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| ▲ This photo provided by SM Entertainment shows TVXQ's concert "Red Ocean" held at Nissan Stadium in Japan. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE)(Yonhap) |
SEOUL, April 27 (Yonhap) -- K-pop continues to enjoy strong popularity in Japan, the world’s second-largest music market, even after a quarter-century of expansion, with major concerts drawing more than 400,000 fans in a single weekend.
“Artists sincerely engage with their fans at all times, and you can really feel that. That’s why fans continue to support them for a long time,” said Mayumi Sato, who attended a concert by TVXQ at Nissan Stadium with her daughter during the weekend.
K-pop’s foothold in Japan dates back to 2001, when BoA debuted in the country and topped the Oricon chart the following year. Since then, the Korean Wave has steadily expanded its influence.
Last weekend in Tokyo, major venues simultaneously hosted large-scale concerts by K-pop acts, including TVXQ at Nissan Stadium, aespa at Tokyo Dome, TWICE at the National Stadium, and DAY6 at Keio Arena.
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| ▲ This photo provided by SM Entertainment shows TVXQ. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE)(Yonhap) |
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| ▲ This photo provided by SM Entertainment shows aespa's Tokyo Dome concert. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE)(Yonhap) |
Combined attendance at these concerts exceeded 400,000, highlighting K-pop’s continued drawing power.
TVXQ alone attracted 130,000 fans over two days at Nissan Stadium, a venue rarely headlined by Japanese artists. TWICE performed three shows at the National Stadium, while aespa and DAY6 each held two-day concerts at their respective venues.
A week earlier, BTS also held a world tour concert at Tokyo Dome, where fans sang along in unison.
Industry officials say that while K-pop has expanded rapidly into the United States and Europe since around 2020, Japan remains a key overseas market due to its strong purchasing power and loyal fan base.
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| ▲ This photo provided by Bighit Music shows BTS' Tokyo Dome concert. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE)(Yonhap) |
According to a 2023 report by music data firm Luminate, 39 percent of female Gen Z listeners in Japan listen to K-pop, indicating its sustained popularity among younger audiences.
Despite this, signs of change are emerging. South Korea’s album exports to Japan fell 10.2 percent last year from a year earlier, marking a second consecutive annual decline, according to customs data.
Experts attribute this partly to the growth of local Japanese artists and a shift from physical album sales — a K-pop stronghold — to streaming platforms.
Japanese agencies have also begun adopting elements of the so-called “K-pop DNA,” blurring distinctions between Korean and Japanese idol groups.
Still, industry insiders stress that K-pop’s popularity in Japan remains solid.
“Japanese record companies are still actively signing K-pop artists, and contract fees continue to rise,” said a source from a Japanese label. “Demand for K-pop concerts and streaming has also increased, rather than declined.”
They added that while fourth-generation groups such as IVE and LE SSERAFIM are popular, there is also growing interest in artists across diverse genres beyond idol groups.
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| ▲ This photo of TWICE's world tour "This Is For" is screenshot from the group's Instagram post. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE)(Yonhap) |
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| ▲ This photo of DAY6's concert in Tokyo is screenshot from the group's Instagram post. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE)(Yonhap) |
According to Luminate, Japan ranked as the top country for streaming songs by the world’s top 100 K-pop acts in 2023, ahead of the United States, Indonesia and South Korea.
Industry officials say that despite evolving market dynamics, Japan remains a crucial and vibrant market for K-pop, with strong fan loyalty and expanding opportunities across concerts, merchandise and digital platforms.
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