Billboard K-Town

Billboard K-Town is an online magazine column presented weekly, on various days, by Billboard on its Billboard.com site. The column, launched on January 29, 2013, reports on K-pop music; artists, concerts, chart information and news events. Billboard and its website had reported on K-pop for a number of years, following the evolution of K-pop, increasing the number of articles with the spike in 2009, and finally culminated in a column specifically for the genre after Psy's July 2012, "Gangnam Style" hit made K-pop history and doubled online viewership. K-Town was created as part of the popular music publication's website relaunch, with new features for fans, and the goal of providing more on-site reporting of festivals, award shows, and other major music events.

Billboard K-Town
Screenshot of Billboard K-Town column launch
TypeMusic column
FormatGraphics, text, videos
Owner(s)Billboard
Staff writersJeff Benjamin
FoundedJanuary 29, 2013
LanguageEnglish
HeadquartersNew York City, New York, U.S.
CirculationOnline
Websitewww.billboard.com/k-pop

History
Beast's Junhyung and Hyunseung, "Fiction" KBS concert rehearsal, 29th New York Korean Festival, Overpeck County Park, October 9, 2011.

Beginnings, 2009–2012

In the fall of 2009, some of Billboard's earliest online K-pop coverage included articles of the first K-pop artists to chart on the Billboard Hot 100, the Wonder Girls, who debuted at No. 76 with "Nobody", including a feature of their stay in the U.S. and their tour opening for Jonas Brothers.[1] In 2009, according to statistics from Google Trends, online searches for K-pop began their steady increase, after the release of two smash hit singles, Super Junior's "Sorry, Sorry" and Girls' Generation's "Gee".[2]

In 2010, the Wonder Girls were featured as the first K-pop artists on Billboard's annual showcase "21 under 21".[3] Later that year, Billboard invited the first K-pop artists to their New York studio, where JYJ performed "Ayyy Girl" and "Empty" from their album The Beginning, and in December, Billboard's readers put the album on the Billboard Readers' Poll "Your Fave Album Of 2010".[4][5][6]

Billboard reported that the South Korean music industry grossed nearly $3.4 billion during the first half of 2011, and Time recognized K-pop as "South Korea's Greatest Export".[2] On August 25, 2011, Billboard and Billboard Korea launched the Billboard Korea K-Pop Hot 100 chart, ranking digital sales of the country's top songs and mobile downloads, and modeled on its Billboard Hot 100 and other Asian charts. Sistar's song "So Cool" was the first to top the chart.[7][8] On November 25–26, 2011, Billboard Korea hosted the "2011 Billboard K-Pop Masters, presented by MGM Grand" inside the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.[9][10] The line-up included TVXQ, 4Minute, G.NA, MBLAQ, Sistar, Beast, Shinee, and Brown Eyed Girls.[11] The MGM Grand said the event would serve as "an opportunity to showcase the appeal of K-pop music as one of the fastest-growing musical trends around the world."[12]

Psy's July 2012 hit, "Gangnam Style", took "the genre to the top of western charts," and made K-pop history.[13][14] His success reached beyond the Korean-American community, and doubled online viewership, according to Google data.[15] But, not everyone was happy with the song's success on the Billboard charts, especially with its No. 1 spot on the new Hot Rap Songs chart;[16] it reached No. 2 on Billboard Hot 100.[17] Critics said the October 2012 change in the way the magazine tallied their charts, which included digital sales, online streams and radio airplay, gave stars with a pop-oriented sound and broad crossover appeal an advantage over other artists.[16] Later in the year, CNN noted that Billboard's 2012 "annual series of top 21 musicians under the age of 21" listed K-pop star IU at 15th on a list which included heavyweights in the western music business such as Miley Cyrus and Justin Bieber."[18]

2013–present
VIXX fans, Global Citizen Earth Day concert, National Mall, April 18, 2015

Web presence and K-Town launch

In January 2013, Billboard relaunched its websites with new features, including "enhanced content for fans" on its consumer site Billboard.com, with the intent to provide more on-site reporting of festivals, award shows, and other major music events.[19] Billboard's website is one of the most popular music publications online, and in 2013 comScore reported an average of 3.3 million visitors a month in the United States, just after Rolling Stone, and followed by Pitchfork and Spin.[20] A year and a half later, in 2014, the site had 13 million unique viewers for the month of August, and combined with totals for its sister publication, The Hollywood Reporter, the Guggenheim Media Entertainment Group placed as the fourth most popular entertainment website, behind TMZ, E! Online and People.com.[21] In addition to the U.S. based website, Billboard has business operations in South Korea,[22] home of K-pop.[23][24]

The relaunch included a new column, "K-Town", in a move to bring K-pop news, songs and music videos to its readers each week.[25] Girls' Generation welcomed the column with a video greeting,[26] and the first column article was a feature on "rising K-pop superstars" Infinite.[25][27] In April 2013, The Korea Herald said, "the effect of YouTube and the Billboard chart cannot be ignored in the international success of Psy's "Gangnam Style"," and "Billboard's recent interest in K-pop is not a fleeting phenomenon."[28]

By July 2013, a year after "Gangnam Style", Billboard reported a continued surge and Psy's scoring again with a new hit, "Gentleman". According to Google, 91% of viewership on top K-pop channels was then coming from outside the Asia-Pacific region, as compared to less than half in 2011. Billboard provided a "Top 10 K-Pop Hits Post-Gangnam Style" (Psy's "Gentleman", Girls' Generation's "I Got a Boy", Hyuna's "Ice Cream", G-Dragon's "Crayon", G-Dragon's "One of a Kind", G-Dragon's "That XX", Girls' Generation's "Oh!", Beast's "Beautiful Night", Girls Generation's "Flower Power", and Kara's "Pandora"); and credited the two groups, Girls' Generation and Big Bang, as major acts that had cultivated large international followings.[29] At the end of the year, David Bevan of The Washington Post described the "distinctly fervent (and always online) K-pop fan network."[15]

