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Home › Forums › Short Online Seminars › Understanding Korean Society through Popular Culture, Summer 2022 › Week 2 - K-Pop (August 9th)
JungYunhee.
Crystal Hsia
ShurongI learned about Gangnam Style in 2013. It was one of the shows we chose to celebrate Chinese New Year. From the professor’s lecture and articles, I think I understand the reasons better why this song has 4.4 billion views on youtube.
When I read the first article for this week, I learned the Korean song Tumen River of Tears and the story of it. After I watched the video of this song, there are two songs that came to my mind consequently. One is the Chinese Fable: MengJiangNu’s Bitter weeping and the other is the Japanese song:Song of wild grass(雑草の歌). All these three songs in Korea, China and Japan were sung about women's tough life in the past and present.
Kara SchwartzLyla Lee's Young Adult book I'll be the one (I am currently reading this one) is very interesting. It is about a "fuller" figured Korean American girl who tries out for a KPop show. She mentions the star who enters the room who is from a chaebol family. She mentions that her family watches Korean TV from Korea, and she really wants to be on the KPop show. At her audition she mentions that on Korean TV especially for KPop the "standard" makes no room for fuller figured people. And that they are made fun of! This is not shocking, but I find it really interesting that a YA book which is part love story reveals so much about KPop and the body standards in Korean media. The lead character states that anyone over a size two is the foil to the "pretty girl." I find it interesting that pop in this context adheres to conformity. If pop culture is soft power; what role does KPop serve? Is it possible that most of KPop does not serve the same purpose as much of pop culture. Does anyone know any KPop bands that rebel or offer a counterpoint to the conformity of body standards in KPop? I hope this makes sense. Or does Pop culture serve to in some cases affirm the status quo as much as it is a force to buck the status quo?
By the way I really liked the Indie music from Hyukoh. The lecture was really interesting this week. I also enjoyed the Rap artist. She was fantastic.
What I also find a bit concerning yet interesting is the double edged sword of money making pop bands. On the one hand, KPop gets the world curious about Korean culture. My teenage niece wants to learn more about Korea because of KPop and Korean TV. But at the same time many KPop stars are pressured into getting nose jobs and eye surgeries. This is very similar to American stars. For example, I noticed in the States if there is an actress or artist who might be brunette and full figured or have certain facial features that are not "uber" Anglo that all changes. Jennifer Lopez is beautiful, but as she got more famous her hair got lighter, her lips thinner, and her nose thinner. The Anglo standard seems to permeate world culture. Any thoughts? Does global acceptance mean "looking Anglo?"
https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/05/the-k-pop-plastic-surgery-obsession/276215/
Sorry, I am thinking a lot today. I am thinking about this question from the Fuhr article
identity, politics, technology, and mobility?
Kara SchwartzTHank you so much. I enjoyed River of Tears. Everything about the song and performance were amazing. I got chills! There is much more to Pop than fun and glitz. Does anyone know if the snow and the singer's white clothing signify? Death ?
Kara SchwartzThis PSY video is loads of fun. I really like the western motif too https://youtu.be/8dJyRm2jJ-U
The book I am reading suggested Dean and Rico. Wow both are great
And the dancing of NCT 127 is amazing. So fluid https://youtu.be/2OvyA2__Eas This video is in particular. I think an example of glocalization. References to Bruce Lee and Sam Jackson
Final thoughts on KPop. I learned KPop encompasses various musical styles. And even if KPop stars do not often play instruments or write their songs, their talent and amazing peformances make those songs their own. I have so much more respect for KPop now. And it is much more diverse in terms of style of music and style of the stars. I do think that many stars have little freedom. Similar to pop stars everywhere. And there is a still an impossible beauty standard that is strived for in KPop, but despite that issue, I love it now!
Courtney CaldwellI suppose this article actually made it clear for me when I really started to pay more attention to Korea or specifically K-Pop and it was with the emergence of Gangnam Style by Psy. The production value and energy of it was captivating and I remember it being EVERYWHERE! In addition, the article discusses how K-Pop male/female groups are really an entire entertainment package as they are "featured in stylish music videos with seemingly immaculate faces and figures, fancy costumes and hairdos, rapid dance beats, catchy sing-along tunes, and perfectly synchronized dance routines, K-Pop idols have enthralled a growing fan base across many parts of the world with digital technologies and social media."
