Asian Idol Industries: Hit South Korean music show breaks down barriers

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A hit South Korean talent show has gone viral across Asia. And its broadcast in China has electrified the local entertainment industry as well as star-struck audiences. CGTN's Ren Xueqian takes a look at how the craze has impacted K-pop's swelling fan base in China.

When the pop culture spotlight shines on Asia, K-pop stars often stand out above the rest. Korean pop, the very genre which spawned international hits like Gangnam Style and DNA, continues to dominate the Asian entertainment scene.

And fans everywhere just can't seem to get enough.

Just as the world thought K-pop couldn't get any bigger, South Korea's latest pop breakthrough continues to captivate audiences. It came in the form of a hit talent survival show called PRODUCE 101, and it highlights the process of how a multi-faceted music group becomes a K-pop success.

The show was even remade in other Asian countries, and it brings together many raw talents or "idol trainees" to compete for the chance to become a star - usually in the form of a male or female pop group.

Fans of the show decide through a voting system who they want staying until the end.

PRODUCE 101 FANS "I watch the show every Saturday. I vote for the contestants."

PRODUCE 101 FANS "And I bought a streaming platform membership to watch."

Owned by South Korea's mega media conglomerate CJ E&M, Produce 101's talent competition franchise received high attention in China, arousing fans in and outside the country.

And experts say this is all because of China's huge entertainment market.

CAO YONGSHOU, PRESIDENT BEIJING AIMAN DATA TECHNOLOGY "South Korea is a country with a small population, so it's the idol industry likely to expand its talent search into other countries with larger markets such as those in China, the US, and Europe. Because of its population, South Korea can't just focus on nurturing artists for its own market consumption."

With China's booming number of pop fans coupled with a market full of young, eager talents anxious to be seen, Cao Yongshou said it's only a matter of time before China will stand-out among leading pop-culture industries likes South Korea and Japan.

REN XUEQIAN CGTN "But how has South Korea's reshaped the entertainment sectors of China and its other neighbors, and to what extent has its pop culture influenced the styles of pop stars in these regions, stay tuned as we explore further. RXQ, CGTN."