- Asia remained the largest consumer base for K-pop in 2025, with South Korea, Japan, and Indonesia leading the way.
- Western markets regained share without breaking Asia's lead, with the United States advancing to fourth place and Europe showing consistent gains.
- Veteran acts and soloists, including G-Dragon, BIGBANG, and Jennie, drove a viewership increase.
K-pop maintained steady control of its regional zones of influence even as Western markets began to reclaim share. That grip persisted in a year when music streaming worldwide increased by nearly 10% to 5.1 trillion streams, according to Luminate's 2025 Year-End Music Report, indicating a complex inflection point in the genre's commercial trajectory.
K-pop's global consumption remained centered on Asia, with South Korea, Japan, and Indonesia remaining its top three markets. As per K-Pop Radar's year-end report, which counted YouTube views between Jan 1 and Dec 31, 2025, the above markets maintained their strongholds from the previous year. This depicts a consistency that demonstrates Asia's long-standing and profound interest in the genre.
K-pop Radar
Asia Remains K-pop’s Core Market
South Korea not only had the greatest consumption base, but it also increased its market share year on year, establishing its pivotal role in both creation and domestic participation. Japan remained second, but its share fell from 8.44% to 7.41%, which experts see as market maturing rather than shrinking. Indonesia retained third place, demonstrating its growing integration into the global K-pop ecosystem.
Notably, Taiwan rose for the second consecutive year to ninth place, entering the global Top 10 K-pop markets with another Asian country, Thailand ranking at No. 6. Interestingly, India, which ranked fourth in global K-pop consumption in the year 2024, had slipped to fifth in 2025, while the Philippines rounded off the top 10 with two Latin American countries Mexico and Brazil ranking seventh and eighth, respectively, in 2025.
Outside the top tier, the United States ascended to fourth place, accounting for 6.25% of worldwide K-pop consumption, up one rank from 2024. Western markets, such as the United Kingdom, soared rapidly to 17th place, while France, Germany, and Canada also saw increases, indicating a diverse global audience.
BLACKPINK
Legacy Acts and Soloists Drive K-pop Views
Day6 topped the domestic Korean charts, surpassing acts such as aespa. Legacy artists like IU and G-Dragon also made significant gains. Along with Day6 and aespa, IU also ranked at the top in domestic Korean charts. G-Dragon had the highest year-on-year view increase with 200 million views, whilst his band BIGBANG remained a top-ranked act, finishing fourth overall. Solo performers like Woodz and Jennie (BLACKPINK) also made significant progress, demonstrating the commercial potential of individual artistry outside group forms.
K-pop Radar
Stray Kids led K-pop viewership in the United States with 8.63%, while KATSEYE saw the largest rise, indicating a stronger rivalry. Rosé (BLACKPINK) ruled the UK with an 11.63% share, while (G)I-dle led Taiwan.
K-pop’s Export Power Grows
South Korea is currently fourth in global music export power, according to Luminate's 2025 Year-End Music Report, following the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada. It is the industry's leading non-English-language exporter, indicating that K-pop has grown into a long-term cultural export engine rather than a temporary phenomenon.
Overall, the data reveals that, while K-pop's center remains in Asia, targeted localization and increased fan involvement are driving measurable growth in Western countries, leading to a more multifaceted global footprint for the genre by 2026.
