"Global Popstar" - this is the moniker Big Hit Music, the agency of BTS, has started to attribute to Jungkook, also known as the "golden maknae," in his solo ventures. The title "Global Popstar" for Jungkook doesn't just shed the "K" from K-pop and focuses on "pop." It also symbolizes a trend where K-pop idols are increasingly releasing songs in English, seamlessly integrating into the global music landscape.
The creation of English tracks by K-pop idols began solidifying in the 2020s as a major strategy to penetrate the massive US music market. BTS's rise to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 with songs like "Dynamite" and "Butter" significantly influenced this wave. Earlier this year, once lesser-known idol group Fifty-Fifty made a breakthrough on the Hot 100 with the English version of their song "CUPID," defying the limits of being from a smaller agency.
Music critic Jeong Min-jae stated, "There were attempts to produce songs in English during the 2010s, but K-pop didn't have the same global impact as now. Hence, there weren't many endeavors in that direction." He added, "After BTS's accomplishments, it's become evident that not only can you reach international fans, but you can also appeal to the general public and achieve higher radio play counts with English tracks."
Blackpink Jennie
Recently, several artists are even promoting English tracks domestically, not just targeting overseas markets. Noticeably, they are presenting these English songs as their main promotional tracks both domestically and internationally. Among recent releases, Genie, formerly of the group ENMIX, selected the English track "C'mon" as the title song for her debut album "An Iron Hand In A Velvet Glove," released on the 11th. Sunmi incorporated her all-English track "Calm Myself," which she participated in writing, in her new single "STRANGER" released on the 17th. Prior to them, BLACKPINK's Jennie released her English solo track "You & Me" on the 6th, which she had previewed during their world tour, securing top spots on major charts.
On October 27, the group Le Sserafim is set to release their digital single, choosing their first-ever English track "Perfect Night" as the title song. Following his splendid beginnings with "Seven" and "3D", Jungkook has caught attention by reportedly producing all 11 tracks in English for his upcoming album "Golden," set to release on November 3rd. Critic Jeong Min-jae pointed out, "The main K-pop consumer group, often termed the '1020' generation, is embracing English songs without any feelings of estrangement."
LE Sserafim
Engaging international music producers to craft pop-style songs and retaining original English demo lyrics with minimal changes has also influenced the trend. Genie mentioned at her debut showcase that she liked the English version of the demo so much that she included the Korean version as a track and chose the English version as the title song.
However, there are concerns. A music producer expressed, "Many agencies are requesting pop-style music, and if the trend of writing lyrics in English intensifies, there's a risk that the unique essence of K-pop might get diluted. We should be wary of releasing English songs just to follow a trend."
