\n This dominance is especially emblematic in Latin America, where K-pop artists maintain a feverish fandom.\n <\/p>\n
\n In 2021, the social media platform X found<\/a> that the countries with the most K-pop fans included Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Peru, and Colombia. Spotify recently reported<\/a> that Mexico is among the genre\u2019s largest markets.\n <\/p>\n \n Perhaps no group exemplifies the genre\u2019s success more than BTS, the massively popular boy band that commands an expansive base of fans. The legions of followers who surround the group are known as the \u201cARMY,\u201d a symbol of the loyal and organized nature of the fandom.\n <\/p>\n \n Before their break for mandatory military service, the group enjoyed<\/a> titanic success that has transcended borders and languages.\n <\/p>\n \n After kicking off their long-awaited tour in Seoul, the group heads to Latin America in the fall, with dates in Bogot\u00e1, Lima, Santiago, Buenos Aires, and S\u00e3o Paulo.\n <\/p>\n \n Across the region, anticipation for the group\u2019s arrival is palpable.\n <\/p>\n \n The BTS craze has driven up resale prices<\/a> in Mexico, where tickets cost as much as $9,000.\n <\/p>\n \n In Peru, fans are planting trees<\/a> so the band will have \u201ca better view\u201d from the plane.\n <\/p>\n \n Meanwhile, some Chileans have expressed concern at the lack of a confirmed venue for the two October dates in Santiago.\n <\/p>\n \n Latin American fans have seemingly embraced the influence of K-pop acts, with their refined aesthetic presentation, flashy performances, and potent messages of self-acceptance.\n <\/p>\n \n Across Latin America, K-pop fandom manifests in diverse ways.\n <\/p>\n \n In Colombia, a burgeoning movement<\/a> of competitive dance groups is building communities centered around the music.\n <\/p>\n \n Fans in Mexico City gather to participate in K-pop themed events in Friki Plaza, a lively shopping center that offers Korean and Japanese merchandise and food. In Mexico, BTS is so popular that President Claudia Sheinbaum requested South Korea to schedule<\/a> <\/a>more tour dates.\n <\/p>\n \n Even in Cuba, which only formalized diplomatic relations with South Korea in 2024, the phenomenon<\/a> has caught on, with fan-organized dance events.\n <\/p>\n \n But the majority of the community-building is based in online platforms, Dr. Benjamin Min Han, a professor of entertainment and media studies at the University of Georgia, told CNN.\n <\/p>\n \n \u201cThe role of social media is significant in driving the fandom in Latin America,\u201d he added.\n <\/p>\n \n Despite the genre\u2019s growing popularity, the culture remains somewhat niche and relatively unfamiliar to some communities, Han told CNN.\n <\/p>\n \n This can lead to marginalization, which subsequently reinforces the sense of community felt within the fandom, Han\u2019s research found.\n <\/p>\n \n Those dejected fans can find solace in the words of K-pop idols, some of whom preach about the importance of acceptance and self-worth.\n <\/p>\n \n \u201cThere\u2019s this element of care \u2013 they feel that they are being cared for by the community and also by the artists, who often engage in livestreams to help establish connection and intimacy,\u201d Han said.\n <\/p>\n \n The element of performance also contributes to igniting the fan base. K-pop performers are often remarked for their polished choreography and technically impressive concerts.\n <\/p>\n \n \u201cK-pop has had a huge impact in Latin America because of its comprehensive approach: it\u2019s not just music, but also a combination of aesthetics, performance, storytelling, and constant content,\u201d Carolina Aballay, president of the official BTS fan club in Chile, told CNN.\n <\/p>\n \n \u201cIt\u2019s an industry that pays close attention to detail, from the visuals to the concepts, which is appealing to audiences looking for something different from the traditional,\u201d Aballay added.\n <\/p>\n \n Ro Julio, a choreographer and dancer in Santiago, Chile, considers dancing and performance an important element of the genre\u2019s global popularity.