Introduction to K-Pop
Chances are, if you're reading this, you already know what K-Pop is. After all, it's the first word in the title of this blog. However, some of you may be unfamiliar with the term, or may have heard it but are unsure of what it actually means. So, here's a basic introduction to K-Pop!
What is K-Pop?
K-Pop stands for Korean Pop, and is a genre of music. K-Pop artists are usually groups of four or more people of the same gender, although solo artists are popular as well. K-Pop music encompasses many different genres, but is regarded as its own genre due to its cultural origins and unique production process.
What is Unique About K-Pop Groups?
K-Pop groups are often "manufactured", and carefully created by executives at entertainment labels. The "Big Three", or most popular/influential labels are YG Entertainment (creators of BLACKPINK), SM Entertainment (creators of NCT), and JYP Entertainment (creators of Stray Kids). Young people who hope to break into the industry spend their childhoods training in singing, dancing, and/or acting, and audition for record labels in their teenage years. After passing an audition (or multiple), they become "trainees", and undergo years of rigorous training. During this process, trainees are placed in working groups with others who may (or may not) eventually become their official group members. When label executives decide a group is ready to debut, careful and methodical planning goes into the debut showcase performance. A debut showcase is the first official performance of a new group, and the first time they are shown to the world. Once a group debuts, the members are called "idols", and they continue to release music and host fan events in order to gain prominence in the industry.
Why is K-Pop so Popular?
K-Pop has been enjoyed in South Korea for decades, but has only gained prominence internationally in the past twelve years or so. The first K-Pop song most non-Koreans heard was PSY's "Gangnam Style" in 2012, which exploded onto the global music scene and racked up billions of views on YouTube. After this song, the next big K-Pop act to reach international stages was BTS (방탄소년단 in Korean, which translates to "Bulletproof Boy Scouts"). After the success of BTS on world tours, talk shows, and music award shows, other K-Pop groups have started to gain popularity around the globe.
The popularity of K-Pop aligns with the "hallyu wave", which refers to the rise of Korean pop culture around the world in the past decade. This includes music (including K-Pop), tv shows (think Squid Game), movies (like Parasite), and even skincare (women around the world swear by K-beauty products).
If you ask fans, "why do you like K-Pop?" or, "why is K-Pop popular?", each one will give you a unique answer, although there are bound to be a few similarities. Some fans are drawn in by the hyper-synchronized dance routines, others by the musical versatility of the genre, and still others by idols' looks and fanservice.
For me, it's all of the above. There is something so satisfying about watching several people dance in perfect harmony; so intriguing about groups' abilities to jump across genres over the course of an album; so heartwarming about tuning into a bias' livestream after a stressful day. There is no single reason why K-Pop is so beloved, and in fact, it's not about the logical reasons. K-Pop is about the feelings it inspires in its listeners, and perhaps that is why it has found its place in the hearts of millions of fans all over the world.
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