Finding k-pop trends is not easy, especially since there are so many different styles of music that get attached to certain groups. Some things such as hair colors and fashion lines are clearly influenced by Korea, but what about lyrics?

There have been some theories put forward as to why songs with Korean lyrics become popular beyond the language itself. These include:

Koreans love strong languages, making their song lyrics feel even more powerful.

Many people associate Korean culture and language with excellence, giving credit for the success of these songs.

K-pop groups get mature

As k-pop fully matures as an industry, we are now seeing some very impressive group formations. Some make you feel like they have been watching these artists’ performances for years!

Korean music has always had its growing pains, but never before have we seen so many grown up groups in such a short amount of time. A few years ago, most people were not even aware that BTS or BLACKPINK existed!

Now they are among the biggest Korean bands around with their own fan bases and incredible success. The fact that both of those groups contain members who are still children makes it all the more spectacular!

These artist development teams work hard to bring out the best in each other, while also encouraging individual growth.

K-pop groups start having fun

A lot of k-pop songs are very serious, even when they seem like they’re not! This is why most people do not understand k-pop until it happens. When k-pop groups have their own internal competitions or games, it is considered ‘having fun’. These games usually revolve around who can sing the best or say the funniest lyrics.

There was a famous example of this in the Korean media recently. On May 5th, BTS performed an unrehearsed concert at Seoul Olympic Stadium. During the performance, member Jin sang a solo verse that didn’t sound too good. He then quickly switched to his second line, which sounded better but was also quite funny.

The other members all laughed hysterically as he said the second line and himself repeated it twice more. It seems like BTS always have fun together before and after performances, so this isn’t a new thing for them. But because of this incident, some fans were able to relate and connect with him more.

This kind of casual interaction between members is something that many idol groups don’t have due to how professional they are perceived to be. However, there is nothing wrong with having a little fun every once in a while!

Korean celebrities often use social media to show off their daily lives, so it is easy to follow what they are doing.

K-pop groups start experimenting

As k-pop artists progress, they often begin to experiment with different styles or genres. This is because as popular bands grow in strength, they are given more creative freedom to try new things!

K-pop has always been characterized by its experimentation, but over the past few years it seems like every artist of any group has their own unique style that sets them apart from others.

Some examples of this would be Dancemania songs with heavy bass lines, mixed into Korean lyrics set to music usually done alone. Or perhaps there’s an acoustic song with flamboyant choreography.

There have even been instances where members of a group will go solo and lead their separate careers! All of these examples show how much creativity each member brings to the table and how strong their bond is as a team.

K-pop groups start embracing their country of origin

Many k-pop songs feature lyrics that emphasize how popular your group is, or how well known you are. This effect is called international marketing!

Korean culture features heavily into most music genres, so it makes sense for Korean groups to use this as a way to market themselves.

Many k-pop songs include references to famous locations, foods, cars, and even countries in Asia. Some even make references to historical events like The Great Gatsby or the Vietnam War!

These references are not only clever, but also quite meaningful to the audience who recognizes them. These touches really appeal to people’s cultural curiosity and self-identity.

This article will talk more about some examples of this in action.

K-pop groups start collaborating with each other

After one group is popular, they are joined by another group or individual to form a collaboration project. This is when two or more artists work together for a specific goal such as having their song in a movie or airing week after week.

These collaborations can be done for an album, a single, or both! Artists who join together typically do so because of his or her popularity, or due to friendship. Some examples of this include The Wanted joining Harry Styles at the VMA’s, Ariana Grande teaming up with Miley Cyrus for a track, and Taylor Swift partnering up with Katy Perry for “Bad Blood.”

There are many reasons why people choose to collaborate in k-pop. Some like being part of a bigger team while others feel that it’s good for their career.

K-pop groups start taking their music global

Many k-pop artists begin exploring other cultures to find new sounds and styles they can add into their songs. Some of these new genres are not even close to being classified as “music”, making it difficult to describe what style of music they are.

Korean lyrics often include references to musical instruments such as drums or guitars, but there is no clear sound that matches those descriptions.

Many k-pop artists therefore use sampling, or taking small parts of another song and incorporating them into theirs. A famous example of this is BTS’s hit song ‘IDOL’ where part of the chorus is an earworm sample from The Beatles’ track ‘Hey Jude’.

Another trend we have seen in recent years is Korean artists adding English language vocals to their tracks! This seems very odd at first, but you get used to it quickly.

Some examples of this includes Psy’s mega-hit ‘Gangnam Style’, IU’s latest single ‘Good Night’, and BIG’s ‘Bad Boy Dance (Taekwondo)’.

There is no definitive reason for why k-pop artists do this, but many believe it helps promote the genre globally. They also seem to enjoy creating weird hybrids by mixing languages together.

K-pop groups start making new music

As k-pop artists gear up to launch their next album, what style of song is popular seems to make or break how well it does in sales. Many musicians in the west have adapted some parts of Korean culture and incorporated them into their songs!

Korean lyrics are very poetic so there’s an emphasis on rhymes and metaphors which makes for intense listening. A lot of people may not be familiar with these tropes and how they apply to everyday life, but once you do your ears will perk up and you’ll notice a ton of inspiration!

A few examples of this include “I want to give you my heart,” by Ariana Grande, or “If I were a movie, my story would be that one,” by Taylor Swift. Both of those songs use metaphor and rhyme to emphasize the importance of relationships and love.

In fact, many k-pop songs contain strong messages about self-love and acceptance of others.

K-pop groups start making new albums

It is not uncommon to see an upcoming k-pop group launch their very first album, which features only one song that has gone viral or hit number one on music charts. This song typically gets a lot of attention because it is either really catchy or feature rich.

Many times these songs are written by the member who leads the song and/or lyrics they write themselves. Sometimes, members will bring in other writers to collaborate on the song if they do not have any ideas for the melody or lyrics.

The k-pop artist then gathers a full production team around them to help with the song, setting up recording booths and finding professionals to contribute to the final product.