PHD's & Pints: How did Korean music take over the world?

This is not a dry academic talk. Expect storytelling, humor, surprising insights, and plenty of “wait… that’s actually true” moments. How Did Korean Music Take Over the World? From BTS and BLACKPINK to KPop Demon Hunters, Korean music has become nearly impossible to ignore. But K-pop didn't appear out of nowhere. For the next PHDs & Pints, join Dr. Matthew Jihoon Pellegrino, an award-winning composer, Fulbright researcher, and music educator at NYU Steinhardt, for a journey through the sounds, history, and cultural forces that helped Korean music become a global phenomenon. Matthew's research sits at a fascinating intersection of traditional Korean music, Western musical influence, and modern K-pop. After receiving a Fulbright Research Grant, he conducted doctoral research in South Korea and has since composed music combining traditional Korean melodies and instruments with Western classical traditions. Today, his research and teaching also examine the musical trends shaping contemporary K-pop. So what actually makes K-pop sound like K-pop? We'll explore how Korean music evolved across generations, how Korean and Western musical traditions collided and influenced one another, and how today's artists turned that history into one of the world's most powerful cultural exports. We'll get into questions like: What makes K-pop musically different from American pop? How much of its sound comes from Korea—and how much comes from abroad? Why has Korean music connected so strongly with audiences who don't speak Korean? How did music, fandom, technology, and cultural identity come together at exactly the right moment? And what happens to “K-pop” once it becomes simply… pop? Expect music, history, cultural analysis, and plenty of songs you'll recognize along the way. No music theory knowledge or K-pop obsession required. Whether you can name every member of BTS or couldn't name a single one, you'll leave understanding a lot more about how a country roughly the size of Indiana became one of the most influential forces in global pop culture. November 10 | 6:30 PM Sugar Mouse NYC — 47 3rd Ave, New York, NY 10003 🎟️ FREE RSVP 🍻 Drinks • Games • Live Discussion PHDs & Pints — Where academia meets nightlife. About PhDs & Pints Founded by professors, for professors and curious minds, PhDs & Pints is on a mission to bring academic expertise beyond the classroom and into everyday conversations. We believe that years of research, scholarship, and discovery deserve a bigger stage. In a world overflowing with opinions, we’re creating a space where genuine expertise takes center stage—where professors can share what they know, challenge conventional thinking, and connect directly with the public. No lectures halls. No academic jargon. Just brilliant minds, fascinating ideas, and great conversations over drinks. Real research. Real experts. Real conversations.