Young music lovers in Chile are doing more than just listening to Korean pop music—they are creating their own K-pop-inspired bands and blending Korean performance styles with local Latin culture.
Excitement is building in Santiago as fans prepare for the famous South Korean group BTS, who will perform in Chile this October during their comeback world tour. BTS has already sold out shows across Latin America, including in Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Argentina, and Brazil. Demand in Mexico was so overwhelming that President Claudia Sheinbaum contacted South Korean officials to discuss adding extra concert dates.
The global popularity of South Korean entertainment and culture is known as Hallyu, or the "Korean wave." While Hallyu began spreading internationally in the 1990s, young musicians in Chile are now reshaping it into something unique. By adopting fast choreography, colorful aesthetics, and high-quality video production, local artists are launching homegrown pop groups inspired by K-pop.
One rising group is Q_ARE, a six-member Chilean boy band formed two years ago through online auditions. Members Seba, Jamin, Jota, Bin, Aiden, and Fabi write their own songs, choreograph their dance routines, and design their visual style. Their music mixes English, Spanish, and Chilean slang with energetic pop beats. Group members emphasize that while K-pop inspires them, their Latino identity makes their sound distinct.
Q_ARE has already built a global fanbase known as the "Qniverse," with followers in Japan, Singapore, the United States, and across Latin America. The band toured Brazil last year and regularly performs throughout Chile.
The influence of Korean culture is expanding across Santiago in other ways as well. The city's Patronato neighborhood now features more than 50 Korean restaurants. Meanwhile, attendance at the Rey Sejong Institute, a cultural institution teaching the Korean language in Santiago, has quadrupled since 2019 to around 200 students. Many enroll to understand their favorite K-pop lyrics and K-dramas, while others seek to study Korean literature and society.