FEATURE:
Colour, Light and Darkness
IN THIS PHOTO: K-Pop stars Black Pink (often stylised as ‘BLACKPINK’)/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images
The Wonder and Contradictions of K-Pop
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I am always conflicted as to whether…
IN THIS PHOTO: K-Pop group BTS/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images
mainstream Pop in the U.K. and the U.S. is as strong as it could be. I am not down on the mainstream and the artists coming but find myself, naturally, looking back at the 1980s and 1990s with regards those instant tunes and sounds that can stick in the mind. There are some great gems to be found but I tend to find a lot of Western Pop is led by something introspective or deeply personal – this can be quite hard on the senses and few songs stay in the brain. We have plenty of more giddy and exciting artists that can provide a much-needed thrill and sunshine burst but is this practice becoming rare? Maybe I am misremembering the 1990s and 1980s but there were artists who could produce inspiring and optimistic songs that made you think and, as such, have endured. Maybe politics and the culture is forcing artists into a more negative headspace. Whatever the reason behind a slightly less joyous and rigid Pop form – fewer bands and a little less scope than decades past – there is this new wave of Pop coming from overseas. We think of Asian music and, when thinking of nations like Japan, maybe something eccentric, odd and very cheery. That is a bit stereotypical and does an injustice to the accessibility and variation you can find in the country. When it comes to Korea; there is a definite split. We know about the rivalry and tension between North and South Korea and one would not instantly look to Korea in general for Pop magic and progression.
I am going to bring in some articles that explain the rise of K-Pop and why, in some ways, English is not necessarily the primary language of modern Pop – especially in countries like America. There are some who contend the popularity of K-Pop is overblown and limited to only a few different artists. A reason why I am drawn to the ‘genre’ is because of what is bring to Pop. Not only are a lot of the artists singing in Korean – making its success and translation even more impression – but it is filling a gap in the market. There are K-Pop solo artists but there are a lot of groups and, at a time when Pop is becoming quite singular and solo-based; I wonder whether artists here and in the U.S. could learn from the Korean market. You may have heard only a few whispers regarding K-Pop or completely foreign to it. How, then, did this phenomenon start and get to where it is now? This illuminating article charts the history of K-Pop; how it has risen to where it is and, despite the success and popularity; there is a darker side and one that might not seem that surprising when you think of ‘democracy’ in Korea:
“There are three things that make K-pop such a visible and unique contributor to the realm of pop music: exceptionally high-quality performance (especially dancing), an extremely polished aesthetic, and an “in-house” method of studio production that churns out musical hits the way assembly lines churn out cars…
Because of the control they exert over their artists, South Korean music studios are directly responsible for shaping the global image of K-pop as a genre. But the industry is notoriously exploitative, and studio life is grueling to the point that it can easily cross over to abusive; performers are regularly signed to long-term contracts, known as “slave contracts,” when they are still children, which closely dictate their private behavior, dating life, and public conduct”.
There are a lot of positives and brilliant aspects to K-Pop but there is a rigidity and strictness when it comes to the sort of themes being expressed. Maybe reflective of a wider culture in Korea; there seems to be a distinct split between men and women. Although there is a massive boom and spread of K-Pop; are the themes being performed encouraging and suggestable?! I love the sound of K-Pop and how it makes you feel but, if you dig down to the lyrics, there are some rather worrying limitations and facts:
“If songs for women in K-pop break down along the “virgin/mature woman” divide, songs for men tend to break down along a “bad boy/sophisticated man” line. Occasionally they even break down in the same song — like Block B’s “Jackpot,” the video for which sees the band posing as wildly varied members of a renegade circus, uniting to kidnap actress Kim Sae-ron into a life of cheerful hedonism.
Male performance groups are generally permitted a broader range of topics than K-pop’s women: BTS notably sings about serious issues like teen social pressures, while many other boy bands feature a wide range of narrative concepts. But male entertainers get held toarguably even more exacting physical and technical standards than their female counterparts”.
There are, as I will examine, many positives and reasons why K-Pop should be embraced but are many of the performers dictated to by the Government and censorship? One wonders how expressive and free artists would be were they allowed the same sort of openness as artists in the U.S. and U.K. It seems, whilst the K-Pop phenomenon is global and taking over some parts of the world; there is that problem with limitations and strict censorship:
“Though government censorship of South Korean music has relaxed over time, it still exists, as does industry self-censorship in response to a range of controversial topics. South Korean social mores stigmatize everything from sexual references and innuendo to references to drugs and alcohol — as well as actual illicit behavior by idols — and addressing any of these subjects can cause a song to be arbitrarily banned from radio play and broadcast. Songs dealing with serious themes or thorny issues are largely off limits, queer identity is generally only addressed as subtext, and lyrics are usually scrubbed down to fluffy platitudes. Thematically, it’s often charming and innocent, bordering on adolescent.
