K-POP 5th Gen

• · More songs now take off first in short videos like TikTok and Shorts.
• · Groups made up entirely of non-Korean members, or debuting overseas first, also emerged.
• · New forms emerged, such as a virtual idol taking No. 1 on a music show.

Group 19

Key events of this era

1. 2023Jimin's 'Like Crazy' debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, the first Hot 100 No. 1 by a Korean solo artist (chart dated April 8).
2. 2023BLACKPINK became the first Asian act to headline the Coachella festival.
3. 2024ROSÉ and Bruno Mars released 'APT.', which held No. 1 on the Billboard Global 200 for a long run and reached No. 3 on the Hot 100.
4. 2025All BTS members completed their military service by June.
5. 2025KPop Demon Hunters, a Netflix animated film about K-pop idols, was released and became the most-watched film in Netflix history.
6. 2025'Golden' by HUNTR/X, the girl group in the film, reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and held the top spot for a total of 8 weeks. It is the first K-pop song with female vocals to top the Hot 100.
7. 2026'Golden' won Best Song Written for Visual Media at the 68th Grammy Awards, becoming the first K-pop song to win a Grammy.
8. 2026'Golden' won Best Original Song at the 98th Academy Awards, and 'KPop Demon Hunters' also won Best Animated Feature.
9. 2026BTS released 'ARIRANG', their 5th full album and first as a complete group in about four years, and the next day held a comeback concert at Gwanghwamun Square streamed live on Netflix.
10. 2026BTS's 'SWIM' debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and 'ARIRANG' at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 at the same time (chart dated April 4).