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The popularity of K-pop and J-pop continues its rapid acceleration, with The Korea Foundation recently estimating that there are 89 million K-pop fans worldwide. and that figure is rising. But, for the most ardent K-pop and J-pop fans, or for newbies to the phenomenon, the same question remains. What are currently the best live streaming services for K-pop and J-pop?
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Influencing Online Entertainment
K-pop has grown to extraordinary levels in the last five-ten years, so much so that the genre is now not only influencing pop culture in Korea but worldwide. At the turn of the millennium, it was European and American culture that was firmly influencing Asia. Popular TV shows like Who Wants to Be a Millionaire were some of the most-watched on Korean screens, so much so that they spawned Japanese slot games on online casinos (オンラインカジノ). Alongside the Who Wants to Be a Millionaire slot, Casitabi casino has a range of exciting casino games, influenced by both Korean and European culture. Yet now when it comes to influencing cultures, the roles have firmly been reversed. K-pop and J-pop’s high tempo choreography, catchy choruses, and recognizable stars have begun to dominate mobile and TV screens across the world. And as demand for K-pop and J-pop increases, so does the need for streaming services that support the genre.
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K-pop & J-pop Streaming Services
Melon (멜론) remains the largest music streaming service in South Korea with over 28 million active users. KMTV is also one of the most popular streaming services that support Korean music, with the KMTV app featuring a wide range of Korean music videos, charts, and behind-the-scenes exclusives.
KMTV even allows users to upload their own versions of famous K-pop songs. Flo (플로) is one of the newest streaming services that support K-pop, and it is quickly becoming one of the most popular. Flo uses state-of-the-art AI technology to provide its users with its recommended songs depending upon their favorite genre or artist. Flo also allows users to select music depending upon the situation they are in, such as driving, studying, working out, and relaxing.
Whilst in Japan, music streaming services are seeing even greater levels of demand. Japan currently holds second place in the world’s recorded music market – behind only the USA – with revenue from music streaming services such as Spotify generating over 40 billion yen in the year 2019. This figure represented an almost 100% increase from 2017 (23 billion yen) and confirms the remarkable climb that streaming services in Japan are currently experiencing.
As well as Spotify, J-pop is streamed on the Japanese Music TV app PiPop, which features a selection of over 1,000 Japanese songs, including a range of famous Japanese artists such as Aimer, Wagakki Band, and Kenshi Yonezu. However, arguably the fastest-growing music streaming app in Japan is currently AWA. AWA features a range of international music and allows users to enjoy playlists created by music professionals. One of the big advantages of AWA over some of its competitors is that the service has both free and paid subscription services.
With the increasing success of both K-pop and J-pop, and audiences growing every year, there are no signs of this movement slowing down. We will likely find more elements of this in our entertainment culture, so expect to see more of your favorite music in the media. In the meantime, these are the best apps to indulge in your favorite type of music.
