The Korean Culture and Information Service published “K-Pop: A New Force in Pop Music” this week amid growing K-pop fever overseas.

The 93-page pocket book, the second volume in the K-Culture series, explains in detail the history of K-pop, how K-pop began to make a splash overseas, where the phenomenon might be headed and also introduces some of the most popular K-pop artists.

Korean pop was strongly influenced by Western pop music, diversifying through many stages of copying, translation and interpretation from the early 20th century. Decades later, K-pop is now spreading beyond neighboring Asian countries into Europe and the United States, the book says.

Affiliated with the Culture Ministry, KOCIS aims to introduce Korean culture to the world via cultural exchanges and various promotional activities.

The organization plans to publish books on K-Drama and K-Classics this year.
By Shin Hae-in (hayney@heraldcorp.com)