A beginner's guide to K-pop: 20 artists to explore next

A practical starting point for new fans: choose a group, follow a few key releases, then use member and album pages to go deeper.

K-pop is easier to explore when you start with a few artists and follow the connections from there. This guide is a route through the 20 artists covered by PopNote, with a mix of long-running acts, newer groups and solo artists.

There is no single correct order. Pick one section that matches what you want to hear, open the artist guide, then try an album page or a member page when someone catches your attention.

Start with global stadium-scale groups

BTS and BLACKPINK are useful first stops for fans who want to see how group releases, solo projects and world-scale fandoms connect. BTS's MAP OF THE SOUL : 7 and BLACKPINK's THE ALBUM are two full-length records that provide clear entry points.

For performance-focused boy groups, try Stray Kids, SEVENTEEN, ATEEZ, ENHYPEN, NCT 127, EXO and TOMORROW X TOGETHER. Their artist pages lead to member profiles and key releases, so it is easy to move from a song to the people who made it.

Find a girl-group sound that fits you

TWICE, aespa, LE SSERAFIM, IVE, i-dle, ITZY, BABYMONSTER, RIIZE and RESCENE offer different starting points for fans exploring current K-pop. Open an artist page first, then compare the Popular songs and Albums sections rather than relying on one viral track.

IU is a solo artist with a separate catalog and acting career, while G-DRAGON's page is a useful route into a major solo career connected to group history.

Use this site as a listening map

Each artist guide keeps the basic profile, members, activity timeline and releases in one place. Album pages list release dates, title tracks and full tracklists. Member pages collect verified solo releases and selected activities.

A simple next step is to choose one artist, listen to a title track, then read the album page before trying a second artist from the same section. That gives new fans context without turning discovery into homework.

Fuentes

Información revisada al 21 de septiembre de 2026. ¿Encontraste un error? Avísanos.