LE SSERAFIM SPAGHETTI ft J-Hope: Why Korea's Response Differs From Global Success
Released October 24, 2025 - The collaboration between LE SSERAFIM and BTS's J-Hope on "SPAGHETTI" reveals a widening gap between international acclaim and domestic reception in K-pop.
Chart Performance Split
The single topped iTunes charts in over 60 countries and claimed number one on both Worldwide and European iTunes Song Charts. On Spotify, it became the highest-charting debut for a fourth-generation K-pop group this year with over 3 million streams.
However, South Korean charts tell a different story. After briefly reaching sixth place, the song dropped to the 70s on Melon's daily chart. Physical sales showed 92,000 copies sold on day one-a sharp decline from previous releases.
Why The Divide?
The experimental electronic funk-pop sound polarizes listeners. Korean online communities describe the track as "too difficult for mainstream appeal" and "incomprehensible," while international fans praise its bold artistic direction.
The lyrics, co-written by J-Hope, use food metaphors to address critics. Lines like "you just say you hate it, what happened to your diet?" transform the playful pasta concept into commentary on criticism.
Music Video Wins Praise
The video features diverse representation including drag performers, earning widespread acclaim for authentic inclusivity. It became the most-viewed male-female collaboration music video in 24 hours on YouTube in 2025.
Korean viewers particularly appreciated this approach. One commenter noted: "Many groups only cast white people for global concepts, but here all races appear naturally."
The Collaboration Context
This marks J-Hope's first collaboration with a K-pop girl group. LE SSERAFIM member Huh Yunjin previously featured on J-Hope's "I Don't Know" from his solo album earlier this year.
Both acts operate under HYBE Labels' subsidiary companies, with J-Hope recently completing military service and preparing for BTS's 2026 comeback.
Industry Implications
The mixed reception highlights tensions between artistic experimentation and commercial expectations in K-pop. While LE SSERAFIM maintains strong international appeal-particularly in the US and Japan-their domestic standing faces scrutiny.
Some Korean forum users blamed J-Hope's feature for underperformance, though fans defended the collaboration. The group responded professionally, sending J-Hope wine from his debut year and food trucks as thanks.
Bottom Line
"SPAGHETTI" succeeds as an artistic statement that challenges K-pop conventions, achieving significant global impact. Whether this experimental direction proves sustainable depends on LE SSERAFIM's ability to balance creative ambition with commercial viability in their home market.
The collaboration demonstrates how K-pop's global expansion creates diverging audience preferences-what resonates internationally may not translate domestically, and vice versa.