\n <\/p>\n \n \u201cI think it\u2019s global. The rhythms, the music, everything is very flashy, very visual. The group work also involves super dynamic choreography. All of that has attracted attention for more than 10 years, but lately it has become more mainstream with the number of groups that keep appearing,\u201d she told CNN.\n <\/p>\n \n Camila Pizarro, a 32-year-old publicist and BTS fan, told CNN that the group\u2019s multidisciplinary prowess lends to their appeal.\n <\/p>\n \n \u201cThey all sing so well, they dance excellently, they act, they have such expressiveness\u2014there\u2019s so much talent. They\u2019re the complete package as performers,\u201d she said.\n <\/p>\n \n Overall, K-pop leads South Korea\u2019s cultural exports, a 2025 report from South Korea\u2019s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism found, though it noted that interest in other media has also increased.\n <\/p>\n \n Throughout the early 2000s, South Korean culture was chiefly introduced to large audiences in Latin America through the broadcasting of Korean drama series, or K-dramas.\n <\/p>\n \n Ahead of the 2002 World Cup hosted by Japan and South Korea, Peru\u2019s public broadcaster began <\/a>airing K-dramas in a partnership with the Korean embassy.\n <\/p>\n \n Other Latin American countries also began airing the shows, which were often dubbed in Mexico. Over time, K-dramas developed in popularity across the region.\n <\/p>\n \n This interest in Korean pop culture increasingly extended to music with the increased prevalence of social media in the 2010s.\n <\/p>\n \n Many K-pop fans were introduced to the genre through anime or through dance games at local arcades, before going online to discover more, Han told CNN.\n <\/p>\n \n Latin America\u2019s large youth population<\/a> has also played a central role in the music\u2019s success.\n <\/p>\n \n K-pop is \u201cmostly appealing to younger generations who use a lot of social media,\u201d Han said.\n <\/p>\n \n In 2025, Spotify reported<\/a> that nearly seven out of 10 K-Pop listeners in Mexico are 29 years old or younger.\n <\/p>\n \n In recent years, the juggernauts behind K-pop\u2019s global success have made clear efforts to capitalize on Latin America\u2019s unique interest in the genre.\n <\/p>\n \n \u201cThe Korean music industry realized the significance of the Latin American market,\u201d Han said, and the companies began allocating more resources to develop a robust fan base in the region.\n <\/p>\n \n In 2023, HYBE \u2013 the multimedia giant behind BTS and Katseye, which has had notable success<\/a> in the US \u2013 acquired the record label Exile Music and established a Mexico-based subsidiary focused on Latin America.\n <\/p>\n \n Last year, HYBE Latin America debuted its first group, Santos Bravos, targeted at Latin demographics.\n <\/p>\n \n Tim Kim, manager of popular K-pop groups Momoland and T1419, began working with Miami-based public relations firm Nevarez Communications, which counts reggaeton icon Daddy Yankee among its clientele, to expand his own clients\u2019 impact in the region, Billboard reported<\/a>.\n <\/p>\n \n T1419 even covered<\/a> Daddy Yankee\u2019s song \u201cCampe\u00f3n\u201d in 2022, highlighting the crossover appeal of the genre.\n <\/p>\n \n The language barrier also seems to be falling. Some K-pop groups have incorporated Latin music styles or Spanish-language phrases into their songs, like in BTS\u2019s \u201cAirplane pt.2\u201d or Ateez\u2019s \u201cTHANXX.\u201d\n <\/p>\n \n Members of the group NMIXX, which made headlines<\/a> for performing at Chile\u2019s Vi\u00f1a del Mar Festival, have spoken<\/a> about their efforts to learn to learn Spanish.\n <\/p>\n \n Before their hiatus, BTS spoke<\/a> about their love of Latin pop and their upcoming album features production from Spanish musician El Guincho, who has worked with artists like Rosal\u00eda, J Balvin, and Ozuna.\n <\/p>\n![\"Fans](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/gettyimages-2267666510.jpg\")
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