I also found it interesting that K-Pop actually was largely ignored by the Korean Government at its beginnings, and was mainly export-focused. This reminds me of the comment someone made about K-Pop in last weeks session, and how they mentioned K-Pop actually not really that big in Korea, and creates much more pandemonium in foreign markets (like the U.S.); I had no idea. We have been reading for the past two weeks about the concept of Korean film and now music being transnational, and this reading makes it very clear that at least part ofthe success of K-Pop is that it is truly transnational, and draws on entertainment styles from around the globe which helps in making it such a success.
The part about image/identity also was fascinating (though not surprising) to me and I'm once again left wondering what this does for the consumers image standards but ALSO what it does to the K-Pop artists themselves who are made to adhere to these standards and images. The article does reference instances of anemia and malnutrition in teenage consumers, but I'm definitely interested to know the cost to the artists themselves.
PayneBrittanyThis week was more relatable to me as someone who began a Kpop journey in 2017, right before the beginning of BTS's global success. However, my memories of Kpop did begin with Psy and "Gangnam Style". However, then it was a funny meme-like memory that I occasionally encountered on my youtube channel in college.
As I delved more into Kpop, I learned more about Korean society and culture and became interested. The lecture and articles did not provide too much "new" information to me, however, I was interested to learn about the popularity growth in Taiwan and Austria. I also enjoyed the first article's look back at sinminyo and yuhaengga. As my interest in Korean music has grown, I have found that I like trot music a lot and some folk singers like 김광석. If it weren't for the globalization of Korea, I probably would have never begun to learn the language and fell in love as I have with another country's rich history and culture.
As a history teacher, I want to be able to use such information in these articles for a better understanding of other cultures. As a non-profit worker dealing with Alabama and Korea relations, I find that learning about other cultures helps us to understand each other. I strive to be a bridge between cultures in my work, not working to change each other but meeting in the middle and finding understanding.
ParkLisaAfter reading Fuhr's article and listening to Prof. Jung-Kim's lecture, I realized how important transnationalism is and how this concept is causing the entertainment companies to push their bands to sing in English. By speaking in English, they are breaking the cultural and language barrier. BTS is no longer a Korean group; they are a group made up of Koreans who sing in English. The message from the songs and the songs themselves become the focus and slowly the nationality and the ethnicity of the singers matters less and less. Hence, the entertainment groups (SM or JYP) can put together a group with a singer from India, Brazil and Korea. "Korean" now is the ethnicity of the band members and has nothing to do with the language or culture. Based on the article, Rain was not successful in the US because he was not fluent in English. By having fluent English speaking singers, the bands transcends the language barrier and become like Adele or Taylor Swift. If Adele performs in Korea, she is not a British singer, she is Adele. We listen to her for her voice and for her message. Now, by singing in English, BTS is no longer a "Korean" band, with all its implication of a cultural or language barrier, but they can transcend all that and become BTS, a band with amazing vocalists who can dance and sing songs with strong social messages. (I had noticed that English speaking has been more prevelant in K-dramas as well. 10 years ago, K-dramas rarely used English words. However, recently, K-dramas, like High Class and Business Proposal, had actors speaking in English as part of the storyline, sometimes to comedic effect as in Business Proposal.)
Taylor BubI remember when the pandemic first hit and we went out of school I spent a lot of time watching netflix, and I remember watching a documentary on Netflix about the Korean Pop Band Blackpink, and how they became who they are today. It was so interesting to see the amount of preparation and training they went through to become famous. I think it is so interesting that each girl is essentially assigned a 'personality' and get matched together to form a band. I think it is so crazy to see how these girls will literally leave their families to pursue a career as a K-Pop star, where sometimes they spend up to a decade waiting to debut, and many of them do not ever debut at all. Its definitely different than how singers, and musicians become famous in America, by trying out for reality shows or playing gigs on tour with other bands until they maybe become big themselves.
KeaneJerricaI found this article tremendously interesting. So interesting in fact, that I had to read about the Japanese occupation of Korea more. I am a bit embarrassed to say that as as history teacher, it is a focus area that I know very little about - I guess that's why I'm here to learn! Anyways...
This article was full of themes of identity and while the article was balanced, it offered an indepth understanding to the complexities of K-Pop and critiques. The pressues of maining and reclaiming identity during/after Japanese occupation, and the geocultural differences on the transnational stage is heavy. I found myself consistently wondering the following questions - How did people reclaim their identities? What is the story of agency within K-Pop? A few references were made to the fact that the LOCAL element (over the global one) is the true heart of K-Pop. Localities bring the groups to life therefore reinforncing the idea that K-Pop itself is so much more than a brand. However, the balancing act of breaking into a Western market while maintaining national pride is a delicate one. Overall, these artists are brave for facing colourism, and dehumanization while offering globe with unique musical talent.
