One of the most notable phenomena of 2025 was the global success of Netflix's animated series "KPop Demon Hunters." Released in June, the series went beyond surface-level aesthetics, weaving idol training systems, fandom culture and music industry rituals into a cohesive narrative universe.
The fictional idol groups Huntrix and Saja Boys were consumed much like real K-pop acts. The OST single “Golden” topped the Billboard Hot 100 for eight nonconsecutive weeks, while Huntrix ranked No. 1 on Spotify’s U.S. daily chart, forming a real-world fan base.
The success, however, also underscored structural limits. Despite being rooted in Korean popular culture, the project was produced by Sony Pictures Animation and launched by Netflix in the U.S., with intellectual property revenues largely flowing overseas.
Stray Kids dominated 2025 with eight consecutive No. 1 debuts on the Billboard 200, a record unmatched globally. According to Circle Chart, the group sold 6.98 million physical albums domestically and drew more than 500,000 concertgoers in North America through three world tours, attracting a total of over 2.15 million fans worldwide and setting a record for the largest cumulative tour attendance by a K-pop act.
Yet the broader market showed signs of fatigue. Korea's physical album sales fell 7.5 percent year on year through the 50th week of 2025, with sales by female artists dropping nearly 20 percent. Total sales among the top 400 albums stood at about 90.9 million units, making a return to the symbolic 100 million mark increasingly unlikely.
Rosé's 'APT.' and the question of K-pop's boundaries
Rosé of BLACKPINK topped the Billboard Hot 100 with "APT.", becoming the first Korean female solo artist to do so. Inspired by a Korean drinking game, the song went viral on TikTok and served as the lead single from her debut studio album "rosie," released in December 2024.
Other BLACKPINK members also remained active as solo artists throughout the year, releasing albums largely in English and collaborating with pop musicians — a shift that underscored the group's growing emphasis on individual branding.
At the same time, "APT.", an English-language track led by U.S. producers, reignited debate over how K-pop should be defined as artists increasingly pursue global audiences.
The most disruptive development of 2025 involved NewJeans. A dispute that began in late 2024 between former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin and parent company HYBE escalated into the group's announcement in November that they would seek to terminate their contracts.
Three members ultimately chose to remain with ADOR, while the status of the remaining two diverged. The case highlighted deeper tensions within the K-pop system, raising questions about artist autonomy and the pressures placed on young performers.
In June, all seven members of BTS completed their mandatory military service. BigHit Music has announced plans for a comeback and world tour in the first half of 2026.
With major acts such as BTS and BLACKPINK set to return, alongside milestone events like BigBang's 20th anniversary, the industry is cautiously optimistic that 2026 could mark a rebound after a year defined by both growth and strain.
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