[NOTE: Sorry for the typos, as many of you know English is not my first language]
“Whether or not there will be another first-rate group like TVXQ will determine the path of future juniors hoping to make their way into the Japanese market. It’s important that we focus on the production of content that will make K-Pop stand out from what’s already in Japan.” Kim Young Min
I, as Cassiopeia,
feel happy to read this quote. What TVXQ did was the something big they open
the doors to Hallyu Wave in many parts of the world but now what is doing the Kpop
to keep spreading the Hallyu Wave? What is sacrificing the Kpop to become
recognized? What is the future of Kpop when all we see is more quantity than
quality in the groups? So many questions so many answers that I will try to
respond.
What is happening to Kpop?
“At minimum, K-Pop will be popular for about three to five more years. The reason K-Pop is so popular all over the world is because of the idol groups. I think that it’s either going to last for three to five more years, or continue on forever.” Kim Young Min
The Kpop as we know
is a style of music that only Korea poses and not only is the language is the
fresh and youthful, basically is what the American mainstream pop lost long
time ago. Old Kpop groups were the big representation of the Hallyu Wave: TVXQ,
H.O.T, Shinhwa, Super Junior, BoA…etc. These groups basically focus in get
better and improved what they had, they didn’t try to show to the world they
were better than the rest but that they were something unique and we saw that,
it’s not for nothing the Kpop became popular so quickly.
Groups that are part
of the old Kpop care more about the quality than the quantity because how a
group is going to be followers, loyal ones if they can’t show to the audience
they are not the same as the groups out there. For example we have TVXQ acapella
group, one of the only groups which both life and studio version of their songs
can be described as Perfect. Or BoA, the queen of Kpop, who’s not afraid of new
things to sing.
Where is this type
of music gone? Well basically is the new improvement of Kpop. Kpop has become
something some don’t recognized anymore; covers of westernized songs, songs
composed by Americans or Europeans, songs that basically carry all the
American/European mainstream has. Everywhere
you go there’s f(x)-Hot Summer (a cover of a western song), Superstar-Tohoshinki
(bought by SME from a western compositor) or just listen Mr. Simple sounds
similar to Bonamana and Sorry sorry style right? ... And the list goes on. I
would care less if these people were from western but what we should be worry
is this people don’t try to understand the Kpop itself. How they are going to
write Kpop songs for Kpop artists if they try to keep the western style? Sadly
is happening and many people like it but there’s some (like me) who find this
boring and monotonous because we scape from the American mainstream style to
something fresh and unique but when they unique they had is already gone, what
we have left? Kpop is trying so much to expand but in doing so they are losing
their identity, like an old Kpop fan said “when the Kpop stars try to come
into US industry, they try SO HARD to Americanize themselves that it just down
right becomes cheesy. Be true to yourself, regardless if your Kpop, jpop, cpop,
it does matter, what American music culture is all about is Originally!. Be
yourself! STOP trying so hard to be something you’re not and if in the end
being yourself didn’t work? well guess what it doesn’t mean you suck it mean
AMERICAN taster didn’t like how you tasted XD i feel your pain but seriously
YOUR BIG in Korea be happy, you don’t see American people getting all pissy if
they aren’t BIG in other countries, because as long as their people love them
that all that matter”
Not only that is the
current problem of Kpop but also Kpop artist are debuting in a rushing way, in
a week Kpop has been debuting more than 10 groups. Let’s see 10 x 4 weeks (1
month) = 40 new groups ever month. Is not that much for us? Kpop is
oversaturated with artists, they should just take a step back and take in count
we want quality in music we don’t care about new groups if the old groups are
having not so good songs just for the rushing or being better than the new
groups.
Yes-pop can be…
embarrassing (for western people). But it’s also youthful, fun and the best
example of the power of the pop music machine since Britney spears, hope it doesn’t
change.
Kpop in Japan?
Japan the first
market in Asia, land of anime, manga and Jpop and now of Kpop but is really a
land of Kpop now? No, it is not. I’m not denying Kpop is growing stronger there
but also the way they are going there to
win money is shameful: rookies groups in Korea debuting in Japan without
setting their roots first in Korea, groups without interest in the Japanese culture,
groups with no interest in learning the language. This is the new Hallyu Wave
in Japan.
