: popular music originating in South Korea and encompassing a variety of styles
The opening ceremony, which took place Friday in Pyeongchang, South Korea, featured several songs from notable K-pop artists as teams circled the stadium.Kimberly Yam

Examples of K-pop in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
This week, as 160 million people in the U.S. are under heat alerts, an outdoor K-pop concert for Stray Kids had five attendees who were rushed to the hospital for heat stroke. Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 24 June 2025 Popular Namesakes: Actress and musician Rain Phoenix, as well as Rain (Jung Ji-hoon), known for his K-pop career. Clea Haran, Parents, 23 June 2025 Idols riding on carts around the stadium have been a staple for K-pop stadium shows lately as an opportunity to get up close to their fans. Lea Veloso, StyleCaster, 23 June 2025 Earlier this month, K-pop superstars RM and V, from the band BTS, became the latest high-profile conscripts discharged from national service. Will Ripley, CNN Money, 21 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for K-pop

Word History

Etymology

short for Korean pop

First Known Use

1999, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of K-pop was in 1999

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Cite this Entry

“K-pop.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/K-pop. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.

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