Nationality is no longer important on the K-pop stage. Following the influence of K-pop that spreads around the world, trainees from various countries such as Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam are making their debuts in the ‘K-pop homeland’ Korea, drawing attention.

What is particularly noteworthy is that many members have debuted from countries that are new to K-pop fans, such as the US, Canada, China, and Japan. There are reactions both inside and outside the music industry regarding the recent changes, saying that it is the result of major agencies trying to secure new markets beyond North America and Asia, where K-pop consumers are firmly established.

A representative example is the eight-member new girl group Hearts to Hearts, released by SM Entertainment for the first time in five years. Member Carmen is an Indonesian national, which is rare on the K-pop stage, and became a member of Hearts To Hearts after about 2 years of training. Thanks to this, Indonesian media outlets simultaneously reported the news of Carmen‘s debut, and Hearts To Hearts’ debut song ‘The Chase’ is so popular that it even reached #1 on the local YouTube charts.

The popularity of K-pop in Indonesia was a major factor in Carmen‘s debut. Carmen said at her debut showcase, “I dreamed of becoming a K-pop singer while listening to Girls’ Generation‘s music in my home country. K-pop is incredibly popular there, and my older sister is also a huge K-pop fan.”

Girl group Eunice, who will make a comeback in April, held a large-scale local fan signing tour last year, their first year since their debut, with the help of Filipino nationals Elicia and Jelidanka. The two members, who boast excellent vocals and dance skills, won debut tickets through the SBS girl group audition program ‘Universe Ticket’, as the ‘firepower’ of Filipino fans gathered.

Vietnam and Thailand are also gradually increasing the proportion of K-pop members. Among the seven-member Ark, which has members of as many as five nationalities, Vietnamese member Kien gained popularity by appearing on a local national broadcasting program. In Thailand, which produced 2PM’s Nichkhun, Blackpink‘s Lisa, and (G)I-dle’s Minnie, YG Entertainment‘s talented girl group Baby Monster’s Parita and Chiquita debuted.


Reporter Yoo Ji-hye yjh0304@donga.com

This article is automatically translated using Google AI. If you notice any inaccuracies, please let us know at allkstar@donga.com.