While South Korea is a vital part of the growing economic boom in Asia, the country of nearly 50 million people is exporting more than just consumer electronics and cars these days. Its native popular music, universally known as K-pop, is also finding a growing international audience in places such as the United States, Europe, the Middle East, and South America. And in other Asian markets, including Japan, it's already big business.
In major U.S. cities such as Chicago, Atlanta and Houston, K-pop concerts have sold out venues seating 1,700 to 2,500 music fans. In 2011 the nine-member dance-pop group Girls' Generation sold out New York's hallowed Madison Square Garden. And in Los Angeles, the Korean Music Festival has been a part of the concert season at the 17,000-plus capacity Hollywood Bowl for the past 10 years. Held this year on April 28, the festival featured performances from Korean artists such as Brown Eyed Girls, Im Tae Kyung, Kim Kyung-Ho, and Lena Park, among others.