K-Pop made a strong start in 2014 as a musical genre that continues to spread throughout the globe. Artists such as YG Entertainment's G-Dragon and 2NE1 have been at the forefront of mainstream Western media attention with momentum that has not been seen since the spread of Gangnam Style. The U.S. arrival of U-KISS drew attention from numerous media outlets, who were surprised by the English proficiency of the group, as well as the college career of member AJ. In the midst of the month, headlines became dominated by the tragic news regarding the death of the father and grandparents of Super Junior's Leeteuk.

U-KISS as the subject of a segment on 'Good Morning America'.

With their significant achievements at the Golden Disk Awards and the Seoul Music Awards, EXO solidified their place as the K-Pop group to beat. The increased sexuality of K-Pop and Korean music became a focal point of the month, as artists debated about the choreography in Something and over the objectification of Western women in Gary's Shower Later. January was a month for racy and suggestive female comebacks as witnessed with Brown Eyed Girl's Ga In, AOA, and Girl's Day, with JYP Entertainment's GOT7 debuting as one of the most unique male groups in recent years. The choreography for 'Something' is almost too hot to handle. Big Bang's G-Dragon and Taeyang became the subjects of worldwide attention from the fashion industry during their attendance at 2014 Paris Fashion Week, gaining the attention of W ,WWD (Women's Wear Daily), and The Guardian. As the focus of editors and bloggers in fashion shifts from Japan's Shibuya District to Korea's Myeongdong, G-Dragon has proven to be a headline worthy artist for European and American media. Since appearing at 2014 Paris Fashion Week, G-Dragon has landed on the Hyperbeast 100 list and has been named one of 10 Global Pop Icons by The Hollywood Reporter. G-Dragon, along with Taeyang, were the subjects of a recent article regarding K-Pop fashion for the trendy column The Cut in New York Magazine. As the newest model for J.Estina, G-Dragon continues to land on magazine pages in Korea, but has now proven his viability as a subject for media attention in the United States and beyond. 2NE1 established their newsworthiness in January, with the announcement of their upcoming All or Nothing album and a world tour in support of the album. 2NE1 along with YG Entertainment were featuring during Fuse TV's week long Fuse Loves Seoul coverage, which delivered K-Pop onto prime time television in the United States. Furthermore, 2NE1 returned to American television at the end of January by performing on ABC's The Bachelor. Their appearance on the episode led to more mainstream exposure for the group and an increase in sales of songs such as their hit I Am the Best. 2NE1 while filming the segment for 'The Bachelor'.
While Girls Generation did not make a comeback in January, YoonA and Sooyoung made dating announcements, which were well received by fans. Many fans are anticipating the comeback of Girls Generation, as January was a month where the girl groups of K-Pop showed their sexiest sides. Ga In, who displayed a naughty side in 2013 as the female subject of PSY's Gentleman video, gave audiences a taste of a more rated side with FxxK You. FNC Entertainment's AOA saw chart success with Miniskirt, which was a standout in a month that also saw comebacks Rainbow Blaxx and Girl's Day with Something. Ailee and Hyorin were chart standouts for female artists, proving that sex does not always sell. The most delightfully surprising highlight of January was the debut of JYP Entertainment's GOT7. As the first male group to debut from JYP since 2PM, the group was highly anticipated. Currently number one on the Billboard World Music chart, GOT7 has drawn comparisons to EXO for the unique nature of their concept. GOT7 stands out due martial arts-infused choreography, which are best highlighted during the group's live performances. The group was sidelined from live promotion due to a recent onset of swine flu within members Jr., JB, and Youngjae. It will be interesting to see how GOT7 fares as the group is pitted against the comebacks of B.A.P and BTS, in February.