[Edaily Starin Reporter YUN GI BACK ] A song created using generative music artificial intelligence (AI) has entered the Top 100 and daily charts on Melon, South Korea’s leading music streaming platform. With AI-generated music making its way onto charts where even popular K-pop idols struggle to rank, observers are noting that generative AI is making a full-fledged entry into the popular music market.

“Forest of the Heart,” released in May by the YouTube channel “Joseon Hip-Hop,” first entered Melon’s daily chart at No. 100 on September 6 and made its debut on the Top 100 chart at No. 100 the following day, September 7. It subsequently climbed higher in the rankings, peaking at No. 89 on the Top 100 and No. 99 on the daily chart (September 7). Currently, it has fallen out of the top 100 on both the Top 100 and daily charts.
The song was composed using the generative music AI “SUNO” based on lyrics he wrote himself. Notably, listeners in their 40s accounted for 38% of the audience on Melon—the highest proportion—indicating a different response compared to the typical K-pop audience, which is centered on those in their 20s and 30s.

With the spread of AI music, the Korean music industry has also begun to respond. Six industry organizations, including the Korea Music Copyright Association, issued a call for proposals in July regarding the introduction and use of AI detection programs.
The participating organizations specified as key requirements a program capable of identifying whether music is AI-generated or AI-assisted, as well as verifying the results and details of audio analysis. However, it is reported that there are challenges in securing a detection solution suitable for practical use, as current technology has limitations in perfectly distinguishing between music that uses AI only partially and music created by humans.