How K-Pop Became a Global Soft Power Force While C-Pop Lagged

The global success of K-Pop, exemplified by acts like BTS, has provided South Korea with significant soft power, a phenomenon that has been observed with envy in China, which has struggled to achieve similar international reach with its own music industry, often referred to as C-Pop.

The concert finale of BTS's "ARIRANG" North American tour at Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium saw tens of thousands of fans waving South Korean flags and singing along to a traditional Korean melody. This four-night run in LA concluded a tour of 31 sold-out shows, drawing approximately 1.92 million attendees, according to the band's agency. This figure rivals the attendance of Beyoncé’s 2023 Renaissance tour, which sold around 1.73 million tickets across 35 North American shows.

For over a decade, China has watched South Korea’s cultural exports accumulate soft power. As early as 2014, Chinese officials like Wang Qishan noted the reach of Korean culture, citing popular TV dramas and Psy's global hit "Gangnam Style." Beijing sought to emulate Seoul's success, signing agreements for annual cultural-industry forums and cooperation in marketing cultural products abroad.

Despite its larger population and the world's fourth-largest recorded-music market, China has not produced a music industry comparable to the international following of major K-Pop acts. While Taiwanese and Hong Kong artists have their own followings, they have not spawned acts as ubiquitous as Blackpink or Stray Kids.

K-Pop's global appeal extends across linguistic and political boundaries, reaching markets like Indonesia, Mexico, the Philippines, and Brazil, areas where China has invested heavily in pursuing soft power. This widespread affection for K-Pop provides Seoul with an advantage its diplomats would find difficult to arrange.

One key factor in China's struggle is the sheer size of its domestic market. For Chinese musicians, there are strong commercial incentives to focus on home audiences rather than invest years in understanding and appealing to international tastes. Conversely, Korean companies, with smaller domestic markets, faced greater pressure to take on the risks and costs of finding fans abroad.

Korean entertainment agencies have adapted by combining intensive training with international recruitment of performers, songwriters, and choreographers. They have created acts with broad appeal, where visual elements like dance moves, as seen with Psy, can transcend language barriers. This willingness to incorporate diverse influences has helped K-Pop travel globally.

Digital platforms like YouTube have been crucial in K-Pop's dissemination, allowing fans to share performances and create their own content, bypassing traditional broadcasters. The viral success of "Gangnam Style," which garnered over a billion views and reached nearly 75 countries, demonstrated the power of fan-driven distribution. American businesses, such as Sony Pictures Animation with its film "Kpop Demon Hunters," are now also finding commercial reasons to promote Korean pop culture.

In contrast, Chinese performers face hurdles in achieving similar global circulation. Platforms like YouTube and Instagram are blocked in China, disconnecting domestic artists from international fan bases. While music can be released overseas, enthusiastic supporters within China cannot easily share it, slowing its reach to international listeners. Beijing's stringent control over content entering the country complicates its efforts to export its cultural products.

Furthermore, Chinese authorities have tightened supervision over fan accounts and entertainment, banning idol-development shows and enforcing political correctness. Regulations targeting supposedly effeminate male entertainers, while framed as consumer protection, also assert governmental control over cultural tastes. This state-directed approach contrasts sharply with the organic appeal that drives K-Pop's global success.

Political scientist Joseph Nye noted that popular entertainment often conveys subtle messages about individualism and consumer choice, which can have political effects. A country that offers pleasure and entertainment to global audiences is more likely to receive sympathetic consideration on the international stage. While South Korea still requires effective policies, K-Pop offers an advantage over nations whose primary introduction to foreign publics is through disputes or threats.

China's own experience has shown the resilience of cultural affection. Despite unofficial restrictions on Korean entertainment imposed after South Korea agreed to host an American missile-defense system, Chinese fans of K-Pop have continued to travel abroad to see their favorite performers. This demonstrates that audience loyalty can persist even in the face of geopolitical tensions.

Seoul has a vested interest in fostering an industry capable of sustaining such loyalties. While China points to government support for its entertainment companies as a model for cultural exports, its leaders must decide whether they can tolerate a pop industry that prioritizes pleasing fans over state directives. The global appeal of K-Pop suggests that allowing performers the freedom to cater to diverse international tastes is key to achieving widespread cultural influence.

Looking ahead, K-Pop acts like BTS and Blackpink are frequently mentioned in speculation about potential performers for the Super Bowl halftime show in 2027, indicating the genre's continued and growing presence in the US entertainment landscape.