At the start of 2014, in a special to The Globe and Mail, music critic J. D. Considine[30] wrote, "Perhaps it's a mistake, then, to think of the Korean Wave as a massive tsunami. Instead, it seems more like a steady flow, rising slowly but steadily seeping in." He quoted K-Town columnist Jeff Benjamin, "K-Pop lives and breathes online," and "That's why it's been able to cross into mainstream consciousness."[31] At year's end, Janice Min, co-president and chief creative officer of the Guggenheim Media Entertainment Group overseeing The Hollywood Reporter and Billboard said, "The world is getting more and more interested in Hallyu content",[32] and "We cover a lot of Korean content at Billboard, I would say almost obsessively."[33] K-Town's 2014 coverage included "Gangnam Style" breaking YouTube's video view counter in December, with more than 2.15 billion views, forcing them to upgrade,[34] and the first K-pop artist on Rolling Stone's year-end list, 2NE1's Crush at No. 6 on the "20 Best Pop Albums of 2014".[35][36]

The "Billboard Korea" website at Billboard.co.kr, refreshened its image and relaunched on December 20, 2017, and included the K-Pop Hot 100 chart's weekly updates.[37]

A January 2019 website analysis by Alexa Internet found that almost half of the visitors to Billboard.com were from the U.S. The top keyword searches sending traffic to the site were the Billboard Hot 100 chart (1.5 percent), the K-pop group BTS (.41 percent), and Billboard "top 100" and "country songs", respectively (.38 percent). The top sites linking in were the Chinese-based baidu.com and sina.com.cn, and South Korean-based naver.com.[38]

K-pop media source

As a media focal point for K-pop information, in 2016 alone, K-Town columnist Benjamin participated in K-pop conferences and media inquiries about K-pop's status in America. In February, he spoke on a Boston University College of Arts and Sciences' panel, "Music & Media: Korean Pop Industry", which included issues about K-pop's fit with Western culture and the Korean entertainment industry's close scrutiny of media interviews.[39] In June, at KCON NY, he told NBC News Stephany Bai that K-pop was gaining global fans while retaining its "distinctive characteristics". He credited its continued success with things like accessibility on social media, song titles in English on YouTube, and an ability to involve fans in what he called K-pop's "scene" rather than a genre, which involves them in a "whole different world".[40] In July, with almost 190 foreign reporters registered to cover KCON LA, he told Korea Times reporter Si-soo Park, "K-pop is getting closer to the mainstream", and mentioned its coverage by major news outlets like The New York Times and others.[41] In November, he contributed K-pop analysis for a Time report on artists CL, Eric Nam, and Dean's attempts to enter the mainstream music market in America.[42]

Chart information
Local K-pop dance teams vie at Kaja Kon dance/concert, Miami Beach Convention Center, The Gleason Room Backstage, October 30, 2016

Lists of K-pop on the Billboard charts
Main article: List of K-pop on the Billboard charts
Main article: List of K-pop albums on the Billboard charts
Main article: List of K-pop songs on the Billboard charts
Main article: List of K-pop on the Billboard year-end charts

The Korea K-Pop Hot 100 chart was discontinued in the U.S. in May 2014,[43] and reestablished on Billboard.com as of the chart dated December 30, 2017.[44]

K-Town continued to follow K-pop artists' top and first-time K-pop ratings on all Billboard charts, with chart reports and features watched closely and rehashed by South Korean media and others internationally.[45][46][47] The column, also, reports on YouTube's views in the U.S. and around the world.[48]

Some early examples were: Billboard Twitter Real-Time "Trending 140", Psy's "Hangover" featuring Snoop Dogg reached No. 1 in late June 2014,[49] and a No. 1 and K-pop's first time for Infinite with "Last Romeo" in September 2014, on the Billboard Twitter Real-Time "Emerging Artists" chart.[50] Some other chart firsts included Got7 receiving a No. 2 on the Social 50 chart and a No. 45 on the Artist 100 chart in April 2016[51] and in October 2016, BTS receiving a No. 1 on the Social 50 chart (joining Psy's record) and a top K-pop artist scoring of No. 16 on the Artist 100 chart.[52] Additionally in 2016, BTS's Wings charted at No. 26 on Billboard 200 and No. 19 on Canadian Albums chart, setting records for K-pop on the charts;[53] new girl group Blackpink became the fastest act to hit No. 1 on the World Digital Song Sales chart with "Boombayah",[54] and CL's English language song "Lifted" charted at No. 94 on Billboard's Hot 100.[55]

In 2017, one group, BTS, began "dominating charts in the way no Korean act has ever done before", having first charted on the Billboard 200 chart in November 2015, with The Most Beautiful Moment in Life, Part 2 at No. 171,[56] and rising to a No. 7 debut for their October 2017 Love Yourself: Her.[57][58] They, subsequently, topped the chart in June 2018, at No. 1 with Love Yourself: Tear,[59] with the album's "Fake Love" debuting as the first for a K-pop group at No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100,[60] and again in September 2018, with a No. 1 for Love Yourself: Answer.[61] Their October 29, 2016, No. 1 on the Social 50 chart[56] reached its 100th week on the chart dated November 17, 2018, and they became the "second artist overall, after Justin Bieber, to log a triple-digit stay at the top since the chart began in December 2010".[62] In addition, they had more chart records for themselves on the social artist charts, and for their songs and albums, before, during, and after 2017.[56]

There was an all-time high of ten albums on the Billboard 200 chart in 2018, BTS had three, including the two No. 1 chartings, and others were Blackpink, Exo, J-Hope, Jonghyun, NCT 127, RM and Lay (Exo member who is also a Chinese pop star).[63][64] The Billboard Year-End charts showed BTS "breaking across genres" with multiple top and first-time K-pop chartings, and more K-pop charting for all artists, in general.[65]

Timeline of K-pop at Billboard
KCON Mexico City, BTS fans with banners asking for 2017 BTS Live Trilogy Episode III: The Wings Tour to come to Mexico, March 17, 2017.
Main article: Timeline of K-pop at Billboard
Main article: Timeline of K-pop at Billboard in the 2020s

K-Town documents K-pop history and events with features or announcements,[28] or "timelines" of multiple events, such as Tamar Herman's 2017, "Timeline of K-Pop on U.S. TV, in Honor of BTS Attending Billboard Music Awards",[66] and her 2018, "How BTS Took Over the World: A Timeline of The Group's Biggest Career Moments".[56]

