Korea is Trending
K-pop tours selling out U.S. arenas, TikTok-fueled skincare crazes, and Hollywood projects inspired by Korean music, South Korea’s influence on American pop culture is everywhere. What started as niche fandoms has become a powerful driver of what people listen to, watch, and buy.
Today, Korean influence is shooting to new heights of popularity, capturing the attention of both consumers and brands eager to join in. In this article, Hollywood Branded explores South Korea’s growing influence on U.S. trends and pop culture, and how brands can use these shifts to stay part of the conversation.
South Korea’s Growing Influence on U.S. Trends and Pop Culture
In 2023 alone, South Korea’s entertainment and beauty sectors generated over $52 billion in sales, with exports topping $5.39 billion, much of that momentum driven by the global appetite for K-pop and K-beauty.
From international tours to viral skincare routines, these sectors have transformed from niche interests into mainstream cultural forces.
For U.S. brands, the question isn’t whether to engage, but how to do it in ways that resonate whether it be through music tie-ins, beauty partnerships, or with trending IPs.
Music as a Universal Language
K-pop has become the defining model of cultural crossover. Groups like TWICE, BLACKPINK, and BTS all demonstrate how blending languages and styles can broaden appeal.
BTS set the benchmark in 2021, becoming the first artist ever to sell out four consecutive shows at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles with their Permission to Dance On Stage Tour LA concerts, which grossed over $33 million USD with 214,000 tickets sold. Their sold-out stadium runs, including MetLife and the Rose Bowl, proved K-pop could dominate the biggest U.S. venues.
Photo: LiveNation | BTS
Following their lead, BLACKPINK cemented their status as global superstars with the Born Pink world tour (2022–2023), which drew over half a million attendees in North America.
The group has gone on to sell out major U.S. stadiums in cities like Los Angeles and New York, confirming that girl groups can command the same scale as their male counterparts.
Photo Credit: @lalalalisa_m | Instagram
Another female K-pop group, TWICE, sold out U.S. shows on their Ready To Be tour in 2023, further underscoring how quickly K-pop has moved from niche fandoms to the mainstream stage.
Flashforward to 2025, TWICE carried the torch to new milestones by headlining Lollapalooza in Chicago, becoming the first K-pop girl group to top the lineup at one of America’s biggest music festivals (with attendance of around 400K for one weekend vs. Coachella's total estimated 250K across the two weekends).
Photo Credit: Teen Vogue
With more K-pop idols becoming proficient in English, groups such as LE SSERAFIM, aespa, and the newly debuted CORTIS are emerging as the next wave, proving that K-pop’s global reach isn’t slowing down, but evolving for even wider audiences.
Photo Credit: LE SSERAFIM (SM Entertainment)
Photo Credit: aespa (SM Entertainment)
Photo Credit: CORTIS (BigHit Music)
K-pop’s Expansion into Film and TV
As audiences flock to K-pop concerts, Hollywood has been carrying that influence into film and TV. The genre’s storytelling power and global fanbase have sparked a surge of projects in mainstream media.
K-pop’s re-emergence in pop culture began in 2018 with Jenny Han’s To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before film adaption on Netflix, which introduced millions of viewers to Korean American representation. Its success led to two sequels and the Netflix spin-off XO, Kitty, set in South Korea with a K-pop-infused soundtrack.
Photo Credit: Netflix
Photo Credit: Netflix
Having seen the success of To All the Boys I've Loved Before, Amazon Prime adapted Han's other book trilogy and turned it into hit series The Summer I Turned Pretty . This series joined the list of making Han’s stories a global generational hit for Gen Z.
Photo Credit: Amazon Prime Video
Continuing to push boundaries, Netflix then leaned in with the docuseries Pop Star Academy: KATSEYE, produced by HYBE (home of BTS) and Geffen Records (a U.S. label under Universal Music Group). The series documented the group’s creation while showcasing K-pop’s blueprint of constant content and brand tie-ins.
Photo Credit: Netflix
Photo Credit: KATSEYE (HYBE America)
A standout example is KATSEYE’s viral Gap campaign, which highlighted how music, fashion, and branding intertwine.
Photo Credit: Gap (website)
The crossover of K-pop with mainstream media was further accelerated by Netflix’s K-pop Demon Hunters.
Photo Credit: Netflix
Songs from the soundtrack propelled K-pop group TWICE to new milestones on the Billboard Hot 100 with songs “Takedown” at #50 and “Strategy” at #51.
Photo: Billboard
Photo Credit: Billboard
The animated hit also partnered with Nongshim and Paris Baguette, deepening fan engagement, and went on to become Netflix’s most-watched animated film ever, surpassing 266 million views.
Photo Credit: Nonghim | Netflix
Together, these projects show K-pop isn’t just shaping the charts, it’s becoming the story itself in mainstream media, with new ventures like Apple TV+'s KPOPPED, the HYBE x Paramount feature film and Rebel Wilson’s upcoming K-pop comedy set to take it even further.
Photo Credit: Apple TV+ | klandmexico
K-Beauty Captivates U.S. Consumers
Just as K-pop dominates stages, Korean beauty is reshaping consumer habits. The global K-beauty sector was valued at $14.6 billion in 2024 and is projected to more than double by 2033.
In the U.S., K-pop idols are becoming beauty trendsetters, with fans turning to TikTok to break down and recreate their looks, from dewy “glass skin” to bold eyeliner styles.
This has fueled the rise of Korean skincare and cosmetics on social media, where tutorials and product reviews often go viral, pushing specific K-beauty items to the top of shopping lists.
Now, Korea’s most iconic beauty retailer, Olive Young, is preparing to open its first U.S. store, signaling just how deeply K-beauty has entered the mainstream.
Photo Credit: Olive Young
Fueled by idol-inspired aesthetics and digital buzz, these products aren’t just cosmetics, they’re cultural markers, giving U.S. consumers a direct way to connect with Korean trends in their everyday routines.
Crossing Cultures And Creating Connection
History has shown that cultural waves repeat themselves, and South Korea’s current influence is the latest example. The key is tastefully blending the familiar with the novel to make new trends consumer-friendly while maintaining authenticity.
Music, film, and beauty all serve as vehicles for connection, pulling people into shared experiences regardless of language or geography.
For brands, the takeaway is clear. Staying part of the cultural conversation requires more than just good products.
In this case (Korean based stories, music, and products trending in the US), the strongest results come from authentic collaborations where the history and cultural influences are told and shine through naturally.
Whether through music partnerships, film and TV placements, or beauty integrations amplified on TikTok, these approaches keep brands relevant while building deeper genuine connections with audiences.
Eager To Learn More?
South Korea’s global rise shows how music, film, and beauty can spark powerful brand moments, but this is only one part of how pop culture shapes consumer behavior.
Want to dive deeper into celebrity partnerships, entertainment marketing, and cultural influence? Check out these recent Hollywood Branded blogs:
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