UK Finally Embraces K-Pop, Entering Spotify’s Top 10 Countries with Major Concerts Planned This Summer

K-Pop is establishing itself as a mainstream culture in the UK. It has been ranked among the top 10 countries where K-Pop is most listened to on Spotify. The popularity of K-Pop in the UK has surged significantly, with the boy group ATEEZ setting two records by entering the top 5 of the UK’s Official Album Chart. “K-Stars,” the UK’s first and largest specialty store dedicated to Korean popular music, serves as clear evidence of this shift. Starting as a small shop in Manchester in 2019, K-Stars has now grown into a two-story facility on Dean Street, employing over 20 staff members. Marketing manager Amber Clare became a K-Pop fan six years ago after initially being a One Direction fan and then listening to ITZY’s “Icy”; she now works in the K-Pop industry. Clare emphasized, “It’s still a niche market, but by no means a tiny one.” She added, “I thought I was the only ITZY fan in the UK, but when I went to a concert, it was already sold out.” This summer will see a series of large-scale performances by K-Pop artists in the UK. BLACKPINK will hold a two-day show at London’s Wembley Stadium in July, while the boy group Stray Kids is set to perform for two days at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. aespa successfully concluded their indoor concert at Wembley Arena earlier this month. The most notable event will be the “SM Town Live” festival celebrating SM Entertainment’s 30th anniversary, taking place at Twickenham Stadium in June. This festival, which began in 2008, is being held in the UK (London) for the first time in 17 years. Artists from all generations under SM Entertainment will participate, including Red Velvet, EXO, Girls' Generation, as well as currently top-charting groups such as aespa, RIIZE, and every sub-group of the boy group NCT, which has over 20 members. NCT member Ten stressed in an interview that this is “a very rare occurrence.” He explained, “The last time the entire NCT group performed together was two years ago. It’s really difficult for all groups to gather at the same place and time.” The aespa members said, “Performing alongside senior artists we’ve admired since our training days, as well as talented junior artists, will be a highly meaningful experience for us.” SM Entertainment plans to feature the “promising trainee group” SMTR25 on stage to showcase the company’s future. The British K-Pop boy group DearALICE, who were cast in the UK and made their debut this year, will also appear. Their training process was covered in BBC’s series “Made In Korea,” and they released their debut single “Ariana” at the SM Town concert in Seoul last January. The reason why K-Pop companies are turning their attention to the UK is clear. While K-Pop groups have previously prioritized the United States, the world’s largest music market, circumstances are changing. Nine of the top 10 best-selling albums worldwide last year were by Korean artists. Although appearances at American MTV Awards or NPR Tiny Desk Concerts carry significant international impact, English-speaking media in the UK also exerts considerable influence globally. Clare noted, “Compared to the U.S. market, Europe previously offered fewer opportunities for tours and product sales, but that is changing.” Currently, British radio and television mainly focus on supergroups like BTS, aespa, and BLACKPINK, suggesting that there is still great potential for growth.