'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
As 2023 comes to an end, it's time to reminisce about some of the greatest and shocking K-pop moments and major events that set the internet on fire and were talk of the town throughout the months.
From BTS members finally getting enlisted for their mandatory military duty to the untimely demise of ASTRO's Moonbin, fans have gone through a rollercoaster of emotions, dealing with different feelings.
While BTS' Kim Taehyung, Stray Kids' Felix, Jimin, and others ruled the fashion industry, many interesting dance challenges continued to hit TikTok every month making it an interesting and entertaining year for the K-pop industry in 2023.
List of shocking moments that took the K-pop world by storm in 2023
While 2023 witnessed the rapid increase in the rise of the fourth-generation group Stray Kids, it also served as evidence of the global success of BTS, the biggest K-pop group, since they continued to top music charts despite taking a break in previous years.
Similarly, breakthrough events listed below are the reasons behind the further growth of K-pop in 2023:
1) BTS Enlistment
The major event that shocked the K-pop community to the core was the mandatory enlistment of the BTS members. With Jin enlisted in December 2022, the other members, including J-Hope and Suga, enlisted on April 18 and September 22, 2023. Meanwhile, V and RM enlisted on December 11, 2023, followed by Jimin and Jungkook enlisting the following day.
Even though the members enlisted, their fans continued to hype the group and their songs. Surprisingly, even their decade-old song No More Dreams ranked No.1 on US iTunes following the group's enlistment.
2) BTS' solo careers that broke multiple records
Following the group's enlistment, the individual members began Chapter 2, where they released their debut albums and achieved historic records.
Jin released his single The Astronaut on October 28, 2022, as a gift to fans, and it became the highest debut by any Korean soloist on the Hot 100 in 2022. He was also crowned as the first Korean solo artist to simultaneously enter the top 10 of Billboard's Global 200 and Global 200, excluding the US.
Meanwhile, Kim Namjoon's phenomenal album Indigo received worldwide praise for its meaningful lyrics. The album was crowned as the longest-running No.1 album by a K-pop soloist on Billboard's World Chart album and was declared the Best K-pop album of 2022 by Billboard and TIME.
J-Hope's solo album Jack in the Box was crowned as the fastest album by a Korean soloist to cross over 200 million streams on Spotify. It also ranked at No. 42 on NME's The Best 50 albums of 2022.
With the release of Suga's first official solo album D-Day the idol organized a concert in Single Arena and became the first rapper to earn over $3 million in a solo concert in US history. He also achieved the highest-grossing concerts by a South Korean soloist in US history, earning over $2 million each night at the UBS Arena in New York City. The album earned his first No.1 on Billboard's Top Album Sales chart.
Jimin became the first Korean soloist to hit the No.1 rank on Billboard charts with his album FACE and its title track Like Crazy. It also became the first album by a Korean soloist to surpass one billion streams on Spotify.
With Layover, Kim Taehyung became the first solo Hanteo double million-seller ever, and every single track from the album concurrently peaked at number one on the Billboard charts. Additionally, Layover became the first and only album by a K-pop soloist to reach 600 million Spotify plays across all of its tracks.
Jungkook's GOLDEN continued to rule the K-pop nation as he became the first Korean soloist to have 10 hits on the Hot 100 chart, and GOLDEN was crowned as the highest-charting album by a Korean soloist in UK Official Chart history. His single Seven is also certified platinum by The RIAA, and BRIT-certified silver in the UK. His solo album also earned the biggest debut for a solo album by a South Korean soloist in Spotify history.
3) BLACKPINK Lisa's Crazy Horse carbaret Paris appearance
As BLACKPINK's Lisa became the first-ever Korean artist to grace the Crazy Horse cabaret in Paris, she set the K-pop scene ablaze, hitting the stage on September 28, 29, and 30, delivering five seductive exclusive performances that left a lasting impact.
The tickets to the show were sold within minutes of her announcement, and a large crowd of fans eagerly awaited her every three days as she finished her performances.
4) ASTRO's Moonbin death
The K-pop world fell into a moment of silence as they learned about the untimely demise of ASTRO's Moonbin. It was reported by Yonhap News that he allegedly took his own life. However, Gangnam Police informed CNN that there was no sign of foul play related to Moonbin's death.
Fans still go to Moonbin's grave to offer their final respects to the celebrity, whose passing was a shocking huge event that shook the core of the industry.
5) Jungkook & Latto to TXT & Anitta- A year of great collaborations
K-pop fans witnessed some memorable collaborations throughout 2023 that will undoubtedly go down in history.
These include TXT & Anitta's Back for More, Jackson Wang and Ciara's Slow, One of The Girls by The Weeknd, Jennie and Lily-Rose Depp, Better Things by aespa and RAYE, Jungkook & Latto's Seven, On The Street by j-hope and J.Cole, and another major collaboration – FIFTY FIFTY's Cupid Twin Version with Sabrina Carpenter, LE SSERAFIM & Nile Rodgers for UNFORGIVEN.
6) BTS announces reunion 2025 & HYYH
After completing their mandatory military service, all the members of the K-pop group will reunite in 2025. Bang Si-hyuk has also confirmed that there will be a 10th-anniversary project for BTS' HYYH: The Most Beautiful Moment in Life series.
