In the latest report of KOFICE, K-pop groups such as BTS and BLACKPINK were credited as "K-pop leaders" with huge contributions to the spread of the Hallyu Wave around the world.

On April 19, JTBC News unveiled Korea Foundation for International Cultural Exchange (KOFICE)'s "2021 Korean Wave Market Survey Report Using Big Data."

In particular, this report investigates and analyzes SNS and overseas media reports to determine the most influential domestic idols around the world. These idols have experienced an international market expansion within the past five years and created representative songs throughout the years.

The survey period ran from June to December last year, and the big data were collected from 15 countries including China, Japan, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, South Africa, Russia, Thailand, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, the United States, Vietnam, Australia, and the United Arab Emirates.

BTS, BLACKPINK Crowned as 'K-pop Hallyu Wave Leaders'

In the report, global groups BTS and BLACKPINK are said to be creating a global ripple effect as K-pop Korean Wave leaders.

KOFICE, a private foundation under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said:

"The BTS and BLACKPINK have voiced a consensus on the common values of mankind beyond the scope of their activities as K-pop entertainers.

These messages spread and play through SNS and capture the eyes and ears of people around the world based on the fandom of the artists, and these values, activities, and cultural directions of Hallyu stars function as unique selling points from other popular cultures, forming a core value."

ALSO READ: BTS, BLACKPINK Included in Top 10 Influential People That Improve South Korea's Image

According to the report, the main keyword of the K-pop Hallyu Wave was "BTS." In communities that include Reddit, Soompi, Fandom, IMDb, and Rotten Tomatoes, it was analyzed that the amount of buzz for "BTS" and "BLACKPINK" continued to be high throughout the survey period.

In fact, in North America and Europe, almost all news media platforms were covered by reports about BTS and BLACKPINK. India also showed huge support to BTS by even having individual articles about members.

BTS, BLACKPINK Prove Status as SNS Kings, Queens + 'Effect' in Fashion, Food, Other Fields

KOFICE specifically emphasized the two global groups in other fields, other than the music scene.

Starting with SNS powers, BTS and BLACKPINK contributed to the spread of the Hallyu wave through content creation (e.g., dance challenges) on YouTube and TikTok.

Along with them, the foundation also listed ENHYPEN, TXT, Jeon Somi, and TWICE as huge contributors to these platforms.

Also, BLACKPINK's Lisa, TWICE, Stray Kids, NCT, and ITZY, who made a comeback during the survey period, were listed on SNS's monthly keyword with the highest mention.

KOFICE added:

"Since K-pop artists are based on loyal fandom, interest in BTS is believed to spread to other fields such as fashion, Korean food, and beauty related to the artist."

Lastly, with the concerns in climate change and health care, BTS and BLACKPINK also stepped forward through UN Assembly and campaigns.

In a speech at the UN General Assembly, BTS expressed it as a generation that has expectations and hopes for the future, not a generation of loss due to COVID-19. The septet also delivered a message of comfort and hope.

As for BLACKPINK, the quartet spoke out to improve awareness at the UN Climate Change General Assembly and climate change-related campaigns.

READ MORE: KOFICE Reveals Most Popular K-pop Artists Among Foreigners in 2018-2020

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Written by Eunice Dawson