Closing out K-pop 2025: Stray Kids dominate, girl groups soar

From chart dominators and breakout hits to viral moments and interviews that offered rare insight, this review revisits the artists and stories that shaped K-pop in 2025. Together, they trace a year marked by shifting sounds, global ambition and a changing conversation around K-pop’s place in pop culture. Artist of the year — Stray Kids Stray Kids cemented their status as one of K-pop’s most dominant global acts in 2025, backed by record-breaking performances across major music charts. On Billbo