BLACKPINK Ranks Supreme Among Female Groups for 2025 Concerts; K-pop Stars Continue to Win Awards on International Stage

K-pop’s global influence was once again demonstrated through concerts and music award wins in 2025. According to data from the Korea Performance Arts Box Office Integrated System (KOPIS), BLACKPINK achieved the highest attendance rate among female groups with 77,872 fans attending two shows of their 2025 World Tour “Deadline” at the Goyang Stadium. In the male group category, DAY6 stood out significantly. They attracted 95,646 attendees for six performances of their third world tour “Forever Young” at the Olympic Gymnastics Stadium, securing first place overall. They also made it to the top rankings through their 10th anniversary tour and “The Present.” G-DRAGON finished in second place with his “Urbanness” world tour, which drew 68,339 fans to two shows at the Goyang Stadium. Additionally, fourth-generation groups such as NCT DREAM, SEVENTEEN, and Stray Kids also demonstrated strong audience appeal. As for BTS, j-hope’s “Hope on the Stage Final” attracted 52,477 attendees, marking the group’s only appearance in the top tier. K-pop’s rise was also evident at international music award ceremonies. At “Music Awards Japan 2025,” hosted by five major Japanese music industry organizations and the Japanese government, BTS’s RM won the “Listener’s Choice – International Song” award for his collaboration with Megan Thee Stallion titled “Neva Play.” SEVENTEEN received a special award for “Korean Popular Music,” confirming the influence of Korean Peninsula music. Achievements were also notable in the female artist category. BLACKPINK’s Rosé won the “Best International Pop Song in Japan” award for her collaboration with Bruno Mars titled “APT,” with the same track also making it to the “Song of the Year” nominees list. aespa claimed the “Best Song Asia” award for “Supernova,” while NewJeans received the “Best K-pop Song in Japan” award for “Ditto.” These awards were determined through voting by over 5,000 experts in the Japanese music industry across 62 categories, including six major categories such as Song of the Year, Artist of the Year, Rookie Artist, and Album of the Year. The international success of K-pop stars shows that the spread of Hallyu culture and its influence in the global music market continue to expand.