In South Korea, K-Pop has been an unstoppable force since the late Nineties, when early trailblazers like Seo Taiji and Boys and H.O.T. kickstarted a larger wave of idol groups. Meticulously put together and trained up at dedicated bootcamps – sometimes for years – before being launched publicly, stars often cultivate a squeaky-clean image and have a carefully managed public persona.
Musically, the genre is a bright, hooky melting pot of global influences – including rap and various dance subgenres such as EDM and house – and a treasure trove of interlinking symbols and easter eggs for fans to pore over with every release.
