K-Pop Breaks Records and Boundaries: How to Reach AAPI Fans

Almost everywhere we turn today, whether IRL or online, K-Pop is making headlines and soundwaves. Whether fans are still reeling from Lisa or ENHYPEN’s Coachella performances or gearing up for BLACKPINK’s 2025 tour, the genre’s footprint is only growing bigger. 

K-Pop may have originated in the East, but it didn’t stay there for long, having become a global phenomenon in the past few decades. With the US as the second largest market for K-Pop in the world, this genre (and its fans) is one that brands should be keeping a close eye on. 

This May, we’re celebrating AAPI month by shining a spotlight on K-Pop—including its enormous influence and die-hard fandom with huge consumer power—and why SiriusXM Media is the destination to find this genre’s most locked-in listeners. 

From East to West, K-Pop Is a Global Phenomenon

K-Pop originates from South Korea, combining Korean culture and language with Western-influenced pop, hip-hop, and R&B. Typically following a boy band or girl group “formula,” the wildly successful genre has influenced other acts across Asia, from Chinese boy bands, to Filipino boy bands, to Thai girl groups. And over the years, it’s solidified that it’s no longer a subculture. 

Over the past few decades, there have been four generations of K-Pop with transitions in sound, fandoms, and impact. The genre started out as ballads and love songs that then shifted into hip-hop and R&B sounds. Followers have become global fandoms, and albums have broken millions of pre-order sales and YouTube views. The bands have even made history. Aside from topping and breaking Billboard charts, BTS broke more than 25 Guinness World Records and scored a spot in the Hall of Fame.

What began as a genre with humble roots has now grown into a global community and experience, influencing beyond the music industry to fashion, film, and sports. The US fandom is growing, with the genre seeing a 39% increase in streams from 2022 to 2023, and there are no signs of slowing down.  

Much like K-Pop Artists, Their Listeners Are Young and Diverse

Fact or fiction—all K-Pop fans are AAPI. Fiction. However, most of the genre’s fans are indeed diverse. Over five in 10 fans are AAPI, Hispanic, or multiracial, and over six in 10 fans are Gen Z. And despite most songs featuring Korean lyrics, 74% of fans know very little to no Korean—proving that music knows no limits and transcends languages. Despite the language barrier, fans find creative ways to communicate with their favorite artists, including social apps, signs, video calls, livestreams, and more. 

Listening to K-Pop is more than a daily activity but a lifestyle that promotes bonds and communities. Fans think the music is important to their wellness and creating emotional bonds. And seven in 10 K-Pop fans say the music is important to their mental health, while Gen Z and millennial fans feel a strong connection to the fanbase they’re a part of (index 314).

Fans Don’t Hold Back on Spending

K-Pop stans refer to themselves as many fandom names, from BTS Army, to Blinks, to ONCE, to STAY. But what brands need to know is that they’re also “fansumers.” Their loyalty and influence make them paramount for brand partnerships, as a single announcement can mean instantly sold out products or tickets. K-Pop artists have historically had massive (and lucrative) partnerships. Calvin Klein earned $68M through BLACKPINK’s Jenni’s 2023 collaboration. Meanwhile, Stray Kids created the song “Slash” for the Deadpool & Wolverine film, which earned 8.3M views on the band’s YouTube video to date. 

And K-Pop’s fansumers show up in more ways than one. US Gen Z fans spend an average of $24 a month on merchandise, which is two to four times more than average listeners in the US. And on average, they spend $10 more on merch than that of average listeners in the US. And even if fans don’t attend an event, they’re still willing to drop dollars. K-Pop fans are 50% more likely than average listeners to purchase merch from events they didn’t attend.  

Brands can influence fans’ consumer action by featuring music artists from various cultural backgrounds and offering multiple product options —two things that fans have said they want more of. 

Connect with K-Pop Fans Online or IRL

K-Pop is one of the most popular genres on SiriusXM Media, with 75% of listeners tuning in to Pandora weekly, and 77% of SoundCloud listeners more likely to listen to the genre than general audiences.  

And we have multiple ways for brands to connect fans with their favorite idols. With SoundCloud’s Comment Check, advertisers can leverage an original video series where artists read and react to fan comments from their music on the platform—all in real-time. This solution incentivizes fans to engage on-platform to support their favorite artist while getting the chance to be featured in another video.

Interested in sponsoring a station on Pandora? Sponsored Stations leverage existing stations with a loyal audience, so you can reach superfans in any mood or moment. With stations combining a mix of personalization and listener thumbs, this solution creates a premium experience, offers listeners half the interruption, and gives your brand 100% share of voice (SOV). 

Take a look at how K-Pop’s influence thrived in the desert heat after this year’s Coachella:

• ENHYPEN: +369K boost in spins on Pandora 

• Lisa: +41% increase in station adds 

• XG: +37% increase in station adds 

Has your target audience had enough of going screen-to-screen and wants to be face-to-face with their favorite artists? Make it a reality with SiriusXM Studio Sessions. With this solution, SiriusXM partners with a K-Pop artist and brings fans to see them perform at a studio, in addition to an exclusive interview with an on-air host. Your brand will not only drive meaningful impressions, but fans will remember you as the one that made their once-in-a-lifetime memory happen. 

K-Pop Is One Avenue but Not the Only Avenue

Before going all-in on K-Pop, it’s important to remember that diverse audiences don’t fit into a box. Asian Americans aren’t a homogenous group, which means this genre isn’t the only way to target AAPI listeners. Brands can leverage other AAPI genres like Bollywood, Punjabi, Hawaiian Reggae, Persian Rap, or Vinahouse. Hint: They can all be found on SiriusXM Media, too. 

If you want to reach AAPI audiences who aren’t necessarily only K-Pop fans, we have you covered. We’re proud to show off two new stations, including Silk Wave Radio on Pandora, featuring trending sounds from artists of all Asian descents, and Horizon Radio on SiriusXM, featuring top-charting sounds of Asia. 

When advertisers recognize that diverse groups are multi-faceted with various interests, you’re more likely to win over your listeners and earn their trust. 

Dive into the Crowd Head-First

K-Pop is an influencer, record-breaker, and history-maker, all in one. When it comes to the fandom, don’t underestimate their willingness to spend and their loyalty to their favorite artists (and when partnered together, your brand). When you invest in K-Pop fans, they invest back in your brand by tenfold.  

Ready to reach young and diverse listeners this May—and all year long? Let’s chat.

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