The soaring global appeal of K-pop is impossible to overlook. While Korean pop has been evolving for decades, its explosive success on the international stage over the past ten years is reminiscent of the frenzy surrounding Beatlemania and the boy band phenomenon of the early 2000s in America.
With consistent year-over-year growth in album sales and K-pop groups increasingly touring the U.S. and Europe, the interest in this genre shows no signs of diminishing.
Originating in South Korea as a fusion of Western pop, R&B, and hip-hop influences in the '90s, the K-pop industry now boasts an estimated worth of around $10 billion. The global thirst for K-pop has led numerous Western musicians to seek collaborations with K-pop artists, aiming to break into wider international markets, often featuring songs that include English lyrics.
While K-pop artists are more than capable of achieving massive success on their own—evidenced by BTS selling out London’s Wembley Stadium in less than 90 minutes in 2019 and BLACKPINK making history at Coachella in both 2019 and 2023—K-pop’s vast fanbase and diverse musical influences create ideal opportunities for collaborations with everyone from rappers and vocalists to electronic DJs.
But don’t just take our word for it. Here are some of the most unforgettable K-pop and Western collaborations (in no particular order; they’re all fantastic tracks!).
1. ROSÉ & Bruno Mars - Apt. (2024)
Rosé and Bruno Mars’s new single ‘Apt.’ is a pop-punk delight.
After three long years, Rosé is back with her debut full-length album, Rosie, set to drop on December 6. To give fans a preview, she’s released the first single, “Apt.,” featuring Bruno Mars. This upbeat pop anthem differs from her previous laid-back tracks, inviting listeners to chant along, much like Gwen Stefani’s “Hollaback Girl,” but with “Apartment! Apartment!” in place of “B-A-N-A-N-A-S!”
So, what does the title mean? In an exclusive chat with Vogue, Rosé shares that the song was inspired by her favorite Korean drinking game, Apartment. She initially felt unsure about writing a song about a game and even asked her team to delete it, only to find out they loved it. To honor her Korean roots, both she and Mars use the Korean pronunciation of "apartment," apateu (아파트), throughout the song.
2. Usher and Jungkook - Standing Next to You (Usher Remix) (2024)
The youngest member of global K-pop sensation BTS, Jungkook, and R&B icon Usher are both enjoying remarkable years: Jungkook has released his debut solo album, while Usher made headlines with his Super Bowl performance.
BTS has often acknowledged Usher as a key influence on their music, even referencing his 2001 hit "U Got It Bad" in their chart-topping song "Butter." So, it was a thrilling moment for fans when Jungkook enlisted Usher for a remix of "Standing Next to You," the fourth single from his Billboard 200 No. 1 debut album, Golden.
Both artists draw inspiration from Michael Jackson, and in their collaboration video, Usher and Jungkook pay homage to the King of Pop as they dance, slide, and lock in sync on the polished floor of a deserted warehouse.
3. John Legend and Wendy of Red Velvet - Written in the Stars (2018)
R&B singer and pianist John Legend was the ideal partner for an R&B ballad with Wendy, the lead vocalist of K-pop group Red Velvet. The final track on the five-song SM Station x 0 digital project, “Written in the Stars,” is a gorgeous, mid-tempo love song that offers a refreshing change from K-pop's usual upbeat vibe. Wendy and Legend blend their voices seamlessly over a warm yet bittersweet melody.
As Red Velvet’s main vocalist, Wendy is a perfect fit for this collaboration. Having spent her childhood in both Canada and the U.S., she has been singing in English comfortably since Red Velvet's debut in 2014. This isn't her first collaboration with a Western artist; in 2017, she teamed up with Ricky Martin for an English version of the pop ballad "Vente Pa’Ca."
4. BLACKPINK and Selena Gomez - Ice Cream (2020)
BLACKPINK made a powerful statement with their debut single alongside pop icon Selena Gomez, the massive 2020 hit "Ice Cream."
This electropop-bubblegum fusion, loaded with clever dairy double entendres, became a huge success for both Gomez and the BLACKPINK members. The song peaked at No. 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 and has garnered nearly 900 million views on YouTube to date.
Crafted by a team of hitmakers, including Ariana Grande and BLACKPINK’s longtime producer Teddy Park (who is also a former K-pop idol), "Ice Cream" proved that this collaboration was a perfect match. This pop-trap anthem marked a milestone as the first K-pop girl group to enter the Top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100, firmly establishing BLACKPINK as global superstars.