KeaneJerricaYes, to all of this! The concept of transnationalism while maintaining identity is fascisnating to me. Like having your feet firmly planted in two very different worlds. How do they do it? It must require a tremendous amount of self-reflection and a strong sense of self, right? We should explore this more within our course!
Kara SchwartzI really liked all of your observations. K-pop music has world appeal because of the stars ability to fuse global elements while still be Korean, but is it cultural fusion or a complete melting pot: where local identity becomes melted and one with other countries? Your question is the music then still Korean? So far I have seen a very interesting blend of cultures in the video I posted of NCT 127 which includes English and Korean lyrics and their moves and mention of Bruce Lee might be a nod to China and America and martial arts and there is an universal appeal of the cool martial arts guy. They move in a dance and choreographed fighting moves. But at what point does the Korean culture disappear because of the myriad of other influences?
I think both can be achieved. But walking that line between fusion and completely melting a culture away is delicate to echo what Jerrica stated. Lisa Park your questions helped me think about fusion in music in general. And at what point does the Korean in K-pop disappear and other cultures take over
Kathryn SutherlandA while back, when Dynamite first came out, I remember reading an article about BTS and why they were so popular now. I can't remember what publication it was with--it was a good BTS primer for someone who didn't know a lot about them--but the author basically alleged that BTS's record label here in the states wouldn't promote their music unless they did a song in English. And BTS resisted this for as long as they could, but they just weren't able to top the Billboard 100 chart without the marketing push that their label would do if they did a song in English. So the author said that even though their earlier music was deep, thoughtful social commentaries, the song Dynamite was so sugary-sacchrine that it had to be them trolling the record label for forcing them to do a song in English. So after watching the lecture, I thought about this article that I had read, and I was wondering a) if this was true or if it was just a superfan upset that BTS did a song in English and b) how does BTS feel about catering to an english speaking fan base? The article I read a while back made it seem like singing in English was the equivalent of "selling out," but is it? I'm curious to know. If there are any big BTS fans out there that could shed some light on this for me, I'd greatly appreciate it!
BurkotEmilyAs someone who was into Jpop in the time before Youtube, I am particularly interested in seeing how Kpop has traveled across the world before today's golden age of access. In the Koo and Sung article, they discuss traveling musical troupes performing for Korean immigrants in other countries, which limits the spread of music to just countries with Korean communities. Then we see another example of something Korean that has been remade repeatedly for a foreign audience (according to the article, the Korean song 'Arirang" has been recorded for Japanese audiences over 50 times!). I don't think that recording a Korean folk song has the same benefits for Korean artists as say remaking "Miss Granny" would (for example, no licensing) but that still speaks to the universality of the art. I find it interesting as well that OSTs are so popular, the article suggesting that the music reminds viewers of Korean Drama and Film of memorable scenes. Comparing that to what is common here, I think the vast majority of movie soundtracks are licensed songs, with any instrumental music at the end of the album or released in a totally different package (I can think of a couple of big exceptions to this- anything by John Williams, Hans Zimmer, Howard Shore).
Jeanine AlexanderIt was interesting to read about the history of Korean popular music and culture with the influences of the Colonial period (Japan) and Cold War (United States). I did not truly understand the influence of these periods on Korean culture until reading the artcles. The transnational influence of K-pop is a fascinating phenomenom, almost akin to the British invasion of the 1960s. BTS dressing up early on in a Beatles inspired poster shows just how influencial the British invasion was, only time will tell if BTS will do the same (though their performance at the Grammys was pretty great). In all honesty, can K-pop reach the level of cultural influence of early American Jazz, Blues, Rock-n-Roll, and Hip-Hop? I am not sure- while early American musicians initially did not have the corporate sponsorship the K-pop bands have, and thus sell A LOT of records, K-pop doesn't seem t have the individuality and diversity that has made American music so unique.
While I do love groups like BTS (especially their UN Video) I am worried about the influence of the K-pop bands on youth culture. Not because they are not caring about people and I know they are trying to positively influencing young people, but because of how 'perfect' these groups look. Afterall, perfection is an illusion. Could someone as powerful and talented as Lizzo -but a Koren version- even be considered? (Though aparently they are friends #VINZZO) I hope this all makes sense!