Korean pop music first cracked the U.S. in 2012, when Psy’s “Gangnam Style” — a supercharged beat paired with outrageously stylized visuals — became the first video to top a billion streams on YouTube. But most K-pop fanatics today see that song as a one-off gimmick. “‘Gangnam...
A romantic guitar unfurls a tender melody. Male voices bark shout-outs and then croon like they’re auditioning for “American Idol.” There’s an electronic whoosh. A rat-a-tat vocal phrase. And that’s all before “Despacito” even really starts. The first 20 seconds of Luis Fonsi’s...