In the beginnings of
the 2000’s BoA and Tohoshinki ( going to call them like that since they are a
jpop group) left for some years their land, Korea, to start anew in Japan,
without fans ..Without the help of the TV stations only themselves and Avex. They
improved with time until they became recognized as Jpop group/singer.
Tohoshinki was known not as part of Hallyu Wave but known as Jpop artist even
now some people don’t know they are from Korea.
Why I am mentioning this? Because Kpop nowadays is not even trying to
understand the language or the culture they just go there and want to debut=money
and go back to Korea. What kind of group
is that? Yeah new groups under the Hallyu Wave and this will go on until the
fans don’t say a thing about this.
I’m more than happy
of Kpop groups there I just want some quality in their works; I don’t want more
songs from Korean to Japanese. I don’t want them to believe they are the best
thing they it has happened in Japan because are not. Japan is like American they have a lot of
styles and accept a lot, they are accepting Kpop but if Kpop fans and Kpop
itself looks down on Jpop and Japanese fans they won’t go too far in this
Hallyu Wave thing.
Kpop will be able to be successful in USA?
“Park Jin-young once said the words ‘Korean
wave’ themselves are obstacles to the very movement they describe…Today
international fans tend to be enamored with the Korean lyrics…some going as far
as learning the Korean language…The new school of thought is that it’s better
for Korean artists to stay true to themselves rather than trying to be
American.”
Depends on your
definition of success. For Kpop to enter the mainstream America style and music
scene, Kpop would have to change so much
that it would be become unrecognizable to current fans (or some fans of old Kpop).
But, if Kpop reminded as underground phenomenon in the United States, it could
be successful without compromising its identity. The question here is if you
fan will be able to accept them not to be recognized like you want but still
with the good quality of music you like?
In some ways, Kpop’s
fate in Japan suggests some of the issues that Kpop faces in United States. It
is a big deal when Kpop artist decide to debut or re-enter the Japanese market.
Compared to Korea, it is huge opportunity for profit and exposure. Most groups
do so by recording their Korean hits in Japanese, and making Japanese versions
of Mvs, presumably to better suit the taste of the Japanese people.
This is the same
move the big names in Kpop may make to attain success in the mainstream
American music market. Kpop artists who have gone to America have not recreated
the large international followings they enjoy in Asia and other parts of the
world when they choose to cater to American tastes and sing in English (BoA,
Sev7en, Rain).
Yet, JYJ managed to
attain some attention in the USA, but I would argue that they did so by
sacrificing their Kpop essence (an essence that most of the people like).
Before I continue, I’m not a JYJ hater this is a post about Kpop okay? What
they did in USA is representative of Kpop? I’m going to say it bluntly: No, it
is not.
The MV and their
music seem to cater to American mainstream music expectations. There is a
strong preference for English in America over the languages of the other countries.
I don’t like it, and I don’t agree with it, but this kind of thinking is part
of the general American resistance to other languages (not all the people I
must say). Isn’t it curious that Kpop become popular worldwide with artists
that sing primarily in Korean?
Releasing songs in
English is like taking the K out of Kpop, for me personally. Say, if we have a
successful album, with songs produced by the Jonas Brothers, Britney Spears,
etc. Technically what they would create
would cease to be Korean pop and just pop. When the “people in control” decide
that Kpop artists need to sing in English, it seems they assume that such
artist cannot attain mainstream success there without doing so. It’s not a
secret that we (well me personally) like struggling with the Korean lyrics of
the songs. The blend of Korean and English is something that I think makes Kpop
unique.
