This year, French fans of K-POP protested that SM Entertainment, a Korean talent agency, didn't increase the number of K-POP concerts. Despite the great Japanese earthquake of 2011, about 16,000 Japanese fans flocked to the 'K-POP Super Live Concert'. K-POP has gained tremendous popularity since 2000. After K-POP started its inroads into the Japanese music market, it has been spreading around the world. Korean singers already topped the Oricon chart a long time ago. The Oricon chart is a Japanese music chart. This month, some singers, including Big Bang, Girls’ Generation and Jang Geun-suk, held the top spots on the Oricon chart. A concert hall only for Korean singers was even built in the Tokyo Yebisu Garden Place.
  The primary reasons that K-POP has become popular around the world are the Korean singers' attractive appearances and dynamic dances which everybody can mimic easily. Another reason is the common use of mimetic words. Mimetic words include onomatopoeia which are noises like 'bang' and also express gestures that don't make any noise like 'slowly'. Hangul can express many sounds freely. Korea's mimetic words don't have specific meanings, and they just express sounds and shapes. Therefore, because there is no need to interpret the meanings, foreigners who listen to K-POP for the first time don't feel a linguistic hardship.
  K-POP's popularity, which is spreading through social networks, is expanding the Korean music market to the rest of the world. In addition, it is creating economic effects like attracting tourists. Thanks to the positive awareness of K-POP, preferences for Korean products such as food, electronic goods and cosmetic products are also increasing. Some experts said that if we use Korean music and singers as a part of the Korean wave, it will improve Korea's global image.