Despite these limitations, K-pop has grown over time in its nuance and sophistication thanks to artists and studios who have often either risked censorship or relied on visual cues and subtext to fill in the gaps”.
It is amazing there has been this explosion of Korean Pop and there is this sensation that seems to be coming to the fore. Consider where Korean music would have been in the 1990s and how far it has come in the last few years; the rate of progression and exposure is impressive indeed. Where, then, did it sort of begin and when was that pivotal creation moment?
“But TV was still the country’s dominant, centralized form of media: As of 1992, national TV networks had penetrated above 99 percent of South Korean homes, and viewership was highest on the weekends, when the talent shows took place. These televised talent shows were crucial in introducing music groups to South Korean audiences; they still have an enormous cultural impact and remain the single biggest factor in a South Korean band’s success.
As Moonrok editor Hannah Waitt points out in her excellent series on the history of K-pop, K-pop is unusual as a genre because it has a definitive start date, thanks to a band called Seo Taiji and Boys. Seo Taiji had previously been a member of the South Korean heavy metal band Sinawe, which was itself a brief but hugely influential part of the development of Korean rock music in the late ‘80s. After the band broke up, he turned to hip-hop and recruited two stellar South Korean dancers, Yang Hyun-suk and Lee Juno, to join him as backups in a group dubbed Seo Taiji and Boys”.
I will move on to a new side of K-Pop but, so far, I have uncovered some of the dark elements of the industry and how, even in an industry where most artists are free to express themselves how they feel; Korean Pop performers seem to be restricted in terms of gender roles and themes – never allowed to break too far from what is expected. The Winter Olympics earlier in this year provided a platform for K-Pop – it was held in South Korea – and showcased the diversity of the sound:
“K-pop has become a truly global phenomenon thanks to its distinctive blend of addictive melodies, slick choreography and production values, and an endless parade of attractive South Korean performers who spend years in grueling studio systems learning to sing and dance in synchronized perfection…
IN THIS PHOTO: A shot of South Korea/PHOTO CREDIT: @shawnanggg/Unsplash
Now, with South Korea hosting the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang at a moment of extremely heightened geopolitical tensions, K-pop has taken on a whole new kind of sociopolitical significance, as South Korea proudly displays its best-known export before the world.
During the Olympic opening ceremonies on February 9, 2018, athletes marched in the Parade of Nations to the accompaniment of a select group of K-pop hits, each playing into the image South Korea wants to present right now: one of a country that’s a fully integrated part of the global culture”.
For those uninitiated and unsure of the K-Pop market; you might think it is commercial sounds that talk about fun and love; a rather cheesy and uncomplicated type of music that appeals to a certain audience – usually teen or pre-teens that fall for the bright colours, strangeness of some of the music and the general mood. In my view, there is more diversity and variation in K-Pop than the Pop music we get over this way. Whether it is rapping or something humorous; a serious ballad or something spirited and fun, it seems K-Pop has it all sewn up:
“As a whole, these songs and performers show us that K-pop stars can excel at everything from singing to comedy to rap to dance to social commentary. And their fun, singable melodies make it clear that the South Korean music industry has perfected the pop production machine into an effervescent assembly line of ridiculously catchy tunes sung by ridiculously talented people in ridiculously splashy videos. When Red Velvet sing, “Bet you wanna (bet you wanna) dance like this” in their single “Red Flavor,” they’re sending a message to the world that South Korea is modern but wholesome, colorful, inviting, and fun”.
Some argue K-Pop is made popular by the Internet and it exaggerates its appeal and true popularity. One needs to shift fewer units to ride high in the charts and a lot of the chart positions obtained by K-Pop artists are fairly low. Maybe we cannot call this a full-on explosion and revolution but it is clear Korean-made Pop is taking its place and is a lot more than the music. This article shows that, unlike a lot of Pop music; K-Pop is about culture and, in fact, has led to a rise in those learning Korean:
“At first listen, it may all sound like a bunch of up-tempo pop numbers, but for those in tune with the nuances of modern pop culture, it is clear that K-pop, which is wildly popular in the UAE, is about more than just the music.
Korean pop, to give it its full name, is known for its blend of well-groomed performers, carefree lyrics and militaresque training. For the past two decades, it has grown from a regional curiosity into a global cultural phenomenon in line with India’s Bollywood and Japan’s Manga.
To demonstrate its growing reach, Dubai’s Autism Rocks Arena will host the festival SM Town Live on Friday. More than 20,000 fans are excepted to attend the showcase featuring nearly a dozen K-pop bands, including one of the scene’s leaders, Exo”.