Many think Kpop
would have to change the every way Kpop idols represent themselves, especially
the male idols. Some feel the male idol groups are too pretty and assume that
Americans gravitate to more manly images (which is true and sad to see this in
the American Culture).To their minds Americans like aggressive forms or
mascunality, macho men and believe that our well-dresses, polite and attractive
Kpop idols do not fit . In this case again JYJ can be a good example, in their
last tour they tried to show us some of this masculinity, something is not them
and totally we can look they were so uncomfortable with. Their shows bordered
in the slutty concept: girls semi-naked dancing sexually in front of a young,
adult audience. Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad if most of their fanbase weren’t
young kids who love them for their music and not for the slutty image their tried
to show in their concerts; if they were true to themselves we will still love
them. But back to the track if Kpop is to succeed in the mainstream market, many
think Kpop will have to adapt to American gender expectations. But in doing so
the “changes Kpop idols do all the time” are going to be limited there.
I would actually
prefer Kpop not try to enter into American mainstream music industry if it
means transforming it into something I have never seen before in them and I
don’t want to hear in them. But that doesn’t mean I don’t want Kpop in my
country. Success in the United Sates does not have to be changing who you are,
just you need to be true to yourself as an artists, to be on USA does not have
to be measured by a high position on the charts but the support of the fans who
are the ones making them who they are.
You don’t need the
American mainstream to succeed; you only need the use that Internet influence
gives you. America has several music styles that enjoy loyal followings that
largely go unnoticed by the American mainstream and these styles don’t have to
change their essence to achieve that kind of popularity.
TVXQ/JYJ cases (allow me to be biased for once)
“The power of TVXQ is just huge and impressive. Despite the controversy they’re undergoing, it’s because of what the five members accomplished that there’s a K-Pop market right now.” Kim Young Min
Honestly, DBSK did
paved way in some way at least for idols and groups; I can’t believe some
people discredited them because obviously TVXQ did have something to do with
paving the way for idols to enter japan market. I felt that since TVXQ achieved
great success with album sales and the Tokyo Dome concert, many groups jump on
the bandwagon (well, I can’t honestly blame these idols groups, because well, it’s
definitely the companies wanting to expand business, popularity and venturing
out to Japan means, yen = more $$$$)
I honestly felt
weird that people discredit or look down on TVXQ when talking about them being
the ones who open the door in Japan and for being part of the Jpop. At the time
of their Japanese debut, Tohoshinki didn’t have it easier like SNSD or KARA or
many idols nowadays in Japan. At the time, Kpop was practically unheard of and
Tohoshinki performed at malls, did their own promotions and held small gigs
only in the first few years after debut. They had to learned to be fluent in Japanese
before their management let them to be on Japanese Shows and it took them 4
years before going to Music Station unlike nowadays most Kpop idols can easily
perform at the show without even need to be fluent in Japanese) But once they
became big, that’s when people start noticing Tohoshinki and pay a more
attention to Kpop groups more than they used to. So, Kpop became big in Japan
thanks to Tohoshinki, now more idol groups want to venture out to Japan and
does not fear of the Japan market anymore like how Koreans used to.
Now, this year many
are hyped about many Kpop boybands debuting Japan. One of the groups is Shinee.
If you watched some of the TV show that introduced Shinee to Japan, they even
introduced Shinee as, "DBSK TVXQ/Tohoshinki's younger brother". Now,
I'm not saying Shinee is borrowing TVXQ's name to Japan, because technically,
Shinee didn’t even ask for it, but the TV show mentioned them as TVXQ's younger
brother, technically TVXQ named is used to make the Japanese more familiar and
more accepting. So, there's no denying of this TVXQ did paved way for idols
groups. Sadly to say not many Kpop groups give the thanks to TVXQ or even respect
what TVXQ have done for them. And worst is to see Kpop using TVXQ to hold
concerts in Japan to promote their artist, Kpop should stop using like a toy
TVXQ, is time those groups work for themselves to be successful.
In conclusion we can say...
Kpop needs to be
true to its roots: the margins. It has reached international popularity, not by
relying on traditional modes of music promotion, but taking it to the people
via YouTube, Facebook and Twitter. But if Kpop starts to change their image to
suit Western tastes, the Kpop fans will start criticizing them for such
changes. How do you balance that? How do you cater to Western standards of
music while still maintaining Kpop standards so you don't lose your fans? The
answer is: it is not possible. You have to drop one or the other. Either go for
broke and be like many Western artists nowadays or even be more creative and
original. Or stay in Korea and make cutesy, generic songs.
