POP by our second or even third-generation groups. However, preceding this is what we like to call the era of Legends.
We are talking about groups like Seo Taiji and Boys who gave start to modern kpop and they were accompanied by groups like H.O.T and Deux. To this day, they remain one of the precursors in bringing Korean music to the spotlight. Following their footsteps came the dashing heroes of the 2000s. This era was largely owned by TVXQ, who made history with their groovy beats and addicting music. Some other active artists of this generation include Shinee, Big Bang, and even Super Junior.
The generation that followed is what we popularly call the third generation of K-POP. This period saw some of the major changes that happened in the industry. The worldwide sensational groups such as BTS, Blackpink, and Exo are all the creations of this era! With the fundamental road to the present being uncovered, let us dive right into seeing when K-POP became popular?
When Did K-POP Become Popular?
A large chunk of the rookie K-POP fans often believe that its popularity began with BTS. However, this is a widespread misconception as the popularity of the industry dates way back to the 2000s. The first Korean group to crack the code and make it big was Wonder Girls. This happened when their mega-hit Nobody made an appearance on the Billboard Hot 100. Thus, South Korea started making its presence felt right from its second generation in 2009.
K-POP dominated the western market yet again in 2012 with PSY’s Gangnam Style. The track conquered the world and made it clear that language has never been a barrier when it comes to music. There has never been a single club that hosted a party in 2012 without a dance dedicated to Gangnam Style. This definitely changed things, not just for PSY, who would’ve no doubt earned some big bucks. But for the image of the country of South Korea as a whole. At the same time, SNSD, better known as Girl’s Generation, was proving to be just as successful in capturing the western audience.
Korea being a systematic and extremely forward country, leveraged on the headstart provided by these artists. They worked twice as harder to produce more improved and sophisticated idols. This was seen in the form of harder choreographies, stricter training, and the overall functioning of the industry. Korea is still reaping the benefits of this hustle. This is because the end product of that attempt was the emergence of groups like EXO, BTS, Twice, and Blackpink. The journey that followed is well known to everyone here! Today, we have transcended into the fourth generation of K-POP; however, the quality remains unaltered, still radiating the exact same power!
Also Read: Is Gangnam Style Kpop? All About PSY’s 2012 Sensation