Earlier coverage, in 2015, included analysis of the future of K-pop in America and which groups might succeed.[67] A watch was kept for collaborations of K-pop artists with mainstream American pop artists – March: "P.D.D", Rap Monster of BTS and Warren G;[68] April: "The Heartbroken (Kpop Remix)", Wonder Girls' Yubin and Justin Thorne, previously of NLT;[69] May: "Doctor Pepper", 2NE1's CL and Riff Raff and OG Maco, produced by Diplo;[70] July: "Cash Money" Brave Brothers and YG featuring Krayzie Bone;[71] and December: Psy released his album Chiljip Psy-da with tracks featuring will.i.am and Ed Sheeran.[72] Also, in March 2015, at a major U.S. music festival, Miami's Ultra, CL performed Dirty Vibe, a 2014 release with Skrillex and Diplo (which she and G-Dragon featured on), then her own rap in Korean lyrics, during a performance with Sean Combs, which Benjamin called "a breakthrough moment for Korean music";[73] with echoes from Korean media.[74]

The column includes articles about the attention K-pop artists receive from the film industry, Hollywood and American celebrities, like prior Billboard articles on Rain, his 2008 debut in the Hollywood film Speed Racer,[75] and appearance as a guest on The Colbert Report.[76] K-Town shared multiple 2015 such articles: a TV station Nickelodeon aired a K-pop inspired show Make It Pop,[77][78][79] BigBang's "Fantastic Baby" was played in the trailer of Pitch Perfect 2,[80] Randy Jackson visited Epik High backstage,[81] and Emma Stone told Conan's viewers she is obsessed with K-pop, saying it is "beyond excellent, it's the best thing you've ever seen", and her favorites were 2NE1 and Girls' Generation.[82][83] In November 2015, Exo and Disney released "Light Saber", a song and music video for Star Wars: The Force Awakens.[84] And the 2017, BTS inspired timeline, article included a K-pop group's first appearance, BTS at the Billboard Music Award show,[56] along with a first nomination and win for the Top Social Artist award.[85]

Some news just documented the disbandments of groups, like 2016's report: January – Kara, June – 4Minute, October – Rainbow, November – 2NE1.[86] And, some articles provided K-pop analysis showing the interconnectedness with American music.[87]

Industry news
Nu'est fan purse, Gilley's Dallas, Texas concert, May 3, 2015

The K-pop industry news includes financial reports and growth. A June 2014 article discussed a study conducted by kickstarter website, MyMusicTaste.com, which looked at K-pop concert numbers and showed that the Wonder Girls 2010 U.S. tour accounted for 15 of the 18 concerts in North America for that year. After that, numbers ebbed to six in 2011, 13 in 2012, and 17 in 2013; with Super Junior, the largest touring act, first touring around Asia, then increasing tours to four continents in 2013.[88]

Their 2015 article said that K-pop was doing well: an IFPI report showed South Korea still in the top 10 global music market rankings, having moved ahead of Brazil, at $266 million in trade value;[89] the National Tax Service of South Korea said the average annual income for singers rose more than 72 percent since 2010; and overseas revenues growth, attributed to interest in Korea's pop culture, led by music and television dramas, nearly doubled in five years.[90] Experts credited the jumps to more international album sales and tours, with 2014 the biggest year for K-pop concerts in America.[91]

K-Town examined a new MyMusicTaste.com study in 2016, which found America was becoming a priority for touring Korean acts. The study was conducted while the site gauged local fan interest for future concerts and examined the number of K-pop concerts held between 2013 and approximately May 2016, which found that East Asia still had the most concerts, but their numbers were tapering, while North America, South America and Europe were showing consistent growth.[92] The top three countries with the most concerts abroad were Japan, China and the U.S.[92] The number one touring act in the study was the all-male group BigBang.[92] which was reported, by Forbes, to have made $44 million in pretax earnings in 2015, compared to $33.5 million made by the current highest-paid American all-male arena pop group, Maroon 5 and were No. 54 on the Forbes Celebrity 100.[93]

Reviews, interviews, and concert coverage

K-Town interviews K-pop artists when they visit the U.S. and occasionally in Seoul;[94] and publish concert, tour, and musical release announcements and reviews. Some interviews are videotaped at Billboard's studio in New York City and include English language subtitles and performances by the artists.[28][95]

In 2015, some concert reviews were – January: F.T. Island,[96] April: Amoeba Culture's Dynamic Duo, Primary, Zion.T and Crush,[97] June: Epik High[98] and July: BTS,[99] including their Billboard studio performance.[95] Epik High added tour dates and became the biggest North American K-pop tour in years,[100][101] and BTS sold-out VIP tickets were re-sold at more than $10,000.[102] In October, K-Town reviewed the Newark concert of BigBang's six-city North American tour, after their Los Angeles concert scored in the top ten on "Billboard Hot Tours" with a sold-out boxscore earning;[103][104][105] and did a November pre-concert interview with Block B.[106] More coverage included the concerts and conference days for KCON 2015 in California again, and first time on the East Coast,[107][108][109][110] including interviews with performers Red Velvet,[111] Got7,[112] Zion.T and Crush,[113] Roy Kim,[114] Monsta X,[115] and AOA.[116]

In 2016, interviews and concert coverage included Jay Park touring with AOMG,[117] DEAN,[118] Got7,[119] Crush[120] and a concert review of CL, all in NYC;[121] and an interview with Tablo before Epik High's appearances at Coachella.[122] K-Town again covered KCON in New York[123] and L.A.,[124][125] including interviews with Ailee,[126] Crush,[127] Day6,[128] Shinee,[129] Amber,[130] and Twice.[131] And, for the first time, they covered a Canadian event, the Toronto Kpop Con.[132]

In September 2018, Benjamin interviewed Got7 in Seoul,[94] while attending the MU:CON music industry convention and watching newer acts like Hoya, N.Flying, Kim Dong-han, Dreamcatcher and A.C.E.[133]

Fan-based polls and reports

In one of the voting contests sponsored by Billboard, the first K-pop win was BigBang's fans, the VIPs, who won the August 2014, Billboard Fan Army Face-Off, with 91% of the vote in the final round and second place going to Thirty Seconds to Mars fans, (with wins over Rihanna's fans in Round 1, Selena Gomez's fans in Round 2, Girls' Generation's fans in Round 3 and Skillet's fans in Round 4; with over 20 million votes cast.)[134][135]

Contributors
Jeff Benjamin, left and on-screen, hosting MU:CON Seoul 2018 panel on September 10.

