<P> The German Foreign Office has confirmed that "Korean entertainment (Hallyu, telenovelas, K - pop bands, etc) is currently enjoying great popularity and success in Asia and beyond ." </P> <P> In November 2012, the British Minister of State for the Foreign Office, Hugo Swire, held a meeting with South Korean diplomats at the House of Lords, where he affirmed that Korean music had gone "global". </P> <P> During a bilateral meeting with South Korean President Park Geun - hye at the White House in May 2013, U.S. President Barack Obama cited "Gangnam Style" as an example of how people around the world are being "swept up by Korean culture--the Korean Wave ." In August 2013, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry also affirmed that the Korean Wave "spreads Korean culture to countries near and far ." </P> <P> On October 30, 2012, U.N. Secretary - General Ban Ki - moon delivered a speech in front of the National Assembly of South Korea where he noted how Korean culture and the Hallyu - wave is "making its mark on the world". </P>

Who is the first k-pop artist you have heard of