The girl group ILLIT performs its song "Magnetic" in the music show "M Countdown." Courtesy of Mnet
Easy listening music has surged in popularity among Korean music consumers, dominating YouTube's weekly popular music charts from Jan. 5 to June 20, according to a comprehensive analysis by the Hankook Ilbo, a sister publication of The Korea Times.
The girl group ILLIT's "Magnetic" secured the second spot with over 50.11 million views, while the boy group TWS's "First Meeting Doesn't Go as Planned" came in third with 50.10 million views.
Both groups, which debuted earlier this year, have led a generational shift in the music market by emphasizing relatability and simplicity, shunning the complex worldview concept, mysticism and hardcore music typically associated with K-pop.
The group TWS performs in the music program "M Countdown." Courtesy of Mnet
Shift in K-pop dynamics
ILLIT, despite facing accusations of imitating NewJeans amid internal conflicts between HYBE Chairman Bang Si-hyuk and Ador CEO Min Hee-jin, managed to win over the public.
Music critic Kim Do-heon said, "ILLIT's music is based on shimmering electronic sounds with addictive choruses that feature sudden stops, making it highly compatible with short-form content."
TWS's song has also embedded itself into daily life, with its relatable narrative even being used in political campaign slogans. The trend toward easy listening isn't limited to K-pop dance music.
R&B singer BIBI's waltz-inspired track "Bam Yang Gaeng," which evokes a nostalgic emotion, ranked 10th with 38.82 million views.
Singer BIBI eats the Korean red bean dessert, "yanggaeng," in the music video for "Bam Yang Gaeng." Captured from YouTube
Decline in traditional music chart powerhouses
While easy listening music gains traction, traditional K-pop powerhouses JYP and YG Entertainment have struggled to make an impact.
No artists from these companies were in the top 15 most popular tracks.
(G)I-DLE's "I Hate Being Sick" topped the YouTube charts with 57.5 million views. Interestingly, it was not the title track of the group's album "2," but the sixth track, which gained popularity a month after the album's release, indicating a growing trend of "reverse hits" in the music industry.
Members of the band Seventeen perform during the Glastonbury Festival in Worthy Farm, Somerset, England, June 28. This marks the first time a K-pop idol group has performed on the main stage of the festival. AP-Yonhap
Physical album sales slump
Despite the sunny outlook for the online music market, the physical album market has seen a decline. From Dec. 31, 2023, to June 22, album sales totaled 45.49 million, a significant drop from 54.89 million in the first half of the previous year.
Factors contributing to this decline include the absence of new releases from top groups like Stray Kids and the military enlistments of BTS members Jimin and Suga, who had previously driven high sales with their solo albums.
Additionally, industry experts suggest that the decline in sales reflects a reduction in the "pushing" of albums by entertainment companies, a practice where large quantities of new albums are distributed to set initial sales records.
Kim Jin-woo, a researcher at Circle Chart, said, "Last year's intense competition to set early sales records likely involved over-distribution, and the market is now correcting itself."
Jimin of K-pop act BTS / Courtesy of Big Hit Music
J-pop's waning influence
Japanese J-pop, which had a strong presence on YouTube last year, has seen a decline.
Only one J-pop song, Creepy Nuts' "Bling Bang Bang Born," made it to the top 40 in the first half of this year.
In contrast, seven J-pop songs were in the top 40 during the same period last year, fueled by dance challenges on TikTok and anime theme songs.
"The surge in J-pop popularity last year was an unusual phenomenon driven by short-form challenges," said Japanese music critic Hwang Sun-eop. "While the frenzy has subsided, the base for J-pop is expanding with more diverse artists performing in Korea and the upcoming J-pop festival in the second half of the year."
Japanese hip-hop duo Creepy Nuts will perform at the Incheon Pentaport Rock Festival on Aug. 4. Captured from social media
This article was translated by generative AI and edited by staff of The Korea Times.