Jeff Benjamin is K-Town's columnist and manager.[136] Prior to K-Town's launch, Billboard included K-pop news and articles, written by Billboard and Billboard Korea staff, which included Benjamin.[25][137] He is a music/journalism alumni of New York University, where he interned with Billboard[138] and has contributed to other media featuring K-pop, including The New York Times, Rolling Stone, BuzzFeed, Nylon, CBS Radio, Fuse TV, Mnet America, Mnet TV America and Radio.com.[136][139] For his K-pop journalism and his work at Billboard since 2013, he received the 2020 Korea Image Stepping Stone Bridge Award from the Corea Image Communication Institute (CICI), who said, "Benjamin did a great job of promoting K-pop overseas, being a bridge between Korea and the world."[140]

Billboard Korea Editor-in-Chief Jessica Oak has also written K-pop articles for Billboard since 2012, then for K-Town when it was launched,[141] along with other Billboard Korea staff from offices in Gangnam.[142] Billboard pop correspondent Tamar Herman, a graduate of Macaulay Honors College in East Asian studies, has contributed articles, as of 2016, and is the primary K-pop correspondent;[143] along with contributions to Forbes.com, NBC News, Entertainment Weekly and Vulture.[143][144]

Readership and reception

In April 2013, The Korea Herald said, "the more Billboard talks about K-pop, the faster the speed of K-pop advancement in the U.S. will be."[28]

As a K-Town columnist, Benjamin has been called upon for his opinions on K-pop from The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Entertainment Weekly, New York's Korea Society, Mnet America's Headliner series, Television in South Korea, NBC News, and Time, among others;[139][145][146] and has appeared in panels for KCON,[147][139] and Global Hallyu Forum 2013 Washington, D.C.[148][149] South Korean media, including South Korea's own music chart's, Gaon Music Chart,[150] has posted interviews and articles about Benjamin.[151][152][153][154] K-Town articles have been re-phrased and quoted in media in the U.S., South Korea, and around the world.[155][156][31][157][158][159]

