The K-pop industry has already reached a global scale. And their secret tip is called “1 PM on Friday”.
The agencies to which famous K-pop artists belong such as HYBE Music, SM Entertainment and YG Entertainment are strategically targeting overseas markets. Of course, BTS is the pioneer of this strategy. The group released their first English song ‘Dynamite’ at 1 PM on Friday, August 21 last year. Meanwhile, in Korea, most artists release their songs at 6 PM on weekdays from Monday to Thursday. BTS’s activity can be seen as a movement considering the American music market. 1 PM on Friday (KST) is 0 AM on Friday (EST), and Billboard charts are compiled from Friday to next Thursday according to the Eastern U.S time zone.
In fact, BTS topped ‘Hot 100’ for the first time with “Dynamite”. Now, not only BTS but also many K-pop artists such as BLACKPINK, NCT 127, and SuperM release their music at 1 PM on Friday. NCT 127 released ‘Sticker’, which ranked 3rd on ‘Billboard 200’, at 1 PM on Friday, September 17. Recently, the group SEVENTEEN announced that their 9th mini-album ‘ATTACCA’ will be released at 1 PM on Friday, October 22.
K-pop artists have taken over the Billboard. Released on September 24, BTS’s new song with the global rock band Coldplay – “My Universe” – topped Billboard’s main singles chart “Hot 100” (week of October 9) as soon as it entered the chart.
With this, BTS has had 6th ‘Hot 100’ No.1 songs, including ‘Dynamite’ (released in August last year) – the digital single which helped the group to become the first Korean singer to top Billboard ‘Hot 100’, ‘Savage Love’ remix version, ‘Life Goes On’, ‘Butter’, ‘Permission to Dance’ and ‘My Universe’. This is a record made over a span of 1 year and 1 month, and also the quickest accumulation since The Beatles scored six over 1 year and 2 weeks in 1964 – 1966.
It’s not just BTS. NCT 127 ranked 3rd on Billboard’s main album chart ‘Billboard 200’ (week of October 2) with their 3rd full album ‘Sticker’. Previously, Tomorrow X Together charted at No.5 on ‘Billboard 200’ (week of June 19) with ‘The Chaos Chapter: FREEZE’. Several K-pop artists such as ATEEZ and Stray Kids are also getting high ranks on Billboard charts. Billboard, which began to sum up the ranking and announce the popularity of mainstream music from 1958, is the most popular and credible chart in the world. K-pop artists are achieving unlimited global growth with their outstanding performances on the Billboard charts.
“The K-pop industry has already become global. The target audience of K-pop has changed to the global public. It’s because the commercial effect obtained through the global public is significant. But this doesn’t mean the domestic market is not important or has a small proportion. However, the Korean idol industry is a red ocean. Although the market is large, its growth potential is small compared to the artists’ efforts, and its performance is also partially predictable. On the other hand, the overseas market has endless possibilities. Even now, the number of music profits and YouTube views that K-pop artists are earning abroad is enormous. Moreover, getting attention abroad is ultimately related to getting attention in Korea.”
Kim Young-dae, a popular culture critic
Critic Kim Young-dae highly appreciated the growth potential of the K-pop industry in the U.S. in the future. He analyzed, “The domestic public is more familiar with EXO and Super Junior among SM Entertainment artists. However, NCT 127’s performance is much better in the U.S. It’s evidence that the market is growing every year and that K-pop’s recognition itself is increasing. Each group’s ability is important, but the expansion of the K-pop market and the potential of the K-pop industry in the U.S. can’t be ignored. This movement will continue for the time being.”
Source: daeum
