Comparison of the Factors Behind K-Pop’s International Success and the Popular Music Industries of its Neighbors

Abstract

Unlike the widespread success of K-Pop, the popular music industries of neighboring Japan and China did not enjoy a similar level of global success. This paper examines the success of the South Korean popular music industry that transformed K-Pop from a national pop genre to an international phenomenon through three factors: the top-down approach taken by the K-Pop industry, emphasis on exporting its contents, and the absence of government suppression. It then explores possible reasons as to why the pop music industries of Korea’s neighbors, Japan, and China, did not achieve a similar level of global success by “testing” them to the factors that led to the popularity of K-Pop. On comparing the circumstances in these nations to the three factors examined in this paper, J-Pop did not adapt a top-down approach in its industry nor did it produce content designed appeal to export markets. C-Pop, in addition to these two factors, did not meet the third factor.