IN THIS PHOTO: K-Pop band Exo-K/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images
Given the popularity and new prominence of K-Pop; this is leading to more and more people learning Korean. This BBC article brings in some facts and good news and shows that one of the great effects of the K-Pop rise:
“Korean is rapidly growing in popularity, in a language-learning boom driven by the popularity of the country's pop stars.
A desire to learn the lyrics of K-Pop hits like Gangnam Style has boosted the Korean language's popularity explode in countries like the US, Canada, Thailand and Malaysia.
A report by the Modern Language Association shows that Korean uptake in US universities rose by almost 14% between 2013 and 2016, while overall language enrolment was in decline.
The latest statistics show 14,000 students are learning Korean in the US, compared to only 163 two decades earlier.
The language learning website Duolingo launched a Korean course last year because of rising demand. It quickly attracted more than 200,000 pupils”.
This is backed up by this article that expands on how Korean is being taken up by more and more people:
“Priscilla Kim is the director of the Korean Cultural Center in New York, which offers language courses. She says that, among younger students, K-pop has become a driving factor to learn the language. “Over the years we have definitely witnessed growing popularity of K-pop among younger students. As a Korean language and cultural institution located in the heart of K-town, we have courses in the summer that are tailored toward K-pop fans who are interested in learning Korean through K-pop lyrics.”
The language app Duolingo launched a Korean course in September 2017 and it currently has 2.78 million total learners. On message boards on the site, users have talked about being inspired by K-pop acts as well as Korean TV to learn Korean, and the app has included some lessons that are based around K-pop”.
Whereas K-Pop is gaining some fans and following here – some of the biggest acts have performed huge concerts here – there are reasons why K-Pop is trending in America. This piece explains why so many American listeners are falling for and sharing K-Pop:
“The sizable Korean-American population in cities such as Los Angeles is certainly helping to fuel the popularity of K-pop in the United States, but the stateside K-pop audience stretches beyond Asian-American demographics.
"When we performed in Los Angeles, New York and Paris, we were shocked and surprised to see that the majority of our fans were non-Asian," says Sunny of Girls' Generation. "That is when we realized how big and influential K-pop was [becoming] around the world."
Joon Ahn, executive vice president for the music business division at Korea's CJ Entertainment & Media, says K-pop first emerged in the '90s with ballad crooners such as Kim Gun Mo and Shin Seung Hun. The first decade of the new millennium has seen the emergence of new stars such as Girls' Generation, Big Bang, Super Junior, and Wonder Girls, with the latter opening for the Jonas Brothers in 2009…
“As the international audience for K-pop has broadened, so has its stylistic boundaries, says Ahn. Hip-hop, rock and techno are now freely embraced by some artists in the movement. Snoop Dogg performed on the title track of Girls' Generation's 2011 album, The Boys; Kanye West appeared on JYJ's "Ayyy Girl" in 2010; and the Black Eyed Peas' will.i.am will reportedly produce the U.S. debut album by K-pop group 2NE1, an all-female hip-hop group.
"The channel for movement of music is now very simple with digital," Ahn observes. "Even the file size is convenient for it. Compared to movies, musical theater, or TV series that have a bigger language barrier, music's appeal is communicated through rhythm and visual impact. YouTube and other social networks have contributed the most to spreading music of all kinds and allowing them to be heard [by] a greater audience."
With commercial success comes increased competition. It's been said that even a few months out of the spotlight can spell trouble for a successful K-pop group because there are many artists clamoring for attention”.
Whilst there are limitations regarding what male and female acts in K-Pop can express and how they can perform; you cannot deny how important the music is and the effects that are taking place. A couple of the biggest K-Pop acts, Black Pink and BTS, are seen as the future of K-Pop and representative of where it will head.
IN THIS PHOTO: A shot of Seoul, South Korea/PHOTO CREDIT: @yokeboy/Unsplash
This piece in Vulture explores those groups and why they have managed to resonate and, in many ways, break away from convention. Although a lot of K-Pop groups are being shackled by label and Government restrictions; there are those who are bucking the trends and shaking things up:
“A K-pop idol group, for example, might strategically include one or more members from abroad. Tiffany, who is in Girls’ Generation, is a Korean-American; Victoria from f(x) is Chinese; Tzuyu from Twice is Taiwanese. The non-Korean members served as ambassadors for the international market, in which the K-pop group would put out different albums and concerts in the language of that market. They may even change their aesthetics to be more aligned with the needs of any given local market. During their U.S. tour, Wonder Girls adopted Korean-American-style makeup — which made them appear darker and their eyes narrower — to the consternation of their fans in Korea. This method did find some success in the U.S.: the English version of Wonder Girls’ “Nobody” was the first K-pop single ever to chart on the Billboard Hot 100, clocking in at No. 76.
