Kim Young-dae (critic)
Kim Young-dae (Korean: 김영대; c. 1977–December 24, 2025) was a South Korean music critic. He gained recognition as one of the most prominent experts on K-pop, idols and the Korean Wave, credited for first analyzing the global popularity of Psy's "Gangnam Style" (2012) and the international rise of BTS starting from 2017 in domestic and international publications such as Vulture and MTV News.[1]
After graduating with a degree in business administration from Yonsei University, he earned a doctorate in ethnomusicology from the University of Washington and began his career in the mid-1990s writing on online platforms. He went on to host Korean television broadcasts of award ceremonies such as the Billboard Music Awards, American Music Awards, and Grammy Awards, and served as a selection committee member for the Korean Music Awards and a judge for the MAMA Awards. He was also a founding member of the online music magazine Idology and hosted the podcast Rolling Pod and the YouTube channel School of Music. Following his passing in 2025, several prominent figures in the South Korean music industry expressed their condolences, including Yoon Jong-shin, Kim Hyeong-seok, Lim Hyung-joo, Woo Hye-rim, Jung Yong-hwa, Kim Ho-young, and Lee Ji-ae.[1][2][3][4]
Bibliography
- BTS: The Review (2019)
- Idols as Artists in the K-Pop Era (2021)[5]
- The Songwriters (2025)
References
- 1 2 故김영대, '성탄절 비보' 안타까운 이유..사망 당일 "고맙습니다" [The late Kim Young-dae, the heartbreaking reason behind the 'Christmas news'... "Thank you" on the day of his death]. Osen (in Korean). The Chosun Ilbo. December 25, 2025. Retrieved June 27, 2026.
- ↑ Kim, Eun-bin (December 25, 2025). "Pop music critic Kim Young-dae dies at the age of 48". Korea JoongAng Daily. Retrieved June 27, 2026.
- ↑ Lee, Da-gyeom (December 26, 2025). “조미료 없는 음악에 가치를”…故김영대 비보에 김형석→‘뉴스쇼’ 추모 물결[종합] [“Value for music without artificial seasonings”… Wave of tributes from Kim Hyung-seok to 'News Show' following the tragic news of the late Kim Young-dae [Roundup]]. Maeil Business Newspaper (in Korean). Retrieved June 27, 2026.
- ↑ 아이돌로지 10주년 : 아이돌로지는 사랑을 싣고 (前 필진) [Idolology 10th Anniversary: Idolology Carries Love (Former Contributor)]. Idology. April 9, 2024. Retrieved June 27, 2026.
- ↑ Lee, Jae-hoon (June 27, 2021). 김영대 "'아이돌 음악' 성취, '정당한 평가' 할 때" [Kim Young-dae: "Time to Give 'Fair Evaluation' to 'Idol Music' Achievements"]. Newsis (in Korean). Retrieved June 27, 2026 – via Naver.