Top 10 Defining Moments of K-pop in 2025!

The year felt like a wave for Korean music as idols pushed past old limits and moved into films and dramas while making brave personal calls. K-pop Demon Hunters brought a huge crowd to the scene, and many stayed to explore the sound. Women like Hwasa, Blackpink, and TWICE shaped the year with real force. Stray Kids set new marks, and Bain moved people with a pure heart. These 10 moments show how far K-pop has traveled in 2025.

• K-pop Demon Hunters became the breakout force of the year

K-pop Demon Hunters turned into a rare kind of hit that crossed into every corner of pop culture. The animated film became the most-watched title on Netflix and grew into a proud Korean American moment under director Maggie Kang. The cast carried voices from Arden Cho and Daniel Dae Kim, along with many others who shaped the world of the story with genuine care. The soundtrack rose fast on Spotify and stood as the second most played album of 2025, then pulled in five Grammy nods that included Song of the Year and Best Pop Duo or Group for Golden. Kids stepped into costumes inspired by Rumi and Mira, and Zoey, during Halloween as the film kept building its reach. The vocal team behind HUNTR/X brought Golden to the Macy’s Parade. A military band even played the track at the Buckingham Palace guard change, which showed how far the wave traveled.

• Stray Kids and their record-breaking year

Stray Kids kept pushing the limits through the year as their dominATE World Tour climbed to the second most successful global run of 2025, behind Beyoncé. The group carried that same drive into their releases and kept raising their own bar. Their November mixtape, DO It, hit with a lethal force and marked a rare moment in chart history. The group became the only act to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with eight album releases in a row. That streak began in 2022 with Oddinary, and it shows how steady their rise in the global music industry has been.

• Hwasa’s viral “Good Goodbye”

Hwasa stepped into a new light this year and made one of the most honest moments in Korean pop feel both tender and bold. Her track ‘Good Goodbye’ landed at Number 43 on the Billboard Global 200 and drew people in with its soft mix of heartache and calm hope. The song looks at a heartbreaking breakup and holds on to the idea that both sides can still wish each other well. The music video adds another layer with actor Park Jeong-min playing the ex, which gives the story a quiet spark. Their on-stage chemistry at a Korean awards show pushed the song into a viral rush, and the momentum carried it straight to No. 1 on the Billboard Korea Hot 100. Hwasa also became the only solo woman in 2025 to score a Perfect All Kill as the track reached the top spot across all major Korean charts at the same time.

• Bain’s courageous coming-out moment

Bain created a rare and moving moment during a Los Angeles show when he chose to speak with full honesty. He told the crowd he was proud to be part of the LGBTQ community and spoke to anyone still finding their place, reminding them they are seen and loved. He followed those words with a cover of Lady Gaga’s ‘Born This Way’, turning the stage into a space of strength and truth. His announcement felt brave in a scene where few Korean stars speak openly about being gay, and the moment traveled far beyond the venue.

TWICE moved through 2025 with a wide and full of energy run. They became the first female K-pop act to headline Lollapalooza in Chicago, where fans called it Twicepalooza. A live band backed them as they moved through songs from across their long path. Jihyo, Chaeyoung, and Jeongyeon also recorded Takedown for the K-pop Demon Hunters soundtrack and appeared at the end of the film in human form as they sang the track. Later in the year, they performed at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show as the first K-pop group to do it. Tzuyu’s Pink line push-up bra sold out right after the show.

• From K-pop idols to actors

K-pop idols have always been trained to carry many roles, and this year showed how far that range can go. Some of the strongest screen moments came from idols who stepped into characters with real weight. T.O.P. shaped the sharp edge of Thanos in the later seasons of Squid Game, while D.O. turned into a chilling force in The Manipulated. Kim Yohan took on a rugby underdog story in The Winning Try, and YookSungjae brought depth to the period drama The Haunted Palace. Kevin from Omega X led the Boys Love series My Bias Is Showing. Eric Nam and Ji Young Yoo also joined the cast of a new K-pop musical film by Paramount and Hybe America, set for release in early 2027.

Blackpink kept a strong grip on the global stage through the Deadline World Tour while each member built a sharp solo path in 2025. In September, ‘APT’ by Rose and Bruno Mars became the fastest K-pop video to reach two billion views on YouTube and passed the mark once held by PSY. The song grew into a global hit and earned Grammy nods for Song of the Year, Record of the Year, and Best Pop Duo or Group. Lisa dropped her solo album Alter Ego and stepped into acting with her debut in The White Lotus. Netflix later confirmed her first feature film role with Don Lee in Tygo, an action title linked to the Extraction world. Jisoo carried lead roles in the film Omniscient Reader The Prophecy and the series Newtopia, then moved into a new show called Boyfriend on Demand set for next year. Jennie also kept her pace with the Ruby Experience tour after her solo album Ruby landed at Number 29 on Rolling Stone’s Best Albums list.

• Big wins for Cortis, KiiiKiii, and Allday

Some new groups stepped out with a louder edge this year and gave K-pop a fresh spark. Cortis and KiiiKiii moved away from the usual polished look and leaned into raw ideas with a messy charm that pulled people in. Allday Project also arrived as the first co-ed group since KARD and carried a story of its own. The name came from will.i.am who has been a fan from early on. Rapper Annie brought even more attention as the first chaebol heiress idol with ties to the Shinsegae family. The mix made their debut feel bold and new.

Waterbomb kept its wild charm this year as idols and fans got soaked under heavy streams from every side. Shownu stayed a clear favorite as he leaned into the chaos with his usual confidence on stages across South Korea and Vietnam. Kwon Eun bi also stole the spotlight with bright energy as she chose bikini tops and kept the crowd locked in. She earned the Waterbomb Goddess tag once again. Park Jin Young showed up in hot pink and brought a rush of playful power to the festival.

• The most-awaited return of the BTS

RM once said in an interview that labels do not matter and that the real point is that they are Korean artists singing pop music. Fans still argue over how to place BTS in the larger scene. Yet there is no doubt about their reach. This year felt huge because all seven members came back from military duty. Jin dropped Echo and toured, while Jung Kook became the first Asian solo act with one hundred million streams on every original track. Jimin won Song of the Year at the iHeartRadio Music Awards for Who and released Muse on vinyl. RM also teamed with Tablo for Stop the Rain. On the other hand, J Hope toured with new singles and worked with Le Sserafim on Spaghetti, and V crossed major milestones with Winter Ahead and released his photo book Reve. Lastly, Suga opened a treatment center in South Korea for children with autism spectrum disorder. Then, in July, the group confirmed a new album for spring along with a world tour set to include many shows in North America.

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