Record-Growing Global K-POP Market in 2025…Regional Superstars Like Stray Kids and Rosé Stand Out

In 2025, when K-POP’s global influence reached its peak, Beangejangtore and K-Pop Radar released market analysis reports based on merchandise transaction data and music consumption figures respectively. The data presented by these two platforms demonstrate that K-POP has evolved beyond mere music to become a core pillar of the global cultural economy.

According to Beangejangtore’s “2025 GLOBAL K-POP MERCH TREND REPORT,” the scale of merchandise transactions by K-POP fans across 235 countries worldwide saw a 300% increase in global visitors compared to the previous year. Looking at transaction volumes by continent, North America accounted for over half with 51.7%, followed by Europe at 19.4% and Asia at 19.1%. In terms of new user registrations, Indonesia ranked first among all countries, driving explosive growth in fan bases, while the United States topped overall sales figures, securing dominance in the premium merchandise market.

There were significant differences in artist preferences by country. In South Korea, NCT maintained first place in both listing volume and sales volume, solidifying its position in the domestic market. In the United States, Stray Kids led in sales volume at 10.3%, BTS came in second at 12.1% in the UK, and ATEEZ ranked first at 11.8% in Germany. Notably, as Stray Kids prepared for their comeback, searches related to “SKZ IT TAPE” surged by 4,800%. The group also topped global sales of all idol merchandise, including photo cards, further confirming their status as global superstars.

The intensity of fan activity in real time was equally remarkable. ATEEZ’s San photo card was sold just 1 minute and 22 seconds after being listed, illustrating the rapid pace of transactions among global fans. Legendary artist merchandise also retained high values, such as BigBang’s Daesung’s autographed album, which was traded for $2,773 (approximately 3.3 million won) among global collectors.

A similar trend was observed in music consumption. In 2025, South Korea, Japan, and Indonesia continued to occupy positions one through three in terms of K-POP consumption volume, while the United States rose from fifth to fourth place, indicating a shift in the center of global music consumption. The U.S. accounted for 6.25% of global K-POP consumption, showing an increase of about 1 percentage point—signifying that localization strategies and global collaborations are yielding tangible results.

In South Korea’s domestic music market, DAY6 topped the rankings, followed by aespa and IU in second and third places respectively. G-Dragon led in terms of growth rate with approximately 200 million additional views, while BigBang finished fourth overall, proving the enduring impact of legendary artists. In the United States, Stray Kids maintained first place with a 8.63% share, and KATSEYE showed strong growth with approximately 260 million additional views.

Regional diversification also值得注意. Taiwan entered the top 10 countries for K-POP consumption after two years of continuous growth, while the UK rose sharply from outside the top 20 to 17th place. The simultaneous entry of Western countries such as France, Germany, and Canada suggests that K-POP consumption is expanding into a more globally diversified phase. Beangejangtore further evolved into a central hub for fan interaction, with fans from 222 countries participating in the “New Year Billboard Award” voting, resulting in over 2.9 million votes in total.