Top 10 Pop culture moments of the decade #3: K-Pop

An entire decade has passed and, surprisingly, we are still here. From the world ending in 2012 to fidget spinners, this decade has been filled with iconic and weird memories. In this segment, our writer reflects back on this decade and decides which pop culture moments were the most memorable or the most influential. 

Although the roots of Korean pop music began in the late 1990s and early 2000s, this decade has been dominated by K-pop.  

Through social media and Korean TV shows, Korean pop music, affectionately called K-pop, has grown into its own subculture. I knew of K-pop since my old elementary school days, with female idols like BoA being a regular on my iPod nano playlists. Although Korean entertainment is nothing new, the 2010s saw an influx of K-pop idols and groups into the dominant socio-cultural sphere, leading to a normalization of K-pop in many global media outlets.  

Starting with Psy’s Gangnam Style making history in 2012 as YouTube’s most viewed video of all time, K-pop groups such as BTS and Blackpink have become a worldwide phenomenon. Girls’ Generation became the first K-pop group to perform on late-night television in 2012 as well.

BTS ended a world tour in 2019, became the first K-pop group to perform at Wembley Stadium, performed on Saturday Night Live, won Top Social Artist at the Billboard Music Awards for the third year in a row, and the list goes on and on. Blackpink performed at Coachella and made history on Hot 100 and Billboard 200 charts.

Basically, K-pop is inescapable. You couldn’t enter any section of the massive inter-webs without hearing something about K-pop. It’s on Twitter, Reddit, YouTube, Facebook, BBC, CTV, everywhere.

Do I hate K-pop? Of course not. Do I love K-pop? Not really. My relationship with K-pop is more of an ambivalent spectator. I am a firm believer in listening to whatever you enjoy, but this industry and its fanbase are tough and I have to give props when its due. K-pop fans are the most devoted fanbase there is, but considering how tough the K-pop business is, I understand their devotion.

Honestly, looking at the top moments of K-pop in the 2010s could be an article of its own, and this is only the start of this global phenomenon.

Let’s see what 2020 has in store for K-pop!