K-Pop Moving Beyond “Korea” — KATSEYE Enters Billboard Charts, Nine-Year Ban on Performances in China Lifted

K-pop’s international expansion is entering a new phase. As the meaning of “K” gradually separates from Korea, Korean-style production methods are spreading worldwide. The most notable change is HYBE’s U.S.-based girl group KATSEYE’s entry into the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Their single “Gnarly,” released on the 17th, reached position 92 on the chart by the 21st, marking the first time a K-pop group not based in Korea has succeeded in entering the Billboard chart. This song features a strong emphasis on hyperpop and significantly reduces traditional K-pop elements, signaling a new stage in the genre’s global expansion strategy. On the same day, Billboard included KATSEYE and NewJeans on its “Under 21” list of influential artists, further emphasizing K-pop’s global impact.

The globalization of Korean-style production systems is most widespread in Japan. While K-pop initially borrowed from Japanese pop music (J-pop), the dynamic has recently reversed. Sky-High, a former idol producer who previously warned that continued talent exports from Japan to Korea could deepen industry dependence, is now actively adopting K-pop methods. His label BMSG successfully launched the boy band BE:FIRST using Korea’s training and production models. Emerging agencies are following suit as well. Japanese telecom company NTT launched the girl group cosmosy last year using a K-pop-style system, and established agencies like Avex, which has long partnered with SM Entertainment, formed the boy band ONE OR EIGHT targeting a global audience.

Korean content creators are also accelerating their entry into global markets. XGALX, an agency founded by Korean-American producer JAKOPS (Park Jun-ho), launched the Japanese girl group XG in 2022. Last month, they gained global attention by performing at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, with SM Entertainment founder Lee Soo-man also appearing on stage. His new agency, A20, debuted the all-Chinese girl group A20 May last year.

Meanwhile, there are signs that China’s nine-year ban on K-pop performances may be lifted. Since August 2016, when China began a “Korean wave ban” as “retaliation” for the deployment of THAAD systems, Korean cultural performances in China have been officially prohibited. SUGA of BTS mentioned in a 2023 live broadcast that there was no way for Korean singers to perform in China. However, recent developments suggest changes are underway. Measures such as expanded visa exemptions, increased approvals for Korean game developers, and permits for K-pop idol fan meetings indicate a potential relaxation of China’s restrictions on Korean culture. Yet, performance approvals remain a major obstacle. The boy band EPEX was scheduled to perform in Fuzhou on May 31, but their agency, C9 Entertainment, announced on May 13 that the show had to be postponed “due to local circumstances.” This would have been the first time a K-pop group of Korean nationality performed on Chinese mainland soil in nine years. Industry analysts view the potential relaxation of performance approvals as an important signal showing China’s willingness to normalize K-pop and Korean cultural content. For major agencies like HYBE and SM Entertainment, this could lead to expanded performance businesses. In fact, HYBE generated about 30% of its revenue in the first quarter of 2025 from performances, while SM Entertainment derived 23% of its revenue from performances during the same period.