South Korean idols such as AleXa are tapping into this phenomenon by collaborating with Arab artists and performing in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia
K-pop seems to be unstoppable. For a long time, only the Middle East seemed to be unaffected by this South Korean music trend, which is spearheaded by groups such as BTS and Blackpink. But the genre is slowly but surely making progress in the region, especially in Saudi Arabia.
Until a few decades ago, music was viewed in a negative light in Saudi Arabia -- especially music from the West. However, mentalities are changing in the ultra-conservative kingdom under the leadership of Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman. Although he is not king, he is the one who leads Saudi Arabia on behalf of his father, the 86-year-old monarch, King Salman. And this "second" sovereign is betting on culture to diversify the kingdom's economy, which is highly dependent on oil.