Quantitative analysis of a half-century of K-Pop songs: Association rule analysis of lyrics and social network analysis of singers and composers

The authors conducted statistical data analysis to identify patterns in Korean popular songs and composer–singer networks during the past 50 years. With the use of text mining and association rule analysis, the findings indicate that the words “love” and “heart,” which evoke romantic love, were the most commonly used expressions in K-pop songs from 1964 to 2012. References to love gradually became more direct over the years of the study, reflecting an increasing willingness to acknowledge and discuss romantic relationships. Additionally, most songs after 2000 included words in English, pointing to K-pop's growing presence in an international market. Social network analysis indicates that since 1992, the influence of composers has increased compared with that of singers in composer–singer networks.