K-POP Reaches 180 Countries via Streaming, Generates $300 Million in Overseas Sales; Expansion Spreading to Literature and Film

The global reach of the K-POP industry is expanding beyond music into fields such as literature and film. Statistics highlighting the scale and influence of K-POP were presented at a discussion forum titled “Discussing the Next Stage of K-POP: Achievements in Global Growth and Challenges for Sustainability,” held on the 3rd at the National Assembly Members’ Hall in Yeouido, Seoul.

As of 2024, K-POP songs are streamed in 180 countries, with overseas sales rising from $230 million in 2020 to over $300 million in 2024. It has grown into a key export industry for the country, boasting an average annual growth rate of over 15%. Director Kim described it as an industry with economic impacts comparable to exporting tens of thousands of cars or hundreds of thousands of smartphones.

The discovery mechanism for K-POP has also undergone fundamental changes. Unlike in the past when fans searched for new releases on release dates and spread the music through communities, today’s structure relies on AI algorithms and playlists on global platforms to naturally expose music to ordinary listeners who are not K-POP fans. Director Kim noted that over 70% of global playlist listeners are ordinary listeners who do not speak Korean as their native language, adding that it is now time to focus on strategies to expand the overall market size, or “pie.”

April Boyd, Spotify’s Vice President of Global Government Relations and Public Policy, explained that Spotify currently has over 750 million users in more than 180 markets, of whom approximately 290 million are paid subscribers. Last year, Spotify paid over $10 billion to the global music industry, with cumulative payments since its establishment exceeding $70 billion.

Beyond K-POP, the Hallyu wave is expanding into literature and film. According to the “2025 Global Hallyu Trends Analysis Report” released by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Cultural Information Service, an analysis of approximately 1.5 million foreign media articles and social media posts from October 2024 to September 2025 in 30 countries showed that reports related to Hallyu originated primarily in Asia (44%), Europe (20.8%), and North America (16.9%). In Africa, “K-literature” accounted for a high proportion, while in Oceania, “K-film” dominated, indicating that Hallyu is diversifying beyond music.

The success of “K-POP Demon Hunters” and writer Han Kang’s Nobel Prize in Literature are at the center of this expansion. Netflix’s animated film “K-POP Demon Hunters” has surpassed 300 million views, and its theme song “Golden” reached number one on Billboard’s “Hot 100.” Among key terms related to K-film, “K-POP Demon Hunters” accounted for 15.9% of searches. The integration of Korean elements such as spirits, goblins, kimbap, and ramen into the plot was identified as a factor contributing to its success.

In the case of K-literature, coverage increased by more than 30 percentage points compared to the previous quarter following writer Han Kang’s Nobel Prize win. Works such as “The Vegetarian” and “Boy Who Came” received significant attention. Foreign media emphasized the symbolic significance of her becoming the first Asian woman to win the prize, praising Korean literature for opening up new horizons in world literature history.