During a recent party, 2NE1 became a focal point of conversation with a mainstream journalist who had interviewed the group during their 2012 U.S. tour. The conversation was fascinating in that the journalist, who had very little exposure to K-Pop, clearly remembered numerous distinctions between 2NE1 and Girls' Generation. The discussion ended with the consensus that 2NE1 stood a better chance of success in the U.S., with audiences more readily accepting a four member girl group than one with nine members.

While K-Pop has made inroads within America, there has yet to be a commercially successful release since "Gangnam Style". The recent appearance of Tawainese twins dancing to "Bar, Bar, Bar" on "The Ellen Show" is exciting for American fans of K-Pop, but can be disconcerting from an industry perspective. While the twins are adorable in their replication of the "Straight Five Engine Dance", their association with K-Pop further substantiates the concept that Korean pop music should be viewed as a novelty for American audiences.

EXO has been marketed to international audiences since their debut in 2012. EXO-M appeared at the inaugural KCON in 2012 and were joined by EXO-K for KCON 2013. Most recently, EXO-M performed at the Korea Times Music Festival. Although, those may seem like a limited number of appearances, the ratio is greater than many other K-Pop male groups.

EXO has evolved into one of the most award winning groups in Korean pop and has demonstrated their on-going commercial apppeal.  The albums "XOXO" and "Overdose" feature aspects of R&B and hip hop which also helps to solidify their appeal to U.S. audiences. Understandably, EXO has a large following of K-Pop fans in the United States.

While SM Entertainment has utilized appearances at events like KCON to market EXO to American audiences, YG Entertainment has employed high powered collaborations with musicians such as Diplo and Skrillex. Beyond the Skrillex release "Dirty Vibe" which featured G-Dragon and CL, YG Entertainment has gained notoriety for associating its performers with American artists through social media.

In addition to clever social media campaigns that feature performers such as Snoop Dogg, YG has earned the on-going attention of mainstream media outlets more than any other agency in K-Pop. Earlier in 2014, Big Bang and 2NE1 were the focus of a week long tribute to K-Pop by Fuse TV.  2NE1 garnered positive attention with their appearance on a episode of "The Bachelor" and praise for their release "Crush" from outlets that ranged from Refinery29 to BuzzFeed.

2NE1 recently had one of the highest ranking K-Pop albums on the Billboard 100 chart, breaking a record previously set by Big Bang. As Big Bang prepares for their comeback album, the question of whether or not the group can infiltrate the American market is extremely relevant. Beyond their collaborations, Big Bang garnered praise for their 2012 album "Alive" which yielded one of the most commercially successful K-Pop world tours in history.

It is not surprising that fans are excited by the recent increase in EXO x 2NE1 fan service. At times, the musical style of EXO bears resemblance to Big Bang. The cross agency interaction is thrilling in its collaboration potential, generating the level of attention once directed at WonderBang (Big Bang x Wonder Girls).  However, there are many qualities surrounding the group that are unique from any other group in K-Pop. Are mainstream audiences in America ready to accept K-Pop as something more substantial than novelty acts? Do EXO, 2NE1, or Big Bang stand a chance at receiving radio airplay and music video rotation in the United States?