CL of YG Entertainment’s girl group 2NE1 recently became a worldwide trending topic on social media, following the announcement that she was preparing to make a solo debut in the United States. News of her impending solo project came in the midst of increased popularity in America surrounding 2NE1’s 2011 hit “I Am The Best.”

K-Pop fans accepted news of CL’s U.S. debut with mixed reactions. Veteran fans of Korean pop music reflected on failed attempts by other artists to successfully break into the American music industry. JYP Entertainment’s Wonder Girls were frequently noted by fans as a cautionary tale of an attempt to market K-Pop to America, which ended on a sour note.

1. YG Entertainment has learned that America is willing to embrace K-Pop that was not specifically created for the U.S. 

What has differentiated YG Entertainment’s efforts in the U.S. from other attempts has been the clever avoidance of contrived tracks which are specifically produced for mass appeal to America.

The success of “Gangnam Style” is representative of milestones that the Korean music industry would like to replicate and surpass. The most interesting aspect of “Gangnam Style” was that it was not initially intended for release in the United States.

The clever nature of the increased popularity of 2NE1’s 2011 song “I Am The Best” is its current incorporation in a commercial for Microsoft. In the ‘90s Microsoft was a computing goliath, which was conventially considered to be superior to Apple’s Mac line. However, present day Microsoft continues to struggle to create a mobile phone which will defeat the omnipresent iPhone and a laptop which will become as much of a status item as a MacBook.

YG Entertainment and SM Entertainment are often compared side by side like the Microsoft vs. Apple debate. While it may not have been apparent prior to 2012, YG Entertainment has made significant strides in the globalization of K-Pop, surpassing many other music agencies in Korea.

“I Am The Best” is catchy to the average listener who does not understand the Korean lyrics but once the translation is found, the song is like an anthem for the intrepid underdog. We all have Microsoft moments in our lives which has helped to make “I Am The Best” one of the most timeless K-Pop songs to be released in the past decade.

Beyond its lyrics, “I Am The Best” appeals to U.S. audiences who are fans of electronic dance music (EDM). CL has demonstrated her potential for EDM with her collaboration with G-Dragon and Skrillex on “Dirty Vibe.”

2. CL obtained attention from international media due to her fashion sense.

Previous attempts by Korean pop acts to grasp the attention of mainstream American media have been heavily reliant on English language songs and gimmicky marketing. CL, as well as her label-mates G-Dragon and Taeyang, are unique in that they have been able to generate unsolicited attention from mass media for their trend-setting style. What is also interesting about CL, G-Dragon, and Taeyang is that they have been able to form friendships with leading American musicians at a rate that is almost unprecedented for other K-Pop artists.

3. Previous attempts to make a U.S. debut can provide CL with a guide of what works and what does not. 

While CL already has alliances in the U.S., SM Entertainment’s BoA struggled to form friendships and to learn English when she relocated to California in 2008 for her American solo release. BoA had demonstrated tremendous success throughout Asia and had gained a strong fan base in Japan prior to entering the U.S. market.

In October 2008, SM Entertainment pre-released “Eat You Up,” the first track off her self-titled English album. “Look Who’s Talking” followed in December 2008 prior to the release of the eleven track album in March 2009. The album, “BoA,” was released on SM Entertainment USA which was created as an American subsidiary of SM Entertainment. Unfortunately, it was not a commercial success.

Beyond BoA, there have been attempts to appeal to U.S. music fans by K-Pop girl groups including Girls’ Generation, Wonder Girls, and most recently, SPICA. Girl and boy groups have recently had difficulty with reaching worldwide audiences with One Direction serving as one of the biggest exceptions.

4. America is more open to international music in 2014 than it has been in the past. 

American pop music fans have been more open to embracing music from international artists, with an influx of chart-toppers coming from countries as far reaching as Australia. The rate of import for Australian pop acts in 2014 increased to the point where many music critics began to wonder if so called A-Pop would vastly surpass K-Pop by the end of the year. Australia has delivered the pop-punk band 5 Seconds of Summer, songwriting genius Sia (Sia Furler), and controversial female rapper Iggy Azalea. The United Kingdom brought the world pop artists like One Direction and Rita Ora.

Beyond their similar fashion sensibilities Rita Ora and Iggy Azalea are representative of a strong female musical presence which CL also possesses. CL is a proficient female rapper who can hold her own in a face off against some of the strongest women in hip-hop. Now is one of the best times for someone who is a unique representative of international music to make their mark on the American pop landscape.

Do you think CL have success in her U.S. debut? What are your reasons for thinking that CL may be able to achieve this goal? Please comment below.