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The Next Level of K-POP:
Talented and Charming ASEAN Artists to Succeed the Korean WaveBy_Kim Si-eun, CEO of ASEAN Lab

Today, I would like to introduce Malaysian and Vietnamese singers recommended by Doo Jinsoo of Hoondoo TV, a YouTube channel that introduces and covers ASEAN singers.

Malaysian music features distinctively local elements. Siti Nurhaliza is one of the most popular singers in Malaysia, and according to Spotify, she was the most frequently streamed domestic singer in 2020 and 2021. The popularity of K-pop in Malaysia is evident in the songs covered by domestic singers. For instance, Sarah Suhairi covers Black Pink songs and show her adorable performance. You can look up her busking video of Jenny’s “Solo,” which she recorded in Busan.

Another renowned artist is Aina Abdul, the winner of the first season of the Malaysian version of The Masked Singer. She sang a Korean version of her song “Sepi” and covered Davichi’s “This Love.” Abdulhasa natural Korean pronunciation, enabling her to aptly deliver the emotions of the original song. Hoondoo TV covered the songs of these artists, and if you are interested in finding out more about Malaysian singers, check out their channel.

As for Vietnamese singers, they also incorporate a lot of Korean elements into their music and music videos. Artists like Soobin and SơnTùng M-TP showcase their outstanding talent with stage performances that resemble Korean boy bands.

With the advancement of ASEAN countries and Korea-ASEAN relations, it will not be long before the brilliant musicians in the region achieve worldwide fame. I hope that one day, just as ASEAN people love K-pop, ASEAN artists will more frequently collaborate with Korean singers and become popular in Korea as well.

- Following the last issue -