References
  1. Bell, Crystal (November 20, 2009). "Breaking & Entering: The Wonder Girls". Billboard. Retrieved September 23, 2014.
  2. Jackson, Julie (13 August 2013). "Then & Now: A look back at the changing tides of K-pop". The Korea Herald. Retrieved 30 November 2015.
  3. Billboard Staff (September 23, 2010). "21 Under 21: Wonder Girls". Billboard. Retrieved September 21, 2014.
  4. "JYJ Performs 'Ayyy Girl' and "Empty" at the Billboard Studios in NYC!". MTV K. November 26, 2010. Retrieved September 21, 2014.
  5. Letkemann, Jessica (November 26, 2010). "JYJ Performs Live in Our Studio". Billboard. Retrieved September 21, 2014.
  6. "Readers' Poll Results: Your Fave Album Of 2010". Billboard. Retrieved September 20, 2014.
  7. Yoon-mi (August 31, 2011). "Sistar tops first Billboard K-pop chart". The Korea Herald. Retrieved September 17, 2014.
  8. PR Newswire (September 28, 2011). "Billboard Korea Premieres K-Pop Masters Event Presented By MGM Grand Friday, November 25". Reuters. Archived from the original on September 26, 2014. Retrieved September 17, 2014.
  9. Lee, KyungNam (December 5, 2011). "Hallyu stars at Las Vegas for '2011 K-Pop Billboard Masters'". Mwave. Archived from the original on September 26, 2014. Retrieved September 21, 2014.
  10. jbarky (December 2, 2011). "[Recap] 2011 Billboard K-Pop Masters". Soompi. Retrieved September 21, 2014.
  11. "Billboard 2011 K Pop Masters". Songkick. Retrieved September 17, 2014.
  12. "K-Pop to Descend on Las Vegas in November". The Chosun Ilbo. October 6, 2011. Retrieved September 17, 2014.
  13. McCurry, Justin (September 28, 2012). "K-pop stars: the lowdown on South Korean pop". The Guardian. Retrieved September 21, 2014.
  14. Power, John. "[Voice] Can Psy start a new Korean Wave?". The Korea Herald. Retrieved September 21, 2014.
  15. Bevan, David (November 8, 2013). "A year after 'Gangnam Style,' K-pop continues to make its mark in America". The Washington Post. Retrieved September 21, 2014.
  16. McKinley Jr., James C. (October 26, 2012). "Changes to Charts by Billboard Draw Fire". The New York Times. Retrieved September 21, 2014.
  17. Billboard Staff (November 1, 2012). "PSY Watch: Will 'Gangnam Style' Reach No. 1 on the Hot 100?". Billboard. Retrieved September 21, 2014.
  18. Voigt, Kevin (October 25, 2012). "Psy: One-hit wonder or K-pop breakthrough?". CNN. Retrieved September 26, 2014.
  19. Staff (January 29, 2013). "Billboard Reimagines Brand with Relaunch". Business Street. Retrieved September 16, 2014.
  20. Carr, David (January 7, 2014). "New Leader at Billboard Sees Future in Visuals". The New York Times. Retrieved September 16, 2014.
  21. Billboard Staff (October 6, 2014). "Billboard.com Breaks Traffic Record". Billboard. Retrieved January 20, 2019.
  22. Staff (January 28, 2013). "Billboard revamps magazine, iPad app, sites". Chicago Business Journal. Retrieved September 16, 2014.
  23. Lamb, Bill. "K-Pop". About.com Entertainment. Archived from the original on June 26, 2014. Retrieved September 25, 2014.
  24. Choe, Sang-Hun (August 9, 2013). "Cramming for Stardom at Korea's K-Pop Schools". The New York Times. Retrieved September 25, 2014.
  25. Bae, Soo-min (January 31, 2013). "Billboard launches K-pop column with INFINITE". The Korea Herald. Retrieved September 15, 2014.
  26. Benjamin, Jeff (January 29, 2013). "Billboard & Girls' Generation Welcome You to K-Town!". Billboard. Retrieved September 16, 2014.
  27. "빌보드, K-POP 칼럼 'K-타운' 신설" (in Korean). Korea Daily. January 30, 2013. Retrieved December 5, 2014.
  28. Jeong, Jin-young (April 14, 2013). "Will Billboard interest in K-pop expand the market?". The Korea Herald. Retrieved September 21, 2014.
  29. Gruger, William (July 15, 2013). "K-Pop's Profile Expands Exponentially, All Thanks to Psy". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 15, 2014.
  30. "rocksbackpageslibrary, J.D. Considine". Rock's Backpages. Retrieved September 22, 2014.
  31. Considine, J.D. (January 8, 2014). "So whatever happened to pop music's Korean Invasion?". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved September 22, 2014.
  32. Kim, James S. (October 8, 2014). "Janice Min Talks About K-pop's Global Impact and Future". KoreAm. Archived from the original on January 21, 2019. Retrieved January 21, 2019.
  33. Jackson, Julie (October 6, 2014). "[Herald Interview] Billboard's Janice Min talks potential and future of K-pop". The Korea Herald. Retrieved November 30, 2014.
  34. Lynch, Joe (December 3, 2014). "Psy's 'Gangnam Style' Breaks YouTube Video Counter". Billboard. Retrieved July 5, 2015.
  35. Benjamin, Jeff (December 22, 2014). "2NE1's 'Crush' Is First K-Pop Entry on Year-End World Albums Chart". Billboard. Retrieved July 5, 2015.
  36. Charles Aaron; Caryn Ganz; Maura Johnston; Brittany Spanos; Barry Walters (December 19, 2014). "20 Best Pop Albums of 2014". Rolling Stone. Retrieved July 5, 2015.
  37. Billboard Staff (December 20, 2017). "Billboard Relaunches in Korea With Focus on K-Pop". Billboard. Retrieved January 20, 2019.
  38. "billboard.com Traffic Statistics". Alexa Internet. January 20, 2019. Archived from the original on January 20, 2019. Retrieved January 20, 2019.
  39. Cheng, Michelle (February 22, 2016). "Western Journalists Take on K-Pop Phenomenon". The Quad. Retrieved November 1, 2016.
  40. Bai, Stephany (June 30, 2016). "KCON NY: The Dream of K-Pop Is Alive in New York". NBC News. Retrieved November 1, 2016.
  41. Park, Si-soo (August 1, 2016). "'K-pop gets closer to US mainstream'". The Korea Times. Retrieved November 1, 2016.
  42. Joyce Lee, Arpita Aneja and Salima Koroma (November 1, 2016). "Here's Why CL Is the Future of K-Pop in America". Time. Retrieved November 1, 2016.
  43. Kim, Ji-soo (October 8, 2014). "Janice Min says K-pop needs authenticity". The Korea Times. Retrieved January 21, 2019.
  44. "K-pop Hot 100 - Chart date December 30, 2017". Billboard Korea. September 14, 2019. Archived from the original on June 4, 2020. Retrieved September 14, 2019.
