It is not surprising that nowadays when opening social networks, such as Kpop; short and apparently difficult to pronounce names like Jungkook, Taeyong or Hyunjin; or expressions as foreign as selca day, oppa and fighting.
And it is incredible how despite the cultural differences, the different languages and the geographical separation, the hallyu (translated as Korean wave) has had such a significant impact on the Western public, especially in Mexico, a country that has been characterized as a great consumer of K-dramas, gastronomy, K-beauty and so on.
K-pop is an element that is well worth highlighting, because currently its greatest exponents have begun to invade the lists of the most famous songs such as the Hot 100 or the Billboard 200, have broken historical records of artists of the caliber of The Beatles and have even been nominated in the Grammy.
Therefore, it is not surprising that streaming platforms give it a space and have created their list of hits, as is the case of Apple with its top K-pop singles available for at least 39 countries, Mexico included; This encourages South Korea’s music industry make a leap between oceans and disrupt other cultures.
1. ABCD
Artist: NAYEON
2. Never Let Go
Artist: Jung Kook
3. Magic (feat. JULIE)
Artist: NAYEON
4. Standing Next to You
Artist: Jung Kook
5. i wonder..
Artist: j-hope & Jung Kook
6. HalliGalli (Prod. by LEE CHANHYUK of AKMU)
Artist: NAYEON
7. 운명
Artist: HowL
8. Only One
Artist: TAEYEON
9. Gray Paper
Artist: YESUNG
10.The Astronaut
Artist: JIN
Modern K-pop (from the English “Korean pop”) originated in the 1990s with the debut of the popular group Seo Taiji and Boys in 1992, known for incorporating Western music genres such as rap, hip-hop, rock, jazz, electronica and techno into their songs.
This trio, made up of Seo Taiji, Yang Hyun-suk and Lee Junomade his debut on an MBC network talent show with the song Nan Arayo, shocking the jury, who gave them the lowest ratings. However, the success that this single achieved on radio and television was resounding, which gave way to the release of more songs of that style and more artists who opted for it.
It was not until 1995 when producer Lee Soo Man created one of the companies that to this day remain a “heavyweight” in the music industry, SMEntertainment; while former Seo Taiji & Boys member Yang Hyun Suk created YG Entertainment (nineteen ninety six); followed by JYP Entertainment (1997), established by singer Park Jin Young.
These three companies were long called the “Big 3” – until the success that BTS achieved with the help of BigHit Entertainment (today known as Hybe Labels)‒ and were dedicated to teaching the first generations of idols, in order to satisfy the demand of the Korean public to want to see younger artists.
Along this path, the group HOT was one of the first to debut in the industry, followed by others who formed the well-known “first generation of K-pop” such as Sechs Kies, SES, Fin.KL, NRG, Baby VOX, Diva, Shinhwa and god
At the beginning of the new millennium, some of the idol groups that had debuted were without activities while others like Baby Vox were successful in various regions of Asia, an example of this was their song Coincidence, which was promoted at the 2003 Soccer World Cup and which It was placed at the first position on the Chinese music charts.
At the same time, other idols who launched as soloists also marked a milestone: Boathe first Korean singer to lead the Oricon chart in Japan, an equivalent to the Billboard chart but Asian and in which artists from other countries rarely manage to enter and Rainan actor and singer who gave a concert for 40 thousand people in Beijing.
K-popshort for “Korean Pop”, had its beginnings in the 1990s with the formation of iconic bands like Seo Taiji and Boys, which revolutionized Korean music by incorporating influences from Western pop, rap and rock. Over time, large entertainment companies like SM Entertainment, YG Entertainment and JYP Entertainment They began to form and promote idol groups, establishing an intense training model that included singing, dancing and acting.
This process resulted in the creation of bands such as HOT, SES and Shinhwa, which became national phenomena and paved the way for the internationalization of the genre. In the early 2000s, K-pop began to gain attention in Asia and other parts of the world, driven by the accessibility of the internet and the globalization of pop culture.
Today, K-pop is a multi-billion dollar industry with significant cultural influence around the world. Groups like BTS, BLACKPINK and EXO They have achieved international fame, dominating the charts, collaborating with artists from all over the world. In addition to its catchy music and complicated choreography, K-pop is known for its great visual production and the strong bond that bands establish with their followers through social networks. This phenomenon has contributed to the expansion of the korean wave (“Hallyu”), impacting even fashion, film and television internationally.
