This year, BTS became the first K-pop act to debut atop the Billboard album chart, and recently concluded its American tour with its first sold-out stadium show in the United States, at Citi Field in Queens. The group’s rise has been rapid, and obliterated all previous notions of how far a Korean-speaking act can go in the U.S. It also reflects a K-pop audience that is widening and maturing, here and around the world.

Now that K-pop is experiencing such success on its own terms, the questions it faces are changing. Should K-pop acts release English-language music? To what degree should they focus on collaborations with non-Korean artists?

Also this week: a look at the music of BTS (and the solo album of group leader RM); and how recent releases from Super Junior, NCT 127 and Blackpink are moving the genre and sound in new directions.

On this week’s Popcast: