Since BTS last performed in Mexico in 2017, K-pop has grown by more than 500% on Spotify, evolving from a niche interest into a mainstream genre and lifestyle.
Mexico City's Korean neighborhood is one clear sign of that transformation.
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The Hallyu, or Korean Wave, reached Mexico in 2002, when South Korean dramas began airing in countries that participated in the World Cup hosted by South Korea and Japan. In Mexico, series such as "All About Eve" were broadcast on public Channel 34, offering local audiences a first glimpse into Korean culture, including its music, food, and aesthetics.
K-pop experienced its first major boom in Mexico in 2012, driven by PSY's global hit "Gangnam Style" and the first concert in the country by Korean star Xiah Junsu. At the time, however, the genre was still largely seen as a niche interest.
It was during the pandemic that K-pop truly entered the mainstream in Mexico, helped by BTS's global English-language hit "Dynamite," the rise of TikTok, and the success of groups such as Blackpink.
"It sparked a whole revolution," said Cris di Carlo, founder and director of the K-Pop Dance School, which she launched when the genre was still considered a subculture.
According to Spotify, K-pop in Mexico has grown by more than 500% since 2020, making the country the fifth-largest K-pop market in the world on the platform, with more than 14 million fans.
As Hallyu spread, the Zona Rosa neighborhood — also known as Little Seoul - became one of the main gathering spots for K-pop fans in Mexico City.
Korean immigrants began settling in Zona Rosa in the late 1980s, alongside Korean companies and their employees that came to Mexico attracted by the country's proximity to the U.S. market.
A wave of Korean merchants followed, encouraged by the presence of those companies and their workers, opening Korean restaurants and shops selling traditional food and products.
Today, cutouts of K-pop stars and Korean drama characters can be seen throughout Zona Rosa. At Soru, a Korean restaurant, a cutout of BTS member J-Hope stands next to an autograph from the artist, who was in Mexico in 2025 for a concert and reportedly visited a doctor upstairs from the restaurant, according to owner Angela Moon.
According to the Korean Cultural Center, citing data from the Korean embassy, between 4,000 and 6,000 Koreans live in Mexico City. The centre, which offers free Korean-language classes, has a waiting list of more than 3,000 people eager to study the language.
BTS will perform in Mexico City on May 7, 9, and 10. It will be the fourth time the group has performed in the city, following previous shows in 2014, 2015, and 2017.
(Production: Alberto Fajardo, Diego Delgado, Anna Portella)