“Why Are We So Enthusiastic About KPOP?” Monthly KPOP Chit-chat #02

2023.11.10

Currently, KPOP is dominating not only the Asian music scene but the global music scene as well.

Whenever I say this, there are always people who respond, “Only a few KPOP fans listen to it, right?” Indeed, a few years ago, it might have been content consumed only by fans, but as of 2023, various statistics clearly show that it has already spread from fans to the general public. Several groups have ranked high on the Billboard 200, the main album chart of the world’s largest music chart, Billboard, just this year.

NewJeans achieved the remarkable feat of reaching number one on the Billboard 200 with their 2nd mini-album “Get Up” in just about a year since their debut.

NewJeans, 2nd EP “Get Up” charts on the US “Billboard 200” for 14 consecutive weeks… setting new records! (Kstyle) – Yahoo! News

As a KPOP girl group, NewJeans accomplished what only BLACKPINK had achieved before: reaching number one on the Billboard 200 in just one year since their debut.

Other girl groups like TWICE ranked second, aespa third, and Le Sserafim sixth. Among boy groups, TOMORROW X TOGETHER (TXT) and Stray Kids reached number one, SEVENTEEN and ATEEZ ranked second, and ENHYPEN came in fourth.

Furthermore, BTS members Jimin and Jungkook’s solo debut songs each topped the Billboard HOT 100 main single chart. While some KPOP groups like BTS and BLACKPINK have made it onto the Billboard charts, there has never been a year where so many different groups and solo songs have ranked so high.

This is clear evidence that a KPOP bubble is definitely occurring worldwide.

Recently, at one of Europe’s largest music award ceremonies, the “MTV EMA” (unfortunately, the ceremony was canceled due to unstable global conditions, and only the winners were announced), Jungkook’s “SEVEN” won the Best Song Award, surpassing renowned global artists like Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, and Doja Cat, marking another incredible achievement.

This also proves that not only sales but the songs themselves are being recognized.

So, why are we KPOP fans so passionate about KPOP?

It lies in the competitive system of KPOP.

스브스케이팝 X INKIGAYO

In South Korea, music shows are held every day from Tuesday to Sunday, except for Monday.

On Tuesday, there’s The Show (commonly known as “Doshow”), Wednesday features Show Champion (commonly known as “Showchamp”), Thursday has M COUNTDOWN (commonly known as “M Countdown”), Friday is MUSICBANK (commonly known as “Mubank”), Saturday is Show! Music Core (commonly known as “Umachun”), and Sunday is Inkigayo (commonly known as “Inga”).

At the end of each of these shows, the number one song of the week is announced, which is one reason why KPOP fans are so enthusiastic. When a group wins first place, an encore stage is prepared, allowing fans to see the idols joyfully singing in a relaxed manner, sharing the happiness with the audience, and groups that win first place for the first time often cry about 90% of the time.

ミュージックバンク（字幕付き） | KBS World

Winning first place on a music show is a special and joyful event for idols, and it provides the best opportunity to understand the enthusiasm of their fans. Therefore, fans work hard to see their favorite group celebrate their victory.

So, what exactly do we fans do…

Each show has a different scoring system, and the number one artist can change from show to show even within the same week. The scoring includes album points (CD sales), digital points (downloads & streaming counts), SNS points (MV views), voting points (pre-voting & live voting), and broadcast points (the number of times the song is played on the same network’s TV or radio).

The total of these points determines the number one song of the week, but since the point distribution varies greatly between shows, it’s not enough to just buy CDs or stream songs. To help their favorite group win more often, to see their idols happy, and to watch the encore stage, fans buy many CDs, stream songs, replay MVs, and vote.

쇼! 음악중심 | 만나면 좋은 친구 MBC

The reason we often see KPOP idol MVs surpassing tens of millions or even a hundred million views is precisely because of this. I only understood this after becoming a KPOP fan myself; when a new song is released, I literally spend all day replaying the MV on my PC. If one person replays it over a hundred times in a day, it’s no wonder that groups with many fans quickly reach tens of millions or even a hundred million views.

Moreover, it is not easy to secure the number one spot, no matter how hard fans try. This is because fans of all groups that have a comeback at the same time are also buying CDs, streaming songs, replaying MVs, and voting. It’s not uncommon for a group to take two or three years after debut to finally achieve their first win, and many groups disband without ever reaching number one.

That’s why when a group wins first place, fans feel as if it’s their own victory and think, “I’m glad I worked hard!”

And if they don’t win, fans feel sorry for their idols and resolve to work even harder to win together next time. In other words, winning first place leads to feelings of accomplishment and motivation to keep trying, while not winning leads to a determination to work harder so as not to disappoint their idols, creating a cycle of effort that seems almost endless. Once this cycle starts, there’s no turning back.

Realizing that you’ve fallen into this cycle is exactly what it means to be deeply immersed in KPOP.

M COUNTDOWN | Official Vote | On-site Photo | Official Website | Mnet

Lastly, there’s also the infamous seven-year issue at play.

Most KPOP groups sign a seven-year contract upon debut (by the way, my favorite group Kep1er is a limited-time group with a two-and-a-half-year contract, tears), and if they don’t achieve certain results within those seven years, they won’t have an eighth year. Even if they do achieve results, disputes over contract renewals often lead to disbandment. Even BLACKPINK, which is currently selling incredibly well worldwide, is facing uncertainty about contract renewal as they enter their seventh year this year.

This year, “New School Leaders,” which had a major breakthrough in Japan, finally found success in its eighth year, and considering that KPOP might not have allowed for that eighth year, seven years can seem both long and surprisingly short.

In short, KPOP idols truly embody the saying, “Support your favorites while you can.”

Even if my favorite group disbands after seven years, I don’t want to have regrets at that time! That feeling may be what drives KPOP fans to be so passionate.

End

Written by: Nekomachi Peko

Head of the KPOP Department at SKOOTA

Originally a fan of Western rock music, I once considered working for a music magazine. I started listening to KPOP due to BTS and later became a fan of BLACKPINK, gradually stepping into the KPOP world. I became deeply invested in the survival audition program “Girls Planet 999,” which led to my obsession with the group Kep1er, resulting in me fully immersing myself in KPOP.