5. BTS and Steven Aoki - MIC Drop (Steve Aoki remix) (2017)
No K-pop list would be complete without a mention of the magnificent seven, and "MIC Drop" stands out as one of their catchiest collaborations with Western artists.
"MIC Drop" embodies everything BTS represents: a strong hip-hop influence, a heavy bass line, and engaging choreography. While the original version is fantastic, the remix featuring EDM sensation DJ Steve Aoki and rapper Desiigner made waves, reaching the Top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100—marking the first of many hits for the Bulletproof Boy Scouts.
Released during a pivotal moment in BTS's rise to Western prominence, the track's confident lyrics and electrifying electro-trap production provided a perfect introduction to a group that would soon achieve global superstar status.
6. JYJ, Kanye West and Malik Yusef - Ayyy Girl (2010)
A truly deep K-pop cut, you’d be hard-pressed to find many people who know that Kanye West collaborated with a first-generation K-pop group over 13 years ago. Released as the lead single on JYJ’s English-language album The Beginning, West’s signature bravado and wordplay are on full display over a track that sounds like the Neptunes produced it.
The song garnered attention in the U.S., but after a string of bad luck (including a severely delayed U.S. visa process and issues with their management company, SM Entertainment), JYJ could not capitalize on their American success. The group continued to see success in Korea and Japan in the early 2010s but never made a splash in the Western market again.
7. LE SSERAFIM and Niles Rodgers - Unforgiven (2023)
GRAMMY Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Nile Rodgers made his K-pop debut with LE SSERAFIM, a fourth-generation girl group under the same company as BTS. Their lead single, "Unforgiven," was released earlier this year as part of their debut album of the same name.
Offering a darker twist on the classic K-pop sound, "Unforgiven" features a Western aesthetic, with the young quintet sporting cowboy hats, boots, and bolo ties in the accompanying music video. The song explores themes of rebellion, embodying a fierce, independent spirit—a quality that caught Rodgers' attention.
In an interview with GRAMMY.com in 2023, he noted, "A lot of the K-pop I’ve been hearing lately has more interesting chord changes than what’s been happening in other music genres in recent years. Coming from a jazz background, it’s exciting to hear those unique progressions. They’re not afraid to take risks, which I really appreciate."
8. Lady Gaga & BLACKPINK - Sour Candy
Another groundbreaking collaboration was between BLACKPINK and American pop sensation Lady Gaga on the track "Sour Candy." Released as part of Lady Gaga's album "Chromatica" in 2020, "Sour Candy" combined BLACKPINK's distinct style with Lady Gaga's avant-garde pop sensibilities, resulting in a chart-topping hit that captivated fans around the world.
9. BTS and Megan Thee Stallion - Butter (Remix) (2021)
BTS's "Butter" had already claimed the top spot on the Billboard charts for three weeks and was named the "song of the summer" when the group's label announced in late August 2021 that Houston rapper Megan Thee Stallion would feature on the remix. The GRAMMY-nominated septet has a history of collaborating with Western artists, including Halsey, Jason Derulo, and Coldplay.
While the remix made only slight changes to the original—replacing the second verse with Megan’s verse and adding a few ad-libs—it received acclaim from both fans and critics, helping the song soar back to No. 1. Although a new music video featuring both Megan and BTS was not released, three members of the "dance line" (J-Hope, Jungkook, and Jimin) showcased a specially choreographed dance video. Furthermore, Megan made a surprise appearance during BTS's record-breaking Permission to Dance concert in LA in November of that year.
10. Snoop Dogg and Monsta X - How We Do (2022)
West Coast rap godfather Snoop Dogg has quietly become one of the go-to Western acts for K-pop collabs, working with Psy, BTS, Girls’ Generation and 2NE1. K-pop is the Dogg Father's "guilty pleasure," and he performed at the Mnet Asian Music Awards with Dr. Dre in 2011. Without Snoop's love of K-pop, the world might not have gotten this fun and energetic collaboration with Snoop and Monsta X, a five-member boy group under Starship Entertainment.
The song appears in The Spongebob Movie: Sponge On The Run in a dance segment where Snoop, decked out in a pink and purple Western suit, is accompanied by zombie dancers. Though we do not see the members of Monsta X, their harmonious crooning is the perfect accent to Snoop Dogg’s trademark casual West Coast flow.
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