In recent years, K-pop transcended the borders of South Korea to become a global phenomenon, and Argentina is no exception. During 2025, huge numbers of young people gathered throughout the country to sing, dance and celebrate their favorite groups: BTS, Stray Kids, ATEEZ, among others. Seeing them demand the presence of their idols in our country made me reflect on the influence and cultural, social and economic power that this industry can have in our society.
The strength of this movement is not measured only in screams or synchronized choreography. There is a less visible side of the K-pop phenomenon, but no less powerful: that of the microeconomies that are generated around the fandom. In Argentina, where official merchandise is often scarce or inaccessible, fans developed remarkable ingenuity. Fan-made merch, artisanal products and organized resales are part of an alternative, self-managed and collective economic circuit. This network not only moves money: it generates knowledge, networks of trust and a collaborative logic that sustains the phenomenon even in adverse contexts.
To measure the impact of this model, it is enough to point out that BTS alone generates more than 5 billion dollars annually for the South Korean economy. This demonstrates to what extent culture, when thought strategically, can become an economic and social engine. And just a few days ago a new tour of the region was confirmed, with a presence in our country, which reinforces the idea that Argentina is an active part of this global cultural map.
We are talking, then, about tens of thousands of people connected on social networks, sharing content, organizing events, learning group choreography and maintaining active communities. But we are also talking about something deeper: a spiritual and motivational dimension that directly challenges a society accustomed to individualism. K-pop proposes another paradigm: collective projects, bands that function as spaces of real coexistence, where the effort is shared and success or failure is never individual. You get on and off together. Each member matters. They are not accompanied soloists, but complex human structures that teach, by example, that working together enhances results that individualism rarely achieves.
In that sense, these groups are much more than artists who sing, dance and perform on stage. They are models of discipline, cooperation and resilience. Also civic responsibility. In South Korea, K-pop idols fulfill the obligations imposed by their country, even when that means making decisions that go against market logic or immediate success. The case of BTS is paradigmatic: the most influential band in the world paused its group career for approximately three years, at the height of its global popularity, so that each of its members could complete mandatory military service. They did it without exceptions or shortcuts, even knowing the economic and symbolic impact that this pause would have. This gesture—which is not exempt from debate—sends a powerful message: no one is above the collective commitment or the rules that sustain a community.
The inevitable question is what examples we, as Argentines, offer from our public, cultural and political figures, in terms of responsibility, effort and coherence between speech and action. What values do we transmit when personal success seems to justify any exception?
As the son of Korean immigrants, I know closely the values of the culture of the country of my ancestors: planning, perseverance and long-term vision. K-pop is, in that sense, a clear example of innovation understood as a collective project, with ambitious goals sustained over time. These are not isolated geniuses, but creative systems where individual talent is organized within a common strategy. Argentina, with its enormous creative capital, has a lot to learn from this approach and adapt it to its own identity.
Our youth has talent, energy and creativity to spare. What is sometimes missing is a cultural policy that understands culture not only as expression, but as an industry, community and country project. K-pop is not just entertainment: it is an opportunity to rethink how we organize creative work, how we foster cooperation and how we project our productions to the world.
Therefore, as an Argentine who loves his country, I think it is time to look at K-pop not only as music, but as an inspiring model. In one of the last meetings in Barrancas de Belgrano, I saw the enthusiasm of thousands of fans asking for their idols in Argentina: that is also a call to all of us. Let’s rethink how we create culture, how we support our youth and how we build collective projects with vision, commitment and innovation.
The future of our cultural industry will depend on our ability to learn from successful examples, strengthen our creative microeconomies and believe again in the value of working together. I am convinced that this new wave is not a passing fad, but a historic opportunity that Argentina can—and should—take advantage of.
Alejandro Kim is alawyer and businessman
by Alejandro Kim
