As the popularity of the genre has surged, a dispute between a band and its label has put a spotlight on restrictive artist contracts.

© Lam Yik Fei for The New York Times

Labels exert extraordinary control over performers because only a few acts turn a profit.

© Lam Yik Fei for The New York Times

The rise of Korean terms in Japanese is a striking reversal from colonial times and a sign of the global appeal of South Korean culture.

© Chang W. Lee/The New York Times