K-Pop's Ingredients of Success

Abstract

This research paper examines the training hours, physical appearances, and on-screen personalities as potential factors of success in today’s K-pop industry in an attempt to understand such global success. The top 10 most popular male K-pop groups were chosen as this paper’s samples based on the criteria of album sales and music video views. The research method of content analysis was employed to measure certain aspects of each factor; the total training hours, average facial scores based on rules of symmetry, and frequencies of introverted or extroverted behaviors were collected for each group. For the majority, groups that went through extensive training periods, had high facial symmetry scores, and leaned more toward introverted personalities on average were found to be among the most popular and successful. It is important to note, however, that the last outcome may have been due to South Korea’s societal expectations and culture.