As we approach the five-year anniversary of Psy’s “Gangnam Style,” which became a viral hit thanks to its flashy video, K-pop is in a very different place.

“A lot of K-pop fans would argue that doesn’t exactly represent the K-pop world in general, but that was a huge breakout moment in terms of the last five years,” Mr. Benjamin said about the song. “It had an effect, whether you realize it or not.” Today, we don’t have a chart-topper like Psy, but touring figures and album sales demonstrate the scene is growing internationally. Mr. Benjamin cited the success of BTS, a boy band that appeared at the Billboard Music Awards and showed up on the American album chart. “This was all based on YouTube and people talking,” he said.

But is K-pop a genre? “I really don’t think people are just fans of the music itself,” Mr. Benjamin said (he votes no).