A recent analysis suggests that the popularity of K-pop and Western pop in Southeast Asia has gradually declined between 2023 and 2026, while local music is seeing a sharp rise.
Data based on Spotify’s daily top 50 charts in five countries: Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore reveal a clear shift in listening habits.
- In Thailand, local music increased from 65% to 78%, while K-pop dropped significantly from 27% to 11%.
- In the Philippines, domestic music increased from 44% to 63%, while Western pop dropped from 29% to 14%.
- Indonesia showed the most dramatic change. Local music jumped from 60% to 78%, while K-pop plummeted from 5% to just 1%.
- In Malaysia, Indonesian music grew from 18% to 22%, while K-pop fell from 18% to 13%.
- Singapore remains more balanced, with Western pop holding around 30-40% and K-pop around 30%, while local, Indonesian and Filipino songs are steadily filling the gaps left by the decline of Western hits.
Overall, local music in Southeast Asia is increasingly replacing both K-pop and Western pop, reflecting a growing preference for homegrown sounds.
Online, Korean netizens have shared mixed and often controversial reactions to this trend.
Some expressed blunt opinions such as, “If Southeast Asia doesn’t like K-pop anymore, then stop debuting idols from those countries,” while others welcomed the change, saying: “It’s actually a good thing that people listen to music from their own country.”
Others have highlighted the cultural reasons behind this shift, pointing out that people naturally gravitate toward their own language, emotions, and cultural identity once local industries develop enough to compete.
There have also been more positive outlooks, with some comments that are “a joyful and meaningful thing” so that the culture of a country grows and is appreciated by its people.
However, more critical observations have also emerged, including claims that Southeast Asian fans do not contribute significantly to revenue or that the market is not as profitable despite views of high streaming numbers that have sparked further debate.
At the same time, some netizens admitted that Southeast Asian pop, such as T-pop, has become increasingly similar in style and presentation to K-pop, making it sometimes difficult to distinguish them.
While opinions remain divided, the data clearly highlights an important shift: Southeast Asia is no longer just a heavy consumer of global music trends, but is quickly becoming a powerhouse for its own local music scene.
Sources: theqoo
