Driven by popular internet content, influencer-turned-singers are generating a phenomenon with “meme music.” Leveraging their social media popularity, they are making their way into mainstream music charts, TV music shows, and major concert stages without traditional entertainment agencies.
On May. 14., two men dressed as butlers received significant acclaim on “The Show,” a music program produced by SBS MTV. The audience sang along in Japanese to their song. They were ASMRZ, a musical duo formed by YouTuber Needmorecash and Tanaka Yukio, the virtual character embodied by comedian Kim Kyoung-wook. ASMRZ shot to popularity on social media and made it to public airwaves with their song titled “Good Night Ojousama.” Released in February, the song parodies Japanese butler café culture. The song was positioned 845th on South Korea’s biggest music platform, Melon’s chart, as of June. 3., but its music video has attracted over 8.2 million views on YouTube.
In another instance, the female rock band QWER, created by YouTuber Kim EGG (Kim Gyeran), came fourth on Melon’s Top 100 list with their new April track “T. B. H.” The group gets its name from frequently used keyboard keys in the game League of Legends (LOL). Members include creators Chodan and Magenta, TikToker Hina with 4.1 million followers, and Siyeon from the Japanese idol group NMB48. Under ThreeY Corporation, a Kakao Entertainment affiliate focused on MCN (Multi-Channel Network), they debuted through an online entertainment program and have been well-received for their pursuit of authentic band music. The group is also on the performer list for the Incheon Pentaport Rock Festival, a major music event scheduled for August. It is unusual for a band that started as a social media sensation to appear on the stage of the country’s largest rock festival, typically hosted by established rock bands.
Influencer-released music used to be dismissed as non-mainstream. However, evolving music consumption patterns have reversed this trend, ushering in the “visual music era.” According to Mobile Index, Melon (6.97 million monthly active users in Apr. 2024) lagged behind YouTube Music (7.2 million users). This marks a significant shift from Apr. 2021, when Melon had 8.52 million users compared to YouTube Music’s 3.44 million.
Easier music production and distribution, along with lower costs, have lowered entry barriers for musicians. The six-member virtual idol group “ISEGYE IDOL,” created by streamer Woowakgood, featured fan-written songs from online contests and conducted solo events following their rise in popularity. Similarly, ASMRZ’s “Good Night Ojousama” was a collaborative effort by influencers, including TikToker duo EZUZ (choreography) and YouTuber Gwana (lyrics, music, production).
Critic Lee Moon-won noted, “Music targeting specific interests is more efficiently consumed as mega-hit songs known by all age groups fade. Recently, the J-pop craze in South Korea has been driven by social media stars. Influencers with hundreds of thousands of subscribers have an advantage over singers from small and medium agencies when debuting.”
Furthermore, studies suggest that social media usage will cause the popularity of “meme music” to exacerbate the generational divide in music consumption. For instance, singer Seo Eve’s song “Malatanghulu” topped audio video charts on TikTok and Instagram while recording 589th on Melon.
