"Music is the universal language of mankind." -Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Friday, October 9, 2015

K-Pop



Korean pop music is an iconic genre of music. Many people have heard of Psy, the artist responsible for "Gangnam Style," but k-pop contains a wide array of other distinct artists. K-pop artists are commonly young singers who have unique looks and are skilled dancers. Usually in all-girl or all-boy groups, these pop-stars are trained to work as a unit. Their dances are carefully mapped out and are often imitated by fans, while their looks are frequently changed and are extremely attention-grabbing. Visually, these artists tend to stand out dramatically. Furthermore, their music videos are often very strange. These peculiar videos play a crucial role in combining everything previously mentioned. In fact, several artists are associated with the style and portrayal their music video(s) emphasize. The videos are so visually striking, that many international fans may find them strange at first. For example, Girls' Generation, a popular k-pop group, uses many bright colors, distinct outfits, intricate dance moves, and random props. This may sound very vague, but they are very difficult to describe. One must see to believe, so here is an example of their work for a song called "I Got a Boy:" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wq7ftOZBy0E. As you can see, the music video is almost "cartoon-ish" in nature. Girls' Generation is one of my favorite k-pop groups and they are widely famous for their work. Their sound and style, however, was not naturally formulated. 



Many k-pop groups are thrown together and trained to be the "perfect pop stars." Young, musically-inclined Koreans are put through extensive training to master their craft. Scouts find potential stars, teach them everything they need to know about music, fashion, dance, and more. According to an article (link below) I found on the training of k-pop, "it is, by design, music that demands to be mainlined: Hooks come sharper, choruses larger, visuals brighter, the shine of its often mutated sonics far more intense than that of its Western source material." It is an art that must be taught and implanted in the minds of trainees. Masters of the style are signed by record companies and placed into bands, or groups, where their training continues.



K-pop artists are constantly growing in popularity. The distinctive melodies of the songs stand out from the music of many other countries. K-pop combines several genres into one (hip-hop, pop, techno, rock, and disco.) Even their lyrics are unique. The songs do not contain sexualized themes or hateful messages. These well-oiled music machines do not necessarily express themselves like American artists do. The style is far more innocent and fun. As such, I believe that all Americans should give k-pop a try. I highly suggest that you listen to the additional artists I've linked to this post!

More k-pop artists of interest:
Orange Caramel (Catallena:) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Med2XipHJJM

Article referenced:

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