A fan poses with a group photo of BTS, also known as the Bangtan Boys, during a celebration marking the South Korean’s K-pop band’s 12th debut anniversary in Goyang, South Korea, June 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man, File)
K-pop is in its fifth generation of idol groups in 2025 and if this year’s Spotify Wrapped proves anything, it’s that K-pop is a permanent force reshaping the soundscape of modern music.
As K-pop deepens its global footprint, the numbers reveal a fanbase that spans continents, cultures and languages more than ever before.
With K-pop now doubling down on its momentum in North America, the United States surged to No. 1 as Spotify’s top K-pop market for 2025.
Interestingly, South Korea, the birthplace of the global phenomenon, landed only at the 10th spot.
Philippines at 4th place
Moreover, Indonesia and Japan followed closely behind the US, securing the second and third positions. The Philippines held strong at fourth place.
When combined, the Southeast Asian countries continue to be one of the driving forces of K-pop streams worldwide.
Completing the top tier were Brazil, Mexico, Thailand, Taiwan and India, which rounded out the global top 10 markets of K-pop. Overall, K-pop listeners from around the world racked up more than 181 billion minutes streamed on the platform.
The industry’s momentum was further fueled by big crossovers in 2025. It was widely noted that this was the year K-pop went “all in” on America, with headline-grabbing collaborations, most notably the runaway hit “APT.” by Blackpink’s ROSÉ and Bruno Mars. The track not only electrified charts worldwide but also anchored itself as Spotify’s Global No. 1 K-pop Song of 2025.
A major curveball came from the unexpected blockbuster success of the Netflix animated film “KPop Demon Hunters,” whose soundtrack became a cultural phenomenon in its own right. Songs like “Golden,” “Your Idol,” “Soda Pop” and “How It’s Done” surged onto the global charts.
On the artist leaderboard, BTS reclaimed the throne as the No. 1 Global Top K-Pop Artist, followed by Stray Kids, Blackpink members JENNIE, ROSÉ and virtual group from “KPop Demon Hunters” HUNTR/X.
Groups like TWICE, BLACKPINK, ENHYPEN and global project girl group KATSEYE rounded out the top 10.
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