"Though BTS may currently be inactive, there are a multitude of captivating teams poised to seize the Billboard charts. The first half of this year has confirmed the high standard of the musical arsenal each K-pop group possesses," said pop culture critic Kim Sung-soo, evaluating the performance of K-pop in the first half of this year. He added, "The spectrum of K-pop artists on the Billboard charts has greatly expanded. Their combined achievements have led to a greater influence and broadened the base for K-pop. The Billboard charts have now become a viable stage for challenging."

The first half of 2023 was a season showcasing the global prowess of K-pop artists. Despite some concerns that the temporary hiatus of BTS's group activities due to military enlistment of members Jin and J-Hope, among others, might diminish K-pop's standing in global markets like Billboard, these fears have proven unfounded. While BTS as a whole entered a hiatus, many K-pop groups have shined on the Billboard charts and other influential international charts. Groups like Stray Kids, Seventeen, and ATEEZ have knocked on the door of Billboard, significantly stirring the local market.

Stray Kids achieved 6th place on the Billboard 200 with their third studio album, 'Five Star', released on the 2nd. They set a remarkable record by topping the Billboard 200 with all three of their works, 'Ordinary', 'Maxident', and this 'Five Star', released in March and October 2022, respectively. ATEEZ also reached their highest rank, 2nd on the 'Billboard 200' with their 9th mini album released on the 16th. Seventeen made it to the chart for seven consecutive weeks at their highest position, 2nd, with their 10th mini album.

Solo activities of BTS members also yielded great results. Jimin, in March, made history as the first Korean solo artist to top the Billboard 'Hot 100' with the title track 'Like Crazy' from his first official solo album 'Face'. This was a moment when the absence of the seven members of BTS, who previously set an incredible record by topping the 'Hot 100' with a total of 6 songs including 'Butter' and 'Permission to Dance', wasn't felt at all.

Girl groups also demonstrated remarkable achievements. Group Le Sserafim entered the 'Billboard 200' for six consecutive weeks with their first full-length album 'Unforgiven'. On the 'Billboard Global 200', (G)I-DLE's 'Queenka' ranked 27th, IVE's 'I AM' ranked 52nd, BLACKPINK Jisoo's 'Flower' ranked 73rd, and aespa's 'Spicy' ranked 97th, proving K-pop girl group power.

Among them, Fifty Fifty stood out with their performance. Having debuted in November last year, newbie Fifty Fifty entered the 'Hot 100' and has been staying there for over 13 weeks with their title track 'Cupid-English Version' from their first single 'The Beginning: Cupid'. They climbed from their initial rank of 100 to 17, making an unprecedented record. Their 13-week consecutive entry is the longest chart-in record for a K-pop girl group, and they are expected to rise higher in the upcoming weeks unless there are major changes.

The K-pop artists' Billboard domination is expected to continue not only in the second half of this year but also in the future. Pop music critic Kim Heon-sik said, "So far, BTS and their senior K-pop artists have knocked on the doors of overseas markets, including the Billboard, and have been successful in broadening their base." He anticipated the ongoing activities of K-pop artists, saying, "Not only the solo performance of Jimin, but also the performances of other artists show that the wall of the Billboard chart is no longer high. More artists will emerge to overcome that wall in the future."

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