South Korean popular music, known as K-pop, continues to surge in the United States, highlighted by recent Grammy and Academy Awards nominations. Stephanie Choi, an assistant professor of ethnomusicology at the University of Colorado Boulder, explains the genre's appeal through its community-building aspects and direct fan interactions. This rise has influenced cultural interests, including increased Korean language learning among Americans.
K-pop's prominence in the United States has been building for years, with significant milestones marking its growth. The song “Golden” from the Netflix film “KPop Demon Hunters” has become widely popular since last summer, featuring lyrics like “We’re goin’ up, up, up, it’s our moment / You know together we’re glowing.” This track recently achieved a historic first by winning a Grammy Award as the initial K-pop song to do so and is nominated for Best Original Song at the Academy Awards scheduled for March 15.
Major acts are fueling further excitement in 2026, as BLACKPINK and BTS prepare to release new albums, while (G)I-DLE and Twice embark on North American tours. Stephanie Choi, who researches K-pop's global impact and identifies as a fan, points to the genre's emphasis on performance by idols trained by entertainment companies from their early teens. Her office displays memorabilia from groups like EXO and SHINee, including a lipstick modeled after SHINee’s lightstick.
Choi notes, “There are lots of social functions in music... K-pop culture makes you want to be part of the community.” The genre originated traction among Korean Americans in the early 2000s, expanding to other Asian American communities. A breakthrough occurred in 2012 with Psy’s “Gangnam Style,” which held the record as YouTube's most viewed video for five years. In 2017, BTS secured the Billboard Music Award for Top Social Artist, a fan-voted honor.
K-pop fosters an egalitarian dynamic between idols and fans, enabled by daily interactions through livestreams, social media, and subscription platforms. As idols often debut as teenagers, fans witness their development into solo artists. “It feels like you’re building a history together,” Choi said. A 2024 South Korean government survey indicated over 200 million people in 119 countries are fans of Korean culture, predominantly K-pop focused.
Achievements include BTS earning 12 Billboard Music Awards by 2022, surpassing Destiny’s Child's record, and BLACKPINK headlining Coachella in 2023. Twice's current world tour includes a Denver performance in April. The trend has boosted Korean language studies, with Duolingo reporting a 22% increase in U.S. learners last year. Choi added, “You can definitely enjoy music without understanding the language... But K-pop opens up a whole new world for people to learn about other cultures.”
