The Role of Digital Media Platforms in the Global Dissemination of K-pop: A Case Study of the Chinese Market

Qianbing Wu

doi:10.54254/2753-7064/2025.KM28329

Communications in Humanities ResearchOpen access

The Role of Digital Media Platforms in the Global Dissemination of K-pop: A Case Study of the Chinese Market

Research Article

Open Access

The Role of Digital Media Platforms in the Global Dissemination of K-pop: A Case Study of the Chinese Market

Qianbing Wu ^1*

¹ Nanjing Foreign Language School

^*Corresponding author: Amy.Wu26@nflsbca.com

Published on 23 October 2025

CHR Vol.89

ISSN (Print): 2753-7072

ISSN (Online): 2753-7064

ISBN (Print): 978-1-80590-459-5

ISBN (Online): 978-1-80590-460-1

Download Cover

Abstract

As K-pop’s global influence expands, its presence in China has grown significantly, especially among teenagers. While existing studies have explored K-pop’s digital media mechanisms and cross-cultural communication, most focus on single platforms or fan groups, overlooking the broader ecosystem of Chinese digital media and its challenges. This paper examines the roles of short video, long video, music, and social media platforms in the dissemination of K-pop in China, analyzing how each contributes to public engagement, content depth, commercialization, and cultural integration. Using case analysis and literature review, the study investigates platform-specific strategies, such as viral challenges on short videos, secondary creation on long videos, copyright-driven consumption on music platforms, and fan-driven topic fermentation on social media. Digital media platforms significantly enhance K-pop’s reach and influence in China. However, challenges such as policy restrictions, cultural misalignment, content homogeneity, and local competition hinder sustainable growth. Future development relies on customized content and technological innovation, such as VR and virtual idols, to deepen market resonance.

Keywords:

Kpop, digital media, cross-cultural communication, Chinese market, platform strategies

View PDF

References

[1]. Cai, Y. J. (2025). Research on the influence of Korean popular music (K-pop) on China. Charming Hunan, (01), 32-34.

[2]. Sun, L., & Xu, J. Y. (2023). Participation or silence: A study based on digital media practices and opinion expression among K-pop fan communities. Media Forum, 6(05), 44-50.

[3]. Kim, M. W. (2017). Breakthrough of multiculturalism in the context of globalization: Taking the Korean Wave as an example. Modern Communication (Journal of Communication University of China), 39(06), 167-168.

[4]. Li, Y. Z. (2025). Research on the financial performance of Bilibili from the perspective of value chain (Master’s thesis, Harbin University of Commerce). https: //kns.cnki.net/kcms2/article/abstract?v=HIS3QibhfQpPVsKqYRgZ8qljOXb7K9iqn-NTAdscRGwlVvAD9u8lGYL5sTSEsCsCvDJ6eXzrfWTRoKrMlvsLKqk6dMDccRWaba64MiidQ7WEzUXrVD99IoHytLcqMIVtabY7CYpC-7SReKg2vxTzK2HCGMBpcO2mlMZ3RDrq6_7FVDn2BGr7bA==& uniplatform=NZKPT& language=CHS

[5]. Wang, Z. Y., Qian, J. F., & Cui, M. (2025). Resource advantages and exclusivity construction of content platforms: A case study based on Bilibili. Management Review, 37(06), 263-275. https: //doi.org/10.14120/j.cnki.cn11-5057/f.2025.06.008

References

[1]. Cai, Y. J. (2025). Research on the influence of Korean popular music (K-pop) on China. Charming Hunan, (01), 32-34.

[2]. Sun, L., & Xu, J. Y. (2023). Participation or silence: A study based on digital media practices and opinion expression among K-pop fan communities. Media Forum, 6(05), 44-50.

Cite this article

Wu,Q. (2025). The Role of Digital Media Platforms in the Global Dissemination of K-pop: A Case Study of the Chinese Market. Communications in Humanities Research,89,64-68.

Data availability

The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study will be available from the authors upon reasonable request.

About volume

Volume title: Proceeding of ICIHCS 2025 Symposium: Integration & Boundaries: Humanities/Arts, Technology and Communication

ISBN: 978-1-80590-459-5(Print) / 978-1-80590-460-1(Online)

Editor: Enrique Mallen , Cai Yong

Conference website: https://2025.icihcs.org/

Conference date: 17 November 2025

Series: Communications in Humanities Research

Volume number: Vol.89

ISSN: 2753-7064(Print) / 2753-7072(Online)

© 2024 by the author(s). Licensee EWA Publishing, Oxford, UK. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license. Authors who publish this series agree to the following terms:

1. Authors retain copyright and grant the series right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of the work's authorship and initial publication in this series.

2. Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the series's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgment of its initial publication in this series.

3. Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See Open access policy for details).