Triggered by Girls’ Generation’s recent appearances on the popular American TV programs Late Show with David Letterman and Live with Kelly, as well as the French talk show Le Grand Journal, CNN acknowledged the growing influence of K-pop. Cultural exports hit a record high of $4.2bn last year, and while the Korean wave has been largely concentrated in East and Southeast Asia, Girls’ Generation’s debut in the US and France have signaled K-pop’s rising influence in the West.