K-Pop's Viral Resurgence: How TWICE, EXID, and More Are Making a Comeback
K-Pop's Viral Resurgence: How TWICE, EXID, and More Are Making a Comeback
The phenomenon of 'reverse charting' has struck the K-pop industry once again. TWICE's 'One Spark' choreography has recently gone viral on YouTube Shorts, sparking a challenge craze. Originally released in February last year, the song's challenge involves dancing with water bottles in hand, offering a refreshing vibe that resonates with the summer season. This has led to a slight rise in the song's chart rankings, 18 months after its release.

The trend of reverse charting began with EXID's 'Up & Down.' Released in August 2014, the song gained unexpected popularity two months later when a fan uploaded a fancam of member Hani performing at an event in Paju. Her captivating dance and expressions caught the attention of male fans, leading the video to surpass 30 million views. This viral moment brought EXID back to music shows, and in January 2015, they achieved their first number one, marking a historic reverse charting success in K-pop.
K-Pop's Viral Resurgence: How TWICE, EXID, and More Are Making a Comeback
K-Pop's Viral Resurgence: How TWICE, EXID, and More Are Making a Comeback
Major entertainment companies have also tasted the sweet success of reverse charting. 2PM's 'My House,' released in 2015, initially underperformed due to pre-release controversies. However, five years later, a fancam of member Junho dancing in a red shirt went viral on social media, highlighting his dance skills and expressions. This led to a surge in Junho's fanbase, tripling the first-week sales of their 2021 album.

Singer WOODZ also experienced reverse charting while serving in the military. His performance of 'Drowning' on KBS2's 'Immortal Songs' captivated viewers with his vocal prowess and emotional delivery. The video surpassed 10 million views, and the song re-entered music charts, with fans eagerly awaiting his return from military service.

Brave Girls, on the brink of disbandment, were revived by a viral video of their military performance of 'Rollin'. A YouTuber compiled humorous comments from the performance, such as "Even North Korean soldiers would dance to this," aligning perfectly with the summer vibe and breathing new life into the group.
K-Pop's Viral Resurgence: How TWICE, EXID, and More Are Making a Comeback
K-Pop's Viral Resurgence: How TWICE, EXID, and More Are Making a Comeback
Band DAY6 also saw a resurgence when members, serving in different military units, reunited for a performance of their songs 'You Were Beautiful' and 'Time of Our Life.' The performance went viral, and their songs gained renewed attention, aided by a cover of 'Happy' by their labelmates NMIXX. JYP Entertainment's founder, J.Y. Park, expressed his surprise at the unexpected success.

EXO's 'First Snow,' a winter favorite, topped music charts 10 years after its release, thanks to TikTok challenges by various girl groups. NCT 127's Mark also enjoyed a reverse charting moment with his solo track '1999,' which became a trend under the new name 'Hipre' due to creative choreography by dance students.
K-Pop's Viral Resurgence: How TWICE, EXID, and More Are Making a Comeback
K-Pop's Viral Resurgence: How TWICE, EXID, and More Are Making a Comeback
The biggest reverse charting success this year belongs to TVXQ's Yunho. His song 'Thank U,' released four years ago, gained popularity after being featured in a video by a YouTuber with 450,000 subscribers. The unique lyrics, such as 'This is the first lesson,' intrigued listeners, and the song continues to be used in various Reels and Shorts.

By Dayeon Jung, TenAsia Reporter light@tenasia.co.kr
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