K-pop fans are excited to witness the reunion of the biggest group in 2025 and look forward to their upcoming projects, concerts, and more.
7) BTS' Kim Taehyung's Celine to Stray Kids' Felix's Louis Vuitton brand ambassadorship- A year of fashion collaborations
In 2023, surprising collaborations unfolded between K-pop idols and luxurious brands. Kim Taehyung ruled the fashion world with collaborations with Celine and Cartier, while Jimin's Dior and Tiffany & Co promotional campaigns continued to captivate the globe. Stray Kids' Felix and Hyunjin's campaigns for Louis Vuitton and Versace, respectively, contributed to increased EMV and sales for the brands.
RIZZE, LE SEERAFILM, and j-hope became the faces of Louis Vuitton, while RM and Suga teamed up with Bottega Veneta and Valentino. Jungkook became the face of Calvin Klein, rapidly boosting its sales.
Other groups including RIIZE and Le SERAFIM collaborated with Louis Vuitton, TXT chose Dior, and BIG BANG became the first Korean ambassador for Givenchy. SEVENTEEN's DK and Vernon joined Bally and Kenzo, and ENHYPEN partnered with Prada.
8) BTS' V and BLACKPINK's Jennie relationship and break up rumours
On May 17, the French journalist Taoualit Amar shocked K-pop fans with claims that he recorded a video of BTS' V and BLACKPINK's Jennie strolling in Paris. The people in the video were covered with winter clothes from head to toe, and as a result, nobody could tell whether they were V and Jennie at all. Even the agencies responded vaguely stating that it was the pair's private life and they had no say in it.
Fast forwarding to December when the media outlet JTBC reported that the duo had broken up following V's mandatory military service. However, fans reacted rather hilariously to the news stating that the duo never even dated, and thus their breaking up is completely false, and the entire dating narrative is fabricated.
9) BLACKPINK's contract renewal
As the group's exclusive contract with YG Entertainment expired in August 2023, there was a need for renewal so that the duo could continue working together.
The renewal news came after many dilemmas, as the agency finally announced in December that they have signed contracts with all four members of BLACKPINK. However, K-pop fans are still waiting to see the development of their contracts with the agency.
10) G-Dragon's alleged drug charges
The K-pop star, G-Dragon, was accused of consuming drugs for purposes other than medicinal, which is illegal in South Korea. The news spread like wildfire damaging the reputation and public image of the idol.
However, he was found not guilty in his drug case, as reported by the South Korean media outlet, JTBC and no further investigation will be taken against him. As G-Dragon was cleared of all charges, fans took to social media to celebrate with many urging the idol to sue everyone for defaming him.
11) BLACKPINK MBE honors
In 2023, BLACKPINK made history as they became the only non-British Musical Artist Honorary Awardees of MBE. To recognize the group's significant contribution as COP2 advocates for the COP26 summit, King Charles II named Jennie Kim, Roseanne Park, Ji-soo, and Lalisa Manoban as Honorary Members of the Order of the British Empire.
The K-pop group embarked on a three-day visit to Britain with South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol to strengthen diplomatic relations with the country.
12) Rise of Stray Kids
In 2023, we witnessed the increasing development of the fourth-generation K-pop group, Stray Kids who dominated the industry with solid hits like S-Class, Rock-Star, and others.
They won the Best K-pop category at the VMAs and made their debut at the Billboard Music Awards 2023, delivering performances of hit songs, including S-Class and LALALALA. Their album 5-Star also topped the Billboard 200 and featured at Lollapalooza. Additionally, they secured the top K-pop album for 5-Star at the BBMA 2023.
13) BLACKPINK became the first Asian and female group to headline Coachella
The female group BLACKPINK made history as they became the first ever Asian and female K-pop group to hit the Coachella on April 2023 and created an unforgettable moment for BLINKs.
They also performed at the music festival back in 2018.
14) From Smoke Challenge to Cupid Dance challenge that ruled over TikTok
In 2023, there was a significant increase in the incorporation of grooving into K-pop songs, with complex choreography initiated by South Korean dance groups. Many K-pop idols embraced the Smoke Challenge, originated by Bada Lee of BEBE from the Street Woman Fighter Season 2.
FIFTY FIFTY's Cupid, EXO Kai's Rover, and Check notes went viral and fans worldwide cannot stop grooving to them. Jungkook's Seven, Jimin's Like Crazy, and others continued to create a buzz among fans.
15) Idols VS Agency- Multiple lawsuits
In 2023, K-pop fans noticed rookie groups filing lawsuits against their agencies, bringing a breath of fresh air into the industry and challenging the conventional practice of mistreatment by agencies.
FIFTY FIFTY's controversial lawsuit with ATTRAKT led to the group's failure in winning the case and resulting in Aran, Sio, and Saena getting removed from the group. LOONA won its case against BlockBerry Creative, while EXO's Chen, Baekhyun, and Xiumin settled with SM Entertainment.
As 2023 comes to an end, K-pop fans are eagerly awaiting the comebacks, new albums, and singles from their favorite groups in the coming year. They hope that this trend will continue to enhance the Hallyu phenomenon all over the world.
