In the United States, pop culture from South Korea has become a commercial and cultural powerhouse. Hit songs from groups like BTS and BLACKPINK top charts, sell out stadiums, and dominate streaming platforms, especially among younger audiences. In contrast, pop culture from China has seen much slower growth in the same market.
An investigation published in Frontiers in Communication sought to understand this disparity. The research aimed to compare the business models of South Korean pop culture, or K-pop, and Chinese pop culture, C-pop, to identify the challenges C-pop faces and propose strategies for its development among American Generation Z consumers.
A Pop Culture Puzzle
The central question driving the research was why K-pop has achieved such a high level of market acceptance in the U.S. while C-pop has not. Zilun Lin, a researcher at the College of Business at Westcliff University, identified this as a gap in the existing scholarship, which has extensively covered K-pop’s rise but offered limited analysis of C-pop’s position.
Defining the Playing Field
To understand the comparison, a few concepts are helpful. The first is Generation Z, or Gen Z, which includes individuals born between 1995 and 2010. This group is defined by its familiarity with technology and a strong presence on social media, making them a key audience for digitally distributed entertainment.
Another concept is “soft power,” defined as the ability to influence others through attraction, such as a nation’s culture and values, rather than through coercion. The study frames the export of pop culture as a form of soft power. K-pop’s success has not only generated economic value but has also positively affected South Korea’s national image.
Finally, the study considers the idea that “the medium is the message.” This theory suggests that the platform used for communication, like TikTok or Netflix, is as important as the content itself. The choice of platform shapes how audiences engage with and perceive entertainment.
How the Comparison Was Made
Lin designed a qualitative study using a multiple case study method. This approach was selected to gain an in-depth understanding of the business models behind both K-pop and C-pop. The research focused on two representative artists: the group BLACKPINK for K-pop and the solo artist Jackson Wang for C-pop. Both have achieved notable success and performed at the Coachella music festival, indicating a high level of professional recognition in the U.S.
To gather information, the researcher collected publicly available data from secondary sources where Gen Z consumes media. These sources included streaming services like Spotify and Netflix and social media platforms like Instagram and YouTube. The data consisted of song lyrics, music video styles, promotional materials, and audience engagement metrics such as view counts, likes, and comments.
The analysis involved a content analysis approach, which systematically categorizes data to identify patterns and themes. The researcher looked for the deeper meaning within user comments and visual elements to understand audience preferences in both creative direction and marketing strategy.
A Look at Lyrics and Visuals
The analysis revealed distinct differences in musical content. In music, BLACKPINK’s most-streamed songs featured self-empowering themes and memorable English choruses designed to be catchy and easy to sing along to. Jackson Wang’s music often focused on themes of romantic connection with lyrics entirely in English.
Music videos also showed different priorities. BLACKPINK’s videos were holistic visual experiences, emphasizing choreography, elaborate stage design, and vibrant color palettes. Data from YouTube showed that the most-replayed segments of their videos often coincided with group dance sequences. Jackson Wang’s music videos tended to be more narrative, focusing on telling a story that aligned with the song’s lyrics.
The Power of Fandom and Collaboration
Marketing strategies diverged as well. K-pop artists frequently collaborate with prominent Western musicians, which helps them reach a broader American audience. K-pop fandoms are also highly organized and play an active role in promoting artists by collectively working to increase stream counts and video views. In contrast, C-pop artists have engaged in fewer collaborations with Western acts, and their fan comments tend to focus more on appreciating the content itself rather than boosting metrics.
The Streaming Service Battlefield
A similar pattern appeared in television. K-dramas have become a formal genre on Netflix, with shows like Squid Game breaking viewership records. Netflix has invested billions in South Korean content and promotes it with immersive offline events.
While Chinese dramas, or C-dramas, are available on the platform, their distribution is more fragmented. A notable case was 3 Body Problem, a Netflix series based on a famous Chinese science fiction novel but produced with a predominantly Western cast and global setting for an international audience.
An Unexpected Breakthrough in Gaming
The study also pointed to the video game Black Myth: Wukong as a significant C-pop success. Based on the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West, the game became one of history’s fastest-selling video games. Its success was attributed to its use of a story already familiar to many global audiences, combined with strong storytelling and high-quality graphics.
The Core Finding: A Need for Connection
Based on the findings, the research outlines several actionable insights for C-pop professionals looking to connect with American Gen Z. The central recommendation is to focus on building a stronger “personal connection.” The data suggests this generation often experiences loneliness and seeks content that is relatable and feels authentic.
For creative direction, this means diversifying themes beyond traditional romance to include self-empowerment narratives and science fiction. It also means developing a cohesive and compelling visual identity across all platforms, from music videos to social media posts.
For marketing, the study suggests a more targeted approach for the U.S. market. This includes creating playlists that resonate with Gen Z’s life experiences, organizing offline events like concerts and fan meetings to build community, and forging partnerships with major American streaming and gaming platforms. A key point is that C-pop should not simply copy K-pop’s model but instead cultivate a unique identity.
Boundaries and Future Questions
The study’s scope was defined by its use of public, secondary data and its focus on two specific artists. The researcher noted that these factors mean the findings may not represent the entire K-pop and C-pop ecosystems. The reliance on user comments also presents challenges, as the information is self-reported and difficult to verify independently.
This investigation opens up new questions for future work. Researchers could explore how C-pop develops in the U.S. over the next five years, tracking how consumer behaviors change in response to new strategies. Other studies could examine the deeper social and psychological factors that drive Gen Z to seek community and belonging within pop culture fandoms.
![[Adobe Stock]](https://www.psychologyofselling.pro/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/artificial-intelligence-1-350x250.jpg)
