| K-pop girl band TWICE. Courtesy of JYP Entertainment |
By Dong Sun-hwa
A third-generation of "hallyu" is blooming in Japan, according to recent reports.
Fans aged from 10 to people in their twenties, are uninterested in soured Korea-Japan relations or politics in general.
TWICE, a girl group that includes a Japanese member, with hits such as "Cheer Up" and "Knock Knock," and BTS, the Billboard chart-topping Korean boy band, are leading the new wave.
TWICE joined NHK's Red & White Year-end Song Festival, a major festival in Japan that invites only a few selected singers.
| K-pop boy group BTS. Courtesy of Big Hit Entertainment |
BTS's "Fake Love" is a hot act in Japan as well. Japan's NTV produced and broadcast a special feature about BTS on June 7.
According to Japanese reports, the first-generation hallyu started in 2003 with K-drama "Winter Sonata" starring Bae Yong-joon and Choi Ji-woo. The second followed in 2010-2012, with boy band TVXQ and girl group KARA.