Category:Korean Pop Music

Korean Pop Music, or K-pop, is an umbrella term for music originating from South Korea, usually similar in genre to pop in the United States. Usually known outside the country for the numerous Idol Singers and idol bands in the industry. K-pop and other Korean based entertainment such as Korean Dramas have become very popular throughout Asia, in a phenomenon which has been nicknamed the "Hallyu Wave". Outside of South Korea, the genre has seen fans from Southeast Asia and Latin America, particularly in Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Peru and Argentina.

While the genre has seen a surge in popularity in the 21st century and made a dent in Western markets thanks to the rise of social media, two prominent examples being Wondergirls' "Nobody" and PSY's "Gangnam Style", it has also been derided as being formulaic, manufactured and exploitative. Even some fans of the genre do acknowledge what amounted to the "dark underbelly" of Korean show business, which while obviously not unique to Korea (see Frank Farian's machinations with Milli Vanilli for example) has been something of a dark mark for those getting into the genre especially with the performers' well-being and the price of their fame, with most groups having little to no creative control, tight regimens and even rabid fans making the performers' personal lives even more of a pain.