TikTok Rises as Key Platform for Discovering and Promoting K-POP, with BTS and BLACKPINK Utilizing Pre-Release Strategies

TikTok has emerged as a core platform for discovering and promoting K-POP music. Kristo Putra, head of music and artist partnerships for TikTok APAC, explained that top-tier artists such as BTS’s Jin and j-hope have recently used TikTok to release music in advance and engage with global fans. j-hope debuted his digital single “Sweet Dreams (feat. Miguel)” during the Seoul leg of his solo world tour “Hope on the Stage” on February 28. While fans waited for the official release on March 7, the track was made exclusively available on TikTok for seven days starting from the date of the Seoul performance. As of May 10, there were over 144,000 TikTok videos using “Sweet Dreams (feat. Miguel),” with users averaging around 14,000 new videos uploaded each weekday since a portion of the song was released at 11 p.m. on February 28. BLACKPINK’s Rosé launched a multimedia campaign titled “#rosie” in collaboration with TikTok to commemorate the release of her first solo album “rosie” in December 2024. Through this platform, fans gained access to exclusive content and interactive experiences, serving as a strategy to deepen fan engagement ahead of the album’s release. Behind this success are TikTok’s dedicated music features, including exclusive microsites, profile frames, music-based challenges, and in-app rewards, which help artists creatively communicate with fans before official releases. TikTok’s true strength lies in organic music discovery driven by user creativity rather than chart rankings. This is particularly evident in Southeast Asia, where K-POP enthusiasts are most active, as many K-POP songs have gone viral or gained new popularity through TikTok. Notable examples include TREASURE’s “Darari,” ENHYPEN’s “Polaroid Love,” DYNASTIC DDUO’s “AEAO,” and IVE’s “Magnetic.” “Darari” was originally a B-side track but became popular through TikTok. Meanwhile, discussions about separating YouTube Music from its bundle are bringing changes to the domestic music streaming platform ecosystem. As the Fair Trade Commission decided to accept Google Korea’s proposal to separate YouTube Music from YouTube Premium, there is talk about the possibility of domestic music streaming platforms regaining market share. YouTube Music’s market share grew rapidly in South Korea when it was bundled with YouTube Premium upon its launch in 2018. Last month, YouTube Music had approximately 9.79 million monthly active users, far surpassing Melon’s 6.01 million users, which were previously the leader. It also lagged significantly behind Genie Music’s 2.6 million users and FLO’s 1.76 million users. In 2021, when YouTube Music had 4.03 million users, Melon still led with 6.89 million users, but as YouTube Premium subscriptions surged, it became the largest streaming service in the country within two years. Domestic music streaming companies welcome Google Korea’s measure taken at midnight but remain skeptical. One official from a domestic streaming service said, “It’s fortunate that there’s an opportunity to rectify this unfair environment, but it’s already too late. YouTube Music has grown too much.” He added, “It would have been better if this had happened about two years ago; it’s regrettable that such unfair competition has already taken hold.”