  45. Doo, Rumy (June 3, 2016). "Solo K-pop acts go strong on Billboard chart". The Korea Herald. Retrieved September 16, 2016.
  46. Tam, Lincoln (May 28, 2016). "Fans plan to welcome K-Pop group with haka". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved September 16, 2016.
  47. Kim, Yu Young (July 20, 2016). "K-pop groups dominate Billboard World Albums Chart". The Jakarta Post. Retrieved September 16, 2016.
  48. Benjamin, Jeff (June 6, 2014). "Most Viewed K-Pop Videos in America vs. Around the World: May 2014". Billboard. Retrieved September 26, 2014.
  49. Benjamin, Jeff (September 3, 2014). "How Has K-Pop Performed on Billboard's Twitter Charts So Far?". Billboard. Retrieved September 24, 2014.
  50. Benjamin, Jeff (September 11, 2014). "INFINITE Become First Korean Act to Top Twitter Emerging Artist Chart, Enter Top Tracks". Billboard. Retrieved September 24, 2014.
  51. Benjamin, Jeff (April 4, 2016). "GOT7 'Fly' Into Multiple Billboard Charts, Outpeak PSY on Artist 100 Chart". Billboard. Retrieved September 26, 2016.
  52. "Bangtan Boys hit No. 1 on Billboard's 'Social 50′". The Korea Times. October 19, 2016. Retrieved March 8, 2017.
  53. Benjamin, Jeff (October 17, 2016). "BTS' 'Wings' Sets New U.S. Record for Highest-Charting, Best-Selling K-Pop Album". Billboard. Retrieved October 18, 2016.
  54. Benjamin, Jeff (August 16, 2016). "Blackpink's Major Debut: New K-Pop Girl Group Lands No. 1 & 2 on World Digital Songs Chart". Billboard. Retrieved September 26, 2016.
  55. Benjamin, Jeff (October 12, 2016). "CL Enters the Hot 100 With Solo Single 'Lifted'". Billboard. Retrieved October 12, 2016.
  56. Herman, Tamar (May 14, 2018). "How BTS Took Over the World: A Timeline of The Group's Biggest Career Moments". Billboard. Retrieved January 20, 2019.
  57. Herman, Tamar (November 3, 2017). "Get the Stateside Take on Korean Supergroup BTS". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 20, 2019. Retrieved January 20, 2019.
  58. Jeff Benjamin and Keith Caulfield (September 24, 2017). "BTS Score Top 10 Debut on Billboard 200 With 'Love Yourself: Her' Album". Billboard. Retrieved January 20, 2019.
  59. Caulfield, Keith (May 27, 2018). "BTS' 'Love Yourself: Tear' Becomes First K-Pop Album to Hit No. 1 on Billboard 200 Chart". Billboard. Retrieved January 20, 2019.
  60. Trust, Gary (May 29, 2018). "BTS Scores First Hot 100 Top 10 for a K-Pop Group & Its First No. 1 on Digital Song Sales Chart With 'Fake Love'". Billboard. Retrieved May 30, 2018.
  61. Caulfield, Keith (September 2, 2018). "BTS Scores Second No. 1 Album on Billboard 200 Chart With 'Love Yourself: Answer'". Billboard. Retrieved January 20, 2019.
  62. Anderson, Trevor (November 11, 2018). "BTS Hits Landmark 100th Week at No. 1 on Social 50 Chart". Billboard. Retrieved January 20, 2019.
  63. Billboard Staff (December 17, 2018). "The 20 Best K-pop Albums of 2018: Critics' Picks". Billboard. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  64. Herman, Tamar (October 19, 2018). "Lay Takes Fantastical Journey in 'NAMANANA' Music Video: Premiere". Billboard. Retrieved January 26, 2019.
  65. Benjamin, Jeff (December 6, 2018). "The Year in K-Pop on the Charts: BTS Breaks Genre Barriers While the Scene Expands Its Reach". Billboard. Retrieved December 7, 2018.
  66. Herman, Tamar (May 18, 2017). "Timeline of K-Pop on U.S. TV, in Honor of BTS Attending Billboard Music Awards". Billboard. Retrieved January 20, 2019.
  67. Benjamin, Jeff (March 6, 2015). "Will a K-Pop Girl Group Take Over the U.S. Soon (Or Ever)?". Billboard. Retrieved July 26, 2015.
  68. Benjamin, Jeff (March 13, 2015). "4Minute's 'Crazy' EP Debuts at No. 1 on World Albums Chart". Billboard. Retrieved July 26, 2015.
  69. Benjamin, Jeff (April 1, 2015). "Exclusive Video Premiere: Singer-Songwriter Justin Thorne and Wonder Girls' Yubin Enlist Their Fans for 'The Heartbroken (K-Pop Remix)'". Billboard. Retrieved July 26, 2015.
  70. Benjamin, Jeff (May 22, 2015). "Listen to Diplo, CL, Riff Raff & OG Maco Team Up for 'Doctor Pepper'". Billboard. Retrieved July 26, 2015.
  71. "YG & Krayzie Bone Break International Borders With Brave Brothers-Produced 'Cash Money': Exclusive Video Premiere". Billboard. July 10, 2015. Retrieved July 26, 2015.
  72. Benjamin, Jeff (November 30, 2015). "PSY Reveals 'Daddy' & 'Napal Baji' Videos, Star-Studded Album ft. Ed Sheeran, Will.i.am & CL". Billboard. Retrieved September 19, 2016.
  73. Benjamin, Jeff (March 30, 2015). "Why CL's Ultra Performance Was Way More Than a Cool Cameo". Billboard. Retrieved July 26, 2015.
  74. 씨엘, 해외 팬 영향인가…'타임 100' 2위 배경은 (in Korean). Yonhap. April 14, 2015. Retrieved July 27, 2015.
  75. Lee, Hyo-won (March 7, 2014). "Rain Returns With Movie Roles, Album Showcase". Billboard. Retrieved January 20, 2019.
  76. "PSY's 'Gangnam Style': The Billboard Cover Story". Billboard. October 26, 2012. Retrieved January 20, 2019.
  77. Benjamin, Jeff (April 28, 2015). "Nick Cannon's 'Make It Pop': How He Mixed K-Pop & Nickelodeon Culture for Hit Kids Show". Billboard. Retrieved July 26, 2015.
  78. Benjamin, Jeff (April 30, 2015). "'Make It Pop' Star Megan Lee Talks K-Pop & Diversity on U.S. TV, Status of Career". Billboard. Retrieved July 26, 2015.
  79. Caramanica, Jon (April 5, 2015). "Review: 'Make It Pop' on Nickelodeon Veers Toward K-Pop". The New York Times. Retrieved July 26, 2015.
  80. Benjamin, Jeff (April 16, 2015). "New 'Pitch Perfect 2' Trailer Features BIGBANG's K-Pop Hit 'Fantastic Baby'". Billboard. Retrieved July 26, 2015.
  81. Benjamin, Jeff (June 19, 2015). "Epik High Talk U.S. Tour, Getting Randy Jackson's Co-Sign & Being 'Afraid' of Yoko Ono: Watch". Billboard. Retrieved July 26, 2015.
  82. Benjamin, Jeff (July 16, 2015). "Emma Stone Says She's 'Obsessed' With K-Pop, Loves 2NE1 and Girls' Generation". Billboard. Retrieved July 26, 2015.
