TWITTER is already a space for K-pop fans to Twitter to talk about the latest news and trends in the K-pop scene, so it comes as no surprise that K-pop artists are very popular on Twitter Spaces, a space where fans can listen and join K-pop artists’ live audio conversations. As of June 30, three of the Top 5 Twitter Spaces with the most listeners in the world have included K-pop artists.
Fans of artists like NCT (@NCTsmtown), TWICE (@JYPETWICE), BamBam (@BamBam1A), LOONA (@loonatheworld), and MonstaX (@OfficialMonstaX) among many others, have been able to listen to their favorites via live audio.
GOT7 BamBam (@BamBam1A) set the record for the most listened-to Space since launch, with his Space on June 9 (https://twitter.com/BamBam1A/status/1402624948124798976). NCT (@NCTsmtown) was the first K-pop artist to host a Space, and set the record for the most listened-to Space before Spaces even launched to the public (https://twitter.com/NCTsmtown/status/1369945981567922176). TWICE (@JYPETWICE) was the first K-pop girl group to host a Space and connect with their fans, when they led an “After Party” Space of the comeback premiere live-streaming of Taste of Love on June 9 (https://twitter.com/JYPETWICE/status/1400829738793332742).
In addition to the firsts set by the above artists, other firsts include Sandara Park (@krungy21, 2NE1) becoming the first K-pop artist to join a Space as a speaker, and to have an interactive Q&A with fans on March 8. #KCON:TACT (KCON (@KCON_official) became the first series of K-pop talk shows on Spaces, established with two K-pop artists with pairings like ONF (@WM_ONOFF) and ONEUS (@official_ONEUS), SF9 (@SF9official) and P1Harmony (@P1H_official).
K-pop artists also use #TwitterBlueroom to connect with their fans via livestreamed Q&A. ENHYPEN (@ENHYPEN) went live on Spaces immediately before going Live on #TwitterBlueroom, giving fans who were waiting for the Blueroom a to connect with the group. ASTRO (@offclASTRO) used Spaces as an after party, going live on #TwitterBlueroom, then switching to Twitter Spaces after the Blueroom finished.
Even the next wave of K-pop artists can be found on Spaces. As Twitter’s recent research “K-pop Generations Analysis by Twitter Usage” shows, K-pop artists are now utilizing Twitter even before their public debuts to drive excitement and gain fans, like new K-pop boy group JUST B (@JUSTB_twt), which debuted at the end of June.
Other parts of K-culture have also been using Twitter Spaces. Influential Korean film magazine Cine21 (@cine21_editor) hosted a Space for six prominent movie journalists around the 2021 #Oscars, where the journalists shared their predictions and analysis live, as well as discussed major moments like Minari star Yuh-Jung Youn’s win. In another K-culture Space, before the #TwitterBlueroom live-streaming for the Korean movie The Book of Fish, the film’s actors Seol Gyeong-gu and Byun Yo-han, and film director Lee Joon-ik joined a Twitter Space to drive up excitement. Hip Hop artist Simon Dominic and popular webtoonist Jongbeom Lee are among others that have had conversations with fans on Spaces.
YeonJeong Kim, Head of Global K-pop & K-content Partnerships at Twitter was quoted in a statement as saying, “One of fans’ favorite parts of #KpopTwitter is feeling closer to their favorite artists, and Twitter Spaces bring them even closer than ever before. Spaces is where live audio conversations happen, and it’s just getting started, meaning that fans can look forward to even more of their favorite K-pop, K-movie, and K-drama stars trying new ways to connect using Spaces live.”