Yet BTS employed none of these localization tactics. The group has no non-Korean member, nor does it have any song sung entirely in English. It’s not likely that BTS could have successfully emulated the conventional localization strategy (they tried once, earlier in their careers, without much luck. Their Japanese-language album, Wake Up, faced anemic sales when it was released in 2014): Their production company, Big Hit Entertainment, is more like an ambitious start-up in the K-pop world compared to the Amazons and Googles that are SM Entertainment and JYP Entertainment, whose market capitalization approaches a billion dollar…
“But BTS had something else going for them: authenticity and a narrative arc. Although BTS’s members did undergo the training typical for a K-pop idol group, they participated in the music-making process from the beginning, creating music that they could call a product of their own minds, rather than something concocted by their label.
It is not yet clear whether BTS’s “narrative authenticity” strategy truly presents a meaningful alternative path for other K-pop groups — but other groups are certainly trying to walk that path. More K-pop groups, such as Seventeen and Monsta X, are producing their own music. Monsta X and Got7 have even put out conceptual trilogies of their own. JYP Entertainment’s new group, Stray Kids, is the “narrative” strategy on steroids: Rather than a series of albums, the group stars in a season-long reality television show in which they work together to make a debut album.
Black Pink is the evolutionary next step of 2NE1, YG Entertainment’s last great female K-pop group, which peaked around 2013–14 and disbanded in 2016. As with 2NE1, Black Pink’s music is centered around producer Teddy’s Korean-ized take on hip-hop, and Black Pink’s visual presentation uses a similar strategy. The end result is something that is familiar to K-pop fans: attractive artists performing precise and disciplined choreography accompanying the latest offering from YG’s in-house production team”.
I look around at the Pop acts we have now and, as I said, there are many more solo artists than groups. Once was the time when there were a lot of male and female Pop groups but, more and more, that is dwindling and, with it, a sense of community, unity and togetherness. The role of Pop in the U.S. and U.K., largely, is for a lone artist to have their say. I admit there are Pop groups around but none that have the same mix, components and strengths as the likes of BTS and Black Pink:
“There are also some parallels between BTS and Black Pink. Using hip-hop as their musical calling card is an important commonality. But unlike BTS, Black Pink continues the localization strategy with its members. Lisa is Thai, and Rose is a Korean–New Zealander. The group collectively speaks Korean, English, Japanese, and Thai. The addition of a Thai member is a nod to Southeast Asia, a relatively new but booming market for K-pop. This strategy appears to be working across the board. In the U.S. market, Black Pink’s album, Square Up, debuted at No. 40 on the Billboard 200, the highest ranked album from a female Korean act ever.
With its group NCT, SM Entertainment arguably is a step farther than JYP in terms of localization. In 2016, SM’s founder Lee Soo-man outlined his vision of “Neo Culture Technology,” which forms the basis of the plan behind the group (as well as its name). It is not clear if NCT are a “group” or a “band” in the traditional sense; a term like a “format” or “brand” might be more appropriate. Under the banner of NCT, SM Entertainment formed a number of subunits made up of members recruited locally, using the K-pop trainee system that SM pioneered. NCT currently has three subunits based in different cities around the world (NCT U, NCT 127, and NCT Dream), with an additional subunit based in China to debut soon. The subunits sing different songs and offer different visual aesthetics, tailor-made for their markets.
“Despite years of trying, K-pop’s appeal in the U.S. market initially appeared to have a ceiling. But with BTS, K-pop broke through once again. Crucially, the narrative strategy of BTS and the localization strategy of Black Pink and NCT are not in direct competition with each other: Plenty of K-pop fans like all three groups. The point is not to see which strategy wins the race; rather, it is to anticipate the path of global K-pop in the coming years by observing the two models’ call-and-response”.
There are some weirder and darker sides to K-Pop and, being from Korea, there is always going to be governmental rules and something a little strict. You never know what goes on behind closed doors and it is that contrast and sense of mystery that lends K-Pop a lot more intrigue than the more conventional Pop in the West. Despite its flaws – there is plenty of room for evolution and improvement – I can see things getting better and the positive effects – more learning Korean and positive role models coming through – are clear. Whether the K-Pop act sings in English or Korean; there is something interesting about the music that may speak to where they hail or a direct opposition to westernised Pop. Maybe it is not as fascinating and enduring as the Pop of the 1980s and 1990s but, at a time when the Pop group is disappearing the Pop industry, in general, is becoming less interesting, electric and outward-looking; K-Pop is a much-needed medicine and weapon that I hope others take up. Maybe we will not see an instant transformation of Pop but I feel we might see more Pop bands come through and the landscape open up. If you are new to the contrasts and complexities of the K-Pop market; spare some time and listen to music that is, bit by bit, starting to…
IN THIS PHOTO: Black Pink/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images
TAKE over the world.