The growth of K-pop on the world stage has continued in the last decade.<br />But can K-pop reach the next level? <br />Billboard and Nielsen Music discussed global digestion of K-pop and its future at the World Knowledge Forum in Seoul.<br />Kan Hyeong-woo has the report. <br />K-pop, the biggest music phenomenon since the Beatlemania, has rightfully become synonymous with words like top, hot, best, and global success.<br />But how has it captivated the hearts of literally millions of people across the globe?<br /><br />"It's for a number of reasons. But fundamentally, K-pop is more than just music. It is… It's about the fashion. It's about the dances. It's about the production as well…. K-pop is also a very visual medium. And with YouTube being as big of a platform as it is globally, K-pop thrives."<br /><br /> According to a survey by Nielsen Music,... K-pop fans spend more hours per week listening to their favorite artists than fans of any other genre or artist.<br />They are also more active on social media... using it to stay informed on their favorite idols while keeping their names relevant and trending online.<br /><br /> The total K-pop album sales in the U.S. took a huge leap last year when the figure skyrocketed to some 900-thousand - a 600 percent increase from the previous year.<br />What's remarkable about this is that while K-pop's popularity and profitability surged in the U.S., the American album market slided down... resulting in a 16 percent decrease in the same period. <br /><br /> Experts and observers in the industry are now raising a question that would probably be answered any time soon: What's K-pop's chance of becoming number one on the Billboard Hot 100?<br /><br />"Listen, I mean the day is coming. I mean we saw it with BTS and Halsey. It may take a collaboration to help push it through the door. But, you know, there have been foreign number ones in the past and foreign top tens. And I promise you we will see something soon."<br /><br /> With BTS dominating the Billboard's Social 50 chart - a ranking of the most active artists on global social networking sites - for 145 consecutive weeks now,... the 7-member boyband, who has stirred the biggest fandom since the Beatles according to international outlets, seems to be on its way to becoming the first K-pop artist to claim the top spot of the Billboard Hot 100. <br />Kan Hyeong-woo, Arirang News. <br />
