Stalled Progress in U.S. Chart Entry for K-pop Since BTS and BLACKPINK, Loss of Momentum Due to English Bias and Fandom Drift

K-pop has lost its momentum to break into U.S. charts since BTS’s “Dynamite” in 2020. With a significant decline in the release of new songs and global interest, coupled with weakness in the domestic market, the industry is detecting clear signs of crisis. The signs of stagnation for K-pop in the U.S. market are evident. Solo albums “Rubi” by BLACKPINK member Jennie and “Alter Ego” by Lisa entered the U.S. album chart at position 7 respectively, but both dropped out of the top 10 within a week. Neither album managed to reach position 68 or higher on the single chart. Emerging K-pop groups such as TWICE, ATEEZ, and LE SSERAFIM also initially achieved strong chart results through physical album sales, but those figures plummeted soon after. NewJeans was regarded as the most promising K-pop group in the U.S. market after BLACKPINK and BTS. It gained a global fandom thanks to the success of its 2023 single “Super Shy,” but later lost those opportunities due to contract disputes and legal controversies with its agency. NewJeans decided to leave its agency, ADOR, in November of last year, alleging workplace harassment and attempts to damage its career. ADOR denied these claims and demanded enforcement of a seven-year contract. Recently, a South Korean court ordered NewJeans to cease all “independent” activities, prompting the group to protest and continue legal battles. Hyein, a member of NewJeans, said in an interview with BBC that “this fight is necessary” and added that “although it will be extremely difficult, we will keep doing what we’ve been doing and speaking out.” Another member, Haerin, stated, “Some people think we can do whatever we want and say whatever we want just because we’re famous,” but clarified, “That’s not true. We’ve endured for a long time, and now we are finally speaking about what we think, what we feel, and the unfair treatment we’ve experienced.” The crisis in K-pop is also reflected in the weakening of the domestic market. Sara, a K-pop podcast host, noted that “K-pop has lost much of its market driving force in South Korea” and pointed out that “music is no longer composed to appeal to Korean audiences but is instead created for a more homogenized and globalized audience.” She explained, “By trying to be everything to everyone, it has ended up being nothing to anyone.” The English bias in K-pop is another issue. After BTS’s “Dynamite” succeeded as an all-English song, the K-pop industry increasingly relied on English usage. Tamar Herman, a U.S. music journalist, said, “This was created for export purposes,” and added that “the English bias has pushed Korean audiences away.” At the same time, innovative K-pop groups like LE SSERAFIM and aespa have failed to establish a foothold in the U.S. market due to the lack of strong marketing support received by BTS and BLACKPINK. Changes in K-pop fandom culture are also affecting the industry. While K-pop fandoms were once primarily composed of younger people, they are now more diverse in age, including older fans. Sara observed, “As older fans, especially older women, became devoted, it has alienated younger fans,” and added that “K-pop has become more separated from South Korean culture. Idols can no longer be seen in TV dramas or variety shows, and much of the content has moved to closed online platforms like Weverse.”