Let me preface this by saying this isn’t a reflection of how I personally feel about K-Pop, but rather something I’ve been observing for a while now.
K-Pop, at its core, is Korean pop music. It has built a massive global fanbase, and some would even argue that it is mainstream. I’m not here to tell you that’s wrong, but I am here to suggest that K-Pop might never be as mainstream as some people hope it will be. At least, not in the way Western pop dominates the global scene.
Let’s talk about radio play, which still plays a significant role in defining what’s “mainstream.” I’m Belgian, and I listen to the radio regularly. Off the top of my head, here are the K-Pop (or K-Pop-adjacent) songs I’ve heard played more than once:
- “Cupid” (English version) by FIFTY FIFTY
- “Dynamite” by BTS
- “My Universe” by Coldplay & BTS
- “APT” by Bruno Mars & Rosé
- “Kiss and Make Up” by Dua Lipa & BLACKPINK
- “One of the Girls” by The Weeknd & Jennie
- And of course, “Gangnam Style” by PSY
What do these all have in common? Except for Gangnam Style, they’re either fully in English or collaborations with major Western artists. That pattern isn’t a coincidence—it’s part of a larger reality.
We can argue all day about how frustrating it is that many people don’t give foreign-language music a chance, and yeah, it is frustrating. But most of the time, it’s not out of malice. People just tend to gravitate toward music they can understand. Lyrics often shape emotional connection, and when that connection is missing, people tune out.
TikTok has shifted the music landscape significantly. You could argue it’s also become a landscape to explore new music and for songs to go viral. Plenty of K-Pop sounds have gone viral there recently. But even on TikTok, I’ve noticed that the viral sounds people latch onto are often instrumental—no lyrics, no language barrier.
And look, I don’t think there’s a problem with this. In fact, I think most K-Pop companies understand the limitations of language in the global market. That’s why we’re seeing groups like KATSEYE, which are clearly built with international success in mind. I’ve already been hearing Gabriella on the radio nearly every other day, which says a lot. It’s not hugely different from let’s say Senorita by G-Idle for example, but it’s in English instead of Korean, and therefor it gets radio success much easier.
Yes, there are occasional exceptions where songs in other languages go global. But unless it’s in English or sometimes Spanish, it’s just that: an exception, not the norm.
The K-Pop model clearly works. It’s innovative, polished, and incredibly marketable. That’s why it remains such a global force. But if the goal is to reach even more people, the most effective (and predictable) route is through English-language releases or groups that embody the K-Pop formula in an English-speaking format.
Again, none of this reflects how I want things to be—I’d love to see people give more music a chance, regardless of language. I can think of dozens of Dutch songs that are absolute masterpieces, but they’ll likely never be heard outside of Belgium or the Netherlands. Meanwhile, one of the few Dutch songs that did go viral internationally is… well, let’s just say it wasn’t exactly a cultural gem.
It’s frustrating, but it’s also reality.
There’s obvioulsy also still a large part of people that don’t want to give Kpop a chance because of the fandom culture too, but language plays a very significant and almost unforgettable part.
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