Japan might still be K-pop’s biggest overseas market, but new data suggests the country’s once-unshakeable lead is beginning to shift. A joint report from K-Pop Radar and the Korea Creative Content Agency’s Japan office shows that while K-pop remains a dominant force in Japan, the nation’s slice of the global pie is quietly shrinking as other regions accelerate at a faster pace.
Based on YouTube data and a survey of Japanese fans, the report paints a picture of a market that’s still influential but entering a new phase. The frenzy has cooled; what remains is a steady, powerful base of long-established fans rather than the explosive growth seen in previous years.
K-pop YouTube views in Japan hit 4.06 billion in 2022, 4.57 billion in 2023, and 4.95 billion in 2024 — a three-year CAGR of about 10.3%. Growth is still healthy, but the pace has eased, dipping from 12% in 2023 to around 8% the following year.
“This trajectory is typical of a market that has already achieved saturation, where new fan inflows are smaller and the bulk of activity comes from established communities,” K-Pop Radar said.
Even with rising view counts, Japan’s share of global K-pop consumption has slipped from 8.77% in 2022 to 8.65% in 2023 and 8.54% in 2024.
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“The absolute market is expanding, but the global landscape is expanding faster, driven primarily by Southeast Asia, Latin America and other emerging regions,” the report noted.
Through Q3 2025, views reached 3.59 billion — down 1.06% year-on-year — reinforcing the idea that Japan may have reached its plateau.
BTS continues to dominate, accounting for around 20% of all views in 2022. But with the group largely inactive due to mandatory military service, fans have dispersed toward solo releases and other top acts — opening up space for more groups to establish a stronger presence.
Seventeen has held one of the most consistent positions in the Japanese market, staying in the top five for four straight years, driven by Japanese-language releases, stadium tours and performance-led content.
Twice remains the leading girl group since 2023, powered by the Misamo subunit — Mina, Sana and Momo — and a long-term localization strategy that’s helped the group maintain deep-rooted loyalty.
Stray Kids recorded some of the fastest growth from 2023 to 2024, charting strongly on Oricon and Billboard Japan and maintaining a top-tier ranking in 2025.
Meanwhile, newer girl groups including aespa, Ive, Le Sserafim and NewJeans have risen quickly, fueled by short-form content and striking visual identities — diversifying a space once dominated by boy groups.
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The report’s survey of 95 Japanese K-pop fans highlights evolving behaviours. More than half now follow multiple groups rather than committing to a single favourite — a reflection of Japan’s broad, genre-wide approach to fandom.
It also found that recommendations from friends and family are the most common gateway into K-pop, surpassing YouTube, music programmes and TikTok.
“This reflects the importance of social networks and interpersonal influence in Japan, where exposure to new content is often driven by community rather than algorithm,” K-Pop Radar said.
The result: a mature, deeply engaged market — one that still matters, even as global momentum begins to shift elsewhere.
