Korean pop music, or K-pop as it is most often referred to, is mainstream music that originated in Korea. Korean K-pop music can be thought of as similar to Taylor Swift's music in the United States. You can see Korean pop music being written as K-pop, Kpop, and KPOP.
They call it the "Korean Wave": the idea that Korean pop culture has evolved into a major driver of global culture, from Korean dramas on Netflix to the Korean skincare products that dominate the cosmetics industry to the delicious Korean tacos on your favorite local menu. At the heart of the Korean Wave is the growing popularity of K-pop - short for Korean pop music, of course. K-pop has become a truly global phenomenon thanks to its unique blend of addictive melodies, clever choreography and production values, and an endless supply of attractive Korean performers who spend years learning to sing and dance in a grueling studio system to synchronize to perfection.
With an astounding global fan base, they have also begun releasing their own vinyl records in recent years.
1.BTS - Butter - Limited Edition 7" Vinyl
BTS was releasing a limited edition of their second English single "Butter" (May 21) on cassette and vinyl. the $6.98 cassette is expected to ship in June with the song on both sides, while the $7.98 7" vinyl single is single-sided and is expected to ship at the same time.
The announcement is the latest part of the "Butter" promotional puzzle, which includes a promo video and photos for the track, which the press release describes as "a smooth and charismatic pop dance track full of BTS. Butter" will be BTS' second English-language song, following 2020's "Dynamite," which debuted on the Billboard Hot 100, making BTS the first all-Korean group to lead the chart.
2. THE ALBUM (Pink LP) Vinyl Record
Korean girl group Blackpink's debut pink vinyl album is scheduled for release on January 29, 2021. The album includes featurettes of Selena Gomez and Cardi B.
In the four years since their debut in 2016, the quartet (Jennie, Jisoo, Rosé and Lisa), formed by the YG Entertainment, has quickly followed in the footsteps of trailblazing Korean boy band BTS (Beyond the Scene), and Blackpink has made history by becoming the first group to be released in April 2019 of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival as the first K-pop girl group to perform at the festival.
The four-piece group has the highest number of female group fans on Spotify and the most female artist subscribers on Youtube with 49 million subscribers, a staggering number second only to singer Justin Bieber.
Topping Youtube's Global Top Artists chart, Blackpink took the top spot on the Global Top Songs chart with their June pre-release smash single "How You Like That".
3. Park Hye Jin - Before I Die (HOT PINK VINYL / DELUXE EDITION)
South Korean electro DJ/producer Park Hye Jin, who lives in Los Angeles, USA, has joined the UK indie label Ninja Tune and finally released her second EP "How can I" at the end of June, following "If U Want It". Before the release of the new album, Park Hye Jin said, "God knows if I'll die tomorrow, but at least if that happens, I'll die happy. The six-track EP was written while on tour in airports, airplanes and trains, but with her sultry, lazy, careless, half-singing, "world-weary" interpretation, it also fits the atmosphere of her earlier self-imposed isolation in Los Angeles.
4. EXO Special Album - DON'T FIGHT THE FEELING LP Ver.
After a year and a half, EXO finally returned to the music scene with their special album "DON'T FIGHT THE FEELING", which is also the first time that members XIUMIN and D.O. have released an album together as EXO after their retirement from the military, which has aroused high expectations among fans worldwide. The album has a record of selling more than 10 million copies, and as of June 6, the pre-sale of the album has reached 1.22 million 181 copies, which is the highest record for the group itself, and it is also forecasted to reach the million sales hall again.
5. MONSTA X / All About Luv (Vinyl)
-Korean superstar boy group's first all-English album to enter the international arena, registering at #5 on the U.S. charts
-The band invited Grammy French Montana to support the album, and it reached No. 26 on the U.S. pop charts; the band also received a remix of the Black Eyed Peas' debut will.i.am.
-The band's sound is not only K-POP, but also American black rhythm and blues and pop style, and the members' strong vocals are fully utilized.
6. NCT #127 WE ARE SUPERHUMAN – The 4th Mini Album (Vinyl)
NCT is a popular male group in South Korea, which is different from other Korean groups because of its unique openness and expansion. Among them, NCT U is free to change its composition according to the style of the song, so there is no fixed composition of members. In 2018, NCT released their first regular album "NCT 2018 Empathy" with all members, which was certified platinum by Gaon Chart, one of the most credible record charts in South Korea (the album sold 250,000 copies), and after 2 years, they released their second regular album "NCT RESONANCE Pt. 1" with 2 new members. As of the 11th, pre-sales have reached 1.12 million copies, breaking its own record.
Got any favorite vinyl record to share? Let us know!
