A Turning Point for K-POP in 2025: Transition from “Westernization” Debates to an Era of Industrial Standardization

As K-POP continues to achieve success on the global stage, debates surrounding its identity have intensified. Major music outlets such as PopMatters described 2025 as the year “K-POP is created for those who do not like K-POP.” It is widely believed that following BTS’s “Dynamite,” the K-POP industry shifted from creative adaptation to industrial standardization. Starting with the “The Most Beautiful Moment in Life” era, BTS moved away from K-POP’s ornate maximalism toward a more introspective and narrative-driven pop style, and “Dynamite” marked their entry into the American music market. Since then, the entire K-POP industry has seen an acceleration in standardization through English lyrics and Western musical structures. At the core of these discussions is the deconstruction of the genre definition itself known as “K-POP.” At this year’s MTV 2025 VMAs, “Born Again” by Lisa, Doja Cat, and Raye won the Best K-pop award, despite containing no Korean members or Korean lyrics at all. It was classified under the K-POP category solely because Lisa is a member of BLACKPINK. Similarly, NEWJEANS redefined the genre with minimalism, which stands in direct contrast to the “maximalism” musical style that once symbolized K-POP. Groups such as KATSEYE and CORTIS emerged, created within the K-POP industry framework yet attempting their own forms of “destruction.” While following the artist development and marketing systems of large agencies like HYBE, they deliberately reject K-POP’s unique musical characteristics. TWICE’s appearance at the 2025 Victoria’s Secret fashion show also symbolizes this change. It was unimaginable just a few years ago for K-POP groups, known for their conservative industry image, to walk the runway alongside topless models. Gautam Talwar, Spotify’s Asia-Pacific head, explained, “The recent wave of Korean music is not limited to K-POP alone. Indie rock is experiencing breakthrough moments in Taiwan, Thailand, and Indonesia, while hip-hop is spreading rapidly.” This suggests that the term “K-POP” as a single genre is insufficient to explain the diversity within Korea’s music scene. Korean music scholars are evaluating this situation objectively. They analyze that while K-POP has evolved into a universal genre listened to by people around the world, it also serves as a warning that it is no longer “exclusive to Korea.” This implies that the world can freely reinterpret Hallyu and take control of creative direction. Although pioneers like BTS opened up the market, this does not automatically guarantee leadership in that market remains with Korea. Ultimately, the focus of K-POP discourse in 2025 has shifted from “Has it succeeded?” to “Who defines success and how?” Opinions regarding whether uniqueness was lost as a price for global expansion or whether true globalization was achieved are likely to remain divided.