: 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.
Now, Jaehyun returns the favor, drizzling his honeyed tenor vocals alongside Azad and Vali’s signature grooves for a twilight-tinged anthem that brings the best of West Coast cool and K-pop polish. Jeff Benjamin, Forbes.com, 25 Apr. 2025 The Spring Festival, technically part of Dance Week, offers two full days of a wide variety of dance events – from hip-hop to K-pop to hula and classical ballet and more. Randy McMullen, Mercury News, 24 Apr. 2025 The collection also debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart, making TXT only the second K-pop group ever to land 11 releases on the chart, six of which landed in the top five. Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 21 Apr. 2025 While Sheeran’s genre explorations have at times led to accusations of appropriation, Sheeran has collaborated with—and been embraced by—musical icons across the world, from Nigeria’s Burna Boy to K-pop’s Jessi. Andrew R. Chow, Time, 16 Apr. 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 Apr. 2025.

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