South Korea has emerged as a global music powerhouse, with its industry valued at $12.6 trillion won in 2023¹. While K-pop dominates international attention, the domestic market thrives on diverse genres including ballad (the most popular among Koreans), trot, indie rock, hip-hop, and traditional gugak². The Korean Wave has transformed the nation into the world's sixth-largest music market³, with artists like BTS and BLACKPINK achieving unprecedented global success.