  83. "Actress Emma Stone confesses love for K-pop on Conan". The Korea Times. July 16, 2015. Retrieved July 26, 2015.
  84. Benjamin, Jeff (November 10, 2015). "K-Pop Boy Band EXO Collaborate With 'Star Wars' on New Single 'Lightsaber': Watch". Billboard. Retrieved September 19, 2016.
  85. Lipshutz, Jason (May 21, 2017). "BTS Thanks Fans For Top Social Artist Win at Billboard Music Awards 2017: Watch". Billboard. Retrieved January 20, 2019.
  86. Herman, Tamar (December 23, 2016). "K-Pop Ends 2016 With a Generational Shift as Girl Groups Disband". Billboard. Retrieved January 20, 2019.
  87. Kelley, Caitlin (October 9, 2017). "How Korean Music Shows Diverged From MTV and Became the Epicenter of K-Pop Fan Culture". Billboard. Retrieved January 22, 2019.
  88. Benjamin, Jeff (June 25, 2014). "K-Pop Concerts on Major Global Increase (Infographic)". Billboard. Retrieved September 26, 2014.
  89. Smirke, Richard (April 20, 2015). "Seven Takeaways from IFPI's Study of the Global Music Market Last Year". Billboard. Retrieved July 26, 2015.
  90. Benjamin, Jeff (February 2, 2015). "K-Pop Star Is Top Dream Career for Kids in South Korea". Billboard. Retrieved July 26, 2015.
  91. Benjamin, Jeff (January 19, 2015). "K-Pop Star Earnings Swell in Recent Years". Billboard. Retrieved July 26, 2015.
  92. Benjamin, Jeff (May 3, 2016). "K-Pop Concerts Continue to Grow Outside Asia: Exclusive Infographic". Billboard. Retrieved September 16, 2016.
  93. O'Malley Greenburg, Zack (July 26, 2016). "Bigbang Theory: How K-Pop's Top Act Earned $44 Million In A Year". Forbes. Retrieved September 16, 2016.
  94. Benjamin, Jeff (October 10, 2018). "Watch GOT7 Reflect On the Importance Of 'Present: You' Album, Review Each Other's Solo Songs". Billboard. Retrieved January 22, 2019.
  95. Benjamin, Jeff (August 13, 2015). "BTS Show Love for America, Fifth Harmony & Perform Live in Billboard Studios". Billboard. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
  96. Benjamin, Jeff (February 2, 2015). "FTISLAND Rock Out, Preview Future Sound at Debut New York Concert". Billboard. Retrieved July 26, 2015.
  97. Benjamin, Jeff (April 3, 2015). "Amoeba Culture Tour Indicates Bright Future for Live Korean Hip-Hop in America". Billboard. Retrieved July 26, 2015.
  98. Benjamin, Jeff (June 16, 2015). "Epik High Defy Conventions, Electrify Audiences in New York: Live Review". Billboard. Retrieved July 26, 2015.
  99. Benjamin, Jeff (July 20, 2015). "BTS Impress With Style... and Freestyle Performances at Curtailed New York Debut: Live Review". Billboard. Retrieved July 26, 2015.
  100. Benjamin, Jeff (April 9, 2015). "Epik High Announce Biggest American K-Pop Tour in Years". Billboard.
  101. Benjamin, Jeff (May 5, 2015). "Epik High Extends North American Tour: See the Full Schedule". Billboard. Retrieved July 26, 2015.
  102. Benjamin, Jeff (June 24, 2015). "BTS Show Off Some Very 'Dope' Looks & Dance Moves in New Video". Billboard. Retrieved July 26, 2015.
  103. "Big Bang joins Billboard Hot Tours list w/ $1.7M in revenue from LA stop". The Korea Times. October 29, 2015. Retrieved September 6, 2016.
  104. Benjamin, Jeff (May 27, 2015). "BIGBANG Announce Huge Arena Tour for America This Fall". Billboard. Retrieved September 6, 2016.
  105. Benjamin, Jeff (October 13, 2015). "BIGBANG Confirm Their Power as a Group & Individuals at Jersey 'Made' Arena Shows: Live Review". Billboard. Retrieved September 14, 2016.
  106. Benjamin, Jeff (November 10, 2015). "Block B Preview U.S. Tour, Talk Favorite America Memories: Exclusive". Billboard. Retrieved September 19, 2016.
  107. Benjamin, Jeff (August 2, 2015). "KCON 2015 Saturday Recap: Super Junior, GOT7, Monsta X & More Shake the Staples Center". Billboard. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
  108. Benjamin, Jeff (August 3, 2015). "KCON 2015 Sunday Recap: Shinhwa, AOA, Zion.T, Crush & More Shut Down Staples Center". Billboard. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
  109. Benjamin, Jeff (August 9, 2015). "KCON 2015 New York Recap: Girls' Generation, VIXX & More Attempt to Satiate East Coast K-Pop Fans". Billboard. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
  110. Benjamin, Jeff (August 10, 2015). "KCON Los Angeles & New York Draw 75,000 Total Attendees". Billboard. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
  111. Benjamin, Jeff (August 6, 2015). "Red Velvet Talk First U.S. Performance, Their New Member & Summer Songs at KCON 2015: Exclusive". Billboard. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
  112. Benjamin, Jeff (August 7, 2015). "GOT7 Talk 'Just Right,' Learning Acrobatics & Give Confidence Advice to Fans at KCON 2015: Exclusive". Billboard. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
  113. Benjamin, Jeff (August 12, 2015). "Zion.T & Crush Reveal New Music Details, Favorite R&B Albums at KCON 2015 Los Angeles: Exclusive". Billboard. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
  114. Benjamin, Jeff (August 20, 2015). "Roy Kim Previews New Album, Talks A Cappella at KCON 2015: Exclusive". Billboard. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
  115. Benjamin, Jeff (September 1, 2015). "Monsta X on Rookie Rivals & Why They're 'The Avengers' of K-Pop at KCON 2015 L.A.: Exclusive". Billboard. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
  116. Benjamin, Jeff (September 10, 2015). "AOA Reveal Confidence Tips & Who's the Best Lacrosse Player at KCON 2015 L.A.: Exclusive". Billboard. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
  117. Bateman, Vicky A. (April 10, 2016). "Jay Park Plans to Release English Songs in June: Exclusive". Billboard. Retrieved September 26, 2016.
  118. Herman, Tamar (June 7, 2016). "Despite Last Minute Venue Change, South Korean R&B Singer Dean Stuns During NYC Debut". Billboard. Retrieved September 26, 2016.
  119. Herman, Tamar (July 7, 2016). "Korean Boy Band GOT7 Discusses Breaking Records, Selling Out Shows & Dabbing". Billboard. Retrieved September 26, 2016.
