K-pop (, Korean: 케이팝; RR: Keipap), short for Korean popular music, is a form of popular music originating in South Korea. It includes styles and genres from around the world, such as pop, hip hop, R&B, rock, jazz, gospel, reggae, electronic dance, folk, country, disco, and classical on top of its traditional Korean music roots. The term "K-pop" became popular in the 2000s, especially in the international context. The Korean term for domestic pop music is gayo (가요; 歌謠), which is still widely used within South Korea. While "K-pop" can refer to all popular music or pop music from South Korea, the term is often used when referring to artists associated with the entertainment and idol industry in the country, regardless of the genre of music output.

Modern K-pop "idol" culture began in the 1990s, as K-pop idol music grew into a subculture of South Korean culture and amassed enormous fandoms of teenagers and young adults. The more modern form of the genre, originally termed "rap dance", emerged with the formation of the hip hop boy band Seo Taiji and Boys, in 1992. Their experimentation with different styles and genres of music and integration of foreign musical elements helped reshape and modernize South Korea's contemporary music scene. After a slump in early idol music, TVXQ and BoA from 2003 marked a new generation of K-pop idols that helped the music genre gain traction in the neighboring Japanese market and continues to popularize K-pop internationally today. With the advent of online social networking services and South Korean TV shows, the current spread of K-pop and South Korean entertainment, known as the Korean Wave, is seen not only in East Asia, but also throughout the world, gaining an international audience.

In 2018 K-pop became a "power player" with a 17.9% increase in revenue growth. As of 2019, Korean popular music is ranked sixth among the top ten music markets worldwide according to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry's "Global Music Report 2019", with artists BTS and Blackpink leading the growth. 2020 was a record-breaking year for K-pop when it experienced a 44.8% growth and became the fastest-growing major market of the year.

The K-pop industry has found itself at the center of multiple controversies that reflect the different social expectations in modern Korea. Idols are often subject to very restrictive contracts, sometimes called "slave contracts". Their statements must not be controversial or cause any scandal. Their diets, behavior, and love lives are tightly controlled, yet their performances are often sexualized. Undergoing cosmetic surgery is common, adding to the pressure to appear perfect and flawless. The suicides of multiple idols have shaken the industry over the years, most notably those of Kim Jong-hyun, Sulli and Goo Hara.