BTS
The boyband that conquered the world — K-Pop's most globally impactful act.
Hyukoh
Seoul's most beloved indie band — dreamy, bilingual, and effortlessly cool.
Giriboy
Introspective Korean hip-hop with jazz and R&B influences.
BLACKPINK
K-pop's most successful girl group worldwide.
Seo Taiji and Boys
Revolutionized Korean pop music in the 1990s.
IU
One of Korea's most respected singer-songwriters.
The Seoul music scene
Seoul (South Korea) is represented on the Genesis of Sound map by 6 bands and artists across 4 genres. K-Pop's factory floor — but beneath the idol industry lies a fierce underground of black metal, jazz, and experimental electronic.
The most represented genres are hip-hop (2), pop (2) and electronic (1). The scene also includes indie.
The earliest year on record is Seo Taiji and Boys (1992) and the latest is BLACKPINK (2016); the busiest decade on the map is the 2010s with 4 acts.
Notable acts to start with: BTS, Hyukoh, Giriboy and BLACKPINK. Every entry links to Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube searches.
Nearby music scenes
Questions about Seoul music
What music is Seoul known for?
Seoul is known for rock, hip-hop, pop music. Notable acts include BTS, Hyukoh, Giriboy.
How many bands are from Seoul?
The Genesis of Sound map features 6 bands and artists from Seoul, spanning electronic, indie, hip-hop, pop.