  120. Melendez, Monique (November 16, 2016). "Crush Talks His 'Really Personal, Jazzy' Upcoming EP 'wonderlost'". Billboard. Retrieved March 8, 2017.
  121. Herman, Tamar (October 31, 2016). "CL Solidifies Solo Stardom With Stellar New York City Concert". Billboard. Retrieved March 8, 2017.
  122. Herman, Tamar (April 12, 2016). "Epik High on Being First Major South Korean Act to Play Coachella: 'It Feels Like a Miracle'". Billboard. Retrieved September 26, 2016.
  123. Melendez, Monique (June 26, 2016). "KCON New York 2016: Ailee Comes Home, Seventeen Makes First American Appearance & More". Billboard. Retrieved September 26, 2016.
  124. Herman, Tamar (August 1, 2016). "SHINee, GFriend & More Light Up KCON LA 2016". Billboard. Retrieved September 26, 2016.
  125. Herman, Tamar (August 2, 2016). "KCON LA 2016: BTS, Monsta X, Davichi & More Close Out Fest". Billboard. Retrieved September 26, 2016.
  126. Herman, Tamar (June 27, 2016). "Ailee Talks New Jersey Homecoming, Haters & What Empowers Her at KCON New York 2016: Exclusive". Billboard. Retrieved September 26, 2016.
  127. Melendez, Monique (June 27, 2016). "Crush Talks Erasing Musical Boundaries at KCON New York 2016: Exclusive". Billboard. Retrieved September 26, 2016.
  128. Melendez, Monique (June 27, 2016). "Day6 Talks the Meaning of Rock, Career Aspirations & Fusing Dance Music With Their Sound at KCON New York 2016: Exclusive". Billboard. Retrieved September 26, 2016.
  129. Herman, Tamar (August 3, 2016). "SHINee Talk Upcoming Projects & How EDM Is Influencing K-Pop Artists at KCON LA 2016". Billboard. Retrieved September 26, 2016.
  130. Herman, Tamar (August 4, 2016). "Amber Talks Emigrating to Korea & Her Eclectic Music Inspirations at KCON LA 2016". Billboard. Retrieved September 26, 2016.
  131. Herman, Tamar (August 5, 2016). "TWICE on Being a Multinational Girl Group & Recording South Korea's Song of the Summer". Billboard. Retrieved September 26, 2016.
  132. Herman, Tamar (May 24, 2016). "GFriend & More Memorable Performances From Toronto Kpop Con 2016". Billboard. Retrieved September 15, 2016.
  133. Benjamin, Jeff (September 21, 2018). "The Boyz, MXM & DIA Shine at a More Mainstream-Focused MU:CON 2018". Billboard. Retrieved January 22, 2019.
  134. Song, Dain (August 6, 2014). "Big Bang goes head to head against Thirty Seconds to Mars for best fan army". JoongAng Daily. Retrieved September 27, 2014.
  135. "Big Bang's VIPs win Billboard's Fan Army Face-off". The Korea Times. August 19, 2014.
  136. "Contributor, Jeff Benjamin, K-Pop Columnist". Billboard. February 16, 2020. Archived from the original on February 16, 2020.
  137. "Contributor, Billboard Korea Staff". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 1, 2014. Retrieved September 26, 2014.
  138. "Jeff Benjamin, Staff Writer at Fuse TV; K-Pop Columnist at Billboard". LinkedIn. Retrieved September 26, 2014.
  139. "Special Guests : Jeff Benjamin". KCON. Archived from the original on October 21, 2014. Retrieved September 21, 2014.
  140. Jung, Min-ho (December 16, 2019). "2020 Korea Image Awards go to SKT, pop columnist and jazz singer". The Korea Times. Retrieved December 18, 2019.
  141. "Contributor – Jessica Oak". Billboard. April 28, 2019. Archived from the original on April 28, 2019.
  142. Billboard Staff, and Billboard Korea Staff. "20 Best K-Pop Songs of 2013: K-Town Picks". Billboard. Retrieved January 9, 2015.
  143. "Pop Correspondent – Tamar Herman". Billboard. April 23, 2020. Archived from the original on January 18, 2020.
  144. "Tamar Herman – Pop Culture Analyst". tamarherman.com. Archived from the original on January 21, 2019. Retrieved January 20, 2019.
  145. "What is K-pop?". NBC News. August 12, 2014. Retrieved September 26, 2014.
  146. Trivedi, Anjani (August 1, 2013). "Forget Politics, Let's Dance: Why K-Pop Is a Latin American Smash". Time. Retrieved September 22, 2014.
  147. Benjamin, Jeff (October 17, 2012). "KCON 2012: 15 Things Seen & Overheard". Billboard. Retrieved September 24, 2014.
  148. "Global Hallyu Forum 2013: Hallyu Live!". Korean Cultural Center D.C. Archived from the original on October 29, 2014. Retrieved September 26, 2014.
  149. Stanley, Adrienne (May 9, 2014). "Chad Future & The Debate Over What Defines K-Pop". KPopStarz. Retrieved September 26, 2014.
  150. GhostWriter (September 4, 2014). "Gaon Chart releases chart rankings for August 24 – August 30". Allkpop. Retrieved September 26, 2014.
  151. Choi, Tae (January 30, 2014). "레이디스 코드, 美 빌보드 '2014 주목 할 만한 k-pop스타' 선정" (in Korean). Gaon Music Chart. Archived from the original on September 26, 2014. Retrieved September 26, 2014.
  152. <인터뷰> 칼럼니스트 벤저민 "케이팝은 이제 하나의 문화" (in Korean). Yonhap. November 9, 2013. Retrieved September 26, 2014.
  153. "'음담패설' 빌보드 K-POP 전문기자 제프 벤자민, 알고 보니 존박 고교 동창" (in Korean). YTN. March 20, 2014. Retrieved September 26, 2014.
  154. '음담패설' 존박 "美 빌보드 기자 제프 벤자민과 고교 친구' (in Korean). TV Daily. March 20, 2014. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved September 26, 2014.
  155. "Billboard's 20 Best K-Pop Songs Of 2013". Vibe. December 24, 2013. Retrieved September 26, 2014.
  156. Ahn, So-hyun (January 30, 2014). "레이디스코드, 빌보드 주목할 만한 K팝스타 선정..걸그룹 유일" (in Korean). JoongAng Ilbo. Archived from the original on September 26, 2014. Retrieved September 26, 2014.
  157. "EXO's 'Overdose' most-viewed K-pop video last month: Billboard". GlobalPost. June 9, 2014. Archived from the original on March 7, 2016. Retrieved September 26, 2014.
  158. "L'US Billboard prédit une grande carrière pour le groupe de Jacki Chan, JJCC (Double JC)" (in French). KPopStarz French. March 26, 2014. Archived from the original on April 27, 2015. Retrieved September 26, 2014.
  159. "Winner lo hizo de nuevo y se ubica en el primer lugar de la lista mundial de álbumes Billboard" (in Spanish). Soompi Spanish. August 23, 2014. Retrieved September 26, 2014.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.