It was around this time last year that the final international K-pop tours started winding down because of the coronavirus outbreak. As 2021 starts, the industry is again looking overseas and to one country in particular: Japan.

Japan has always been an important market for the South Korean music industry, with many K-pop artists spending significant parts of their careers in the country, often releasing original songs in Japanese. But the first quarter of 2021 is not like any period that has come before, and the industry’s lack of options for overseas activities has resulted in a new focus on this market so close to home for South Korean artists.