South Korea, Japan, and Indonesia Maintain Dominance; United States Rises to 4th Place as K-Pop’s Global Diversification Accelerates

The K-Pop Radar, a comprehensive dashboard for K-Pop data operated by music startup SpaceAudity, released its “2025 K-Pop World Map,” which aggregates YouTube Artist Chart data from 2025. An analysis of global K-Pop consumption from January to December 2025 revealed a clear trend of increasing regional diversification in K-Pop.

In the country-wise K-Pop consumption rankings, South Korea, Japan, and Indonesia retained positions 1 through 3 respectively, just as in the previous year. South Korea saw an even higher share compared to 2024, reaffirming its growth momentum as the birthplace of K-Pop. The United States rose from 5th to 4th place, accounting for 6.25% of global K-Pop consumption, while India dropped to 5th place.

Changes in share percentages indicate future directions for K-Pop consumption. Japan still held 2nd place, but its share declined from 8.44% to 7.41%, along with a decrease in total views, suggesting the market has entered a mature phase. In contrast, the United States’ share increase of nearly 1 percentage point demonstrates that localization strategies and global collaborations are yielding tangible results.

Taiwan entered the Top 10 by rising to 9th place for the second consecutive year, while the United Kingdom surged to 17th place, moving out of the Top 20. The simultaneous entry of Western countries such as France, Germany, and Canada clearly shows that K-Pop consumption is expanding into a phase of global diversification.

In the domestic market, DAY6 moved up from 2nd to 1st place, with aespa and IU ranking 2nd and 3rd respectively. The return of legendary artists was also notable. G-Dragon ranked 5th overall and led in terms of growth rate, with an increase of about 200 million views, while BIGBANG reached 4th place overall, successfully rallying domestic fans. Solo artists also performed well, with WooZoo finishing 11th overall due to an increase of about 160 million views, and Jennie ranking 12th overall and 3rd in growth rate, proving the strength of her personal brand.

South Korean artists also maintained a strong presence in key overseas markets. In the United States, Stray Kids retained 1st place with a 8.63% share, while KATSEYE ranked 3rd overall, leading in growth rate with an increase of about 260 million views. In the United Kingdom, Rosé dominated both rankings, holding 1st place overall with an overwhelming 11.63% share and 1st place in growth rate, with KATSEYE also placing high in the rankings, confirming their competitiveness across English-speaking regions. In the Taiwan market, IVE held 1st place with a 5.69% share, while G-Dragon and BIGBANG ranked 1st and 2nd in growth rate respectively, demonstrating strong local demand.