Apple TV+ Unveils ‘KPOPPED’, a Show Featuring K-POP and Western Superstars Under Lionel Richie and Megan Thee Stallion’s Direction

Apple TV+ released the music competition series ‘KPOPPED’, themed around K-POP, globally on August 29. In this series, K-POP idols form teams with renowned international pop stars to reinterpret the latter’s hit songs in a K-POP style. Lionel Richie and Megan Thee Stallion served as executive producers, while director Lee Yeon-gyu handled the filming. Lionel Richie explained the project’s origin by stating, “As K-POP spreads worldwide, figuring out how to introduce it to the global audience was a challenge.” Megan Thee Stallion added, “I agreed to the proposal from Lionel Richie without hesitation because of my deep affection for K-POP.” The lineup of participating pop stars is impressive. A total of 14 teams took part, including Megan Thee Stallion alongside Melanie B and Emma Bunton of Spice Girls, Boy George, Voice2Man, and TLC. Eight K-POP groups also joined the competition: Billlie, ITZY, Kep1er, JO1, ATEEZ, STAYC, KISS OF LIFE, and BLACKSWAN. The eight-episode series features K-POP idol members divided into two teams each episode, competing against different pop stars. In every episode, the K-POP groups reinterpret a pop star’s hit song in a K-POP style, craft choreography with military precision, and deliver a live performance within 48 hours. The outcome of each episode is determined by audience voting at live shows held in Seoul, where fans wave Lightstick to cast their votes. The program goes beyond a simple music competition by showcasing cultural exchange. In each episode, members of K-POP sub-units spend time on “friend dates” with their pop star partners to introduce Korean culture. Scenes such as Megan Thee Stallion trying spicy ramen with Billlie and Emma Bunton and Melanie B experiencing traditional Korean tea ceremonies were included in the show. Director Lee Yeon-gyu noted that pop stars who were initially puzzled by K-POP culture, akin to “ending elves,” eventually accepted it as part of their culture and showed great interest. He added that everyone wanted to collaborate with K-POP artists, making the casting process surprisingly smooth. Meanwhile, actress and comedian Son Soo-jung served as the host of the program, with PSY participating as an assistant host. Director Lee emphasized that although the format is competitive, the goal is not to determine a winner but rather to show global artists coming together through a single song and music. As Netflix’s animated series ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ has gained worldwide popularity, boosting global interest in K-POP, ‘KPOPPED’ stands out as a project that turns this enthusiasm into actual artist collaborations. It was co-produced by CJ ENM and American production company Eureka Productions.