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The Story of K-Pop
by Lauren Jiang
Seo Taiji & The Boys kicked off K-pop in 1992: (lf-rt) Yang Hyun-suk, Seo Taiji, Lee Juno. image: YG EntertainmentNOTE: After years observing the fantastic K-pop phenomena from afar, cineSOURCE connected with the talented Lauren Jiang, who followed K-pop for years, lived in Korea for one year and penned a quad of incisive articles. The other three are: "South Korea: Where’s the Romance?", "Adventures in K-Pop Fandom" and "Can (G)I-DLE Make It in the Tough K-Pop World?".
LAVISH MUSIC VIDEOS, BRIGHT COLORS,
trainee programs, military-precise choreography and seemingly-random English phrases are the elements which combine to make what’s taking the world by storm: K-pop.
Despite its seeming recent appearance, K-pop has been around since the 1990s. The first act to make their mark was Seo Taiji & The Boys in 1992, a trio which introduced rap into a music scene previously dominated by bumble gum or patriotic songs.
In fact, one of the Boys, Yang Hyun-suk, would go on to create YG Entertainment in 1996, Korea’s second most famous entertainment company after SM Entertainment, which was founded a year earlier by record producer Lee Soo-man. When Park Jin-young, a K-pop solo artist, established JYP Entertainment in 1998, K-pop had its entertainment trifecta and the race was on.
As it exploded on the peninsula, K-pop also caught fire in Japan, which was in the throws of its economic “Lost Decade” and craving upbeat and romantic art. Soon K-pop was in demand and the entertainment companies began aggressively recruiting talent through referrals and auditions but also right off the street at public casting calls.
Once the “trainee” is admitted to a company, they spend between three months and ten years learning their craft and honing their image. With their regimented schedules and living environments, even their romantic life is highly regulated, somewhat ironic since so much of their music concerns love. When the company finally deems them fit, they debut as an “idol”.
Scene from EXO-K's mega-MTV for their hit 'Overdose'. image: SM EntertainmentWith the establishment of SM, YG and JYP talent factories came the phenomena of the K-pop idol. While idol seems like a synonym for singer or star, the public truly came to idolize them. Placed on the pedestals of fame, they are looked upon as flawless individuals, who never make mistakes, at least not publicly.
The perfect K-pop idol is an elusive combination of on-screen charisma, vocal talent—if you can’t sing, but can dance, they’ll make you a rapper, and, of course, good looks. Idols in turn are combined into groups, each fulfilling a specific role: for example, the most attractive is called the “visual.”
Unlike in American celebrity culture, idols are openly judged for beauty. On the talk shows, idols are literally asked to rank each other from best to worst looking.
Sometimes an individual is the “face” of the group, the most recognizable member. They often go on to pursue a solo career because of sheer star power (think Beyoncé in Destiny’s Child).
The “main vocal” is, of course, the best singer and the “main dancer,” the best at dancing, but the “happy virus” is the person with the most personality and energy.
There is almost always a leader, often the most trained in media relations, who starts most songs and handles the group’s introductions. With any combination of these elements, a strong K-pop group can be formed.
Most idols subject themselves to plastic surgery, although it doesn’t have the negative, fake connotation it does in America. Women and men alike go under the knife for “double-eyelid surgery,” which gives them Caucasian-like eyes, or nose jobs, the two most common procedures in Korea.
Suho (Kim Jun-myeon), the leader of the K-pop Chinese-Korean band EXO, performing in their MTV for 'Overdose'. image: SM Entertainment.It’s often argued that the beauty ideal in Korea is based upon European standards: large eyes and a small nose, which tends to be the exact opposite of natural Asian features. While this argument is of interest to academics, idols consider plastic surgery purely transactional: the price you pay for success; the more attractive you are, the better you sell.
Idols are commodities in Korean culture, objects for consumption. That’s why they never speak out about political issues, or seem to rebel against the status quo, and are always loyal and obedient to their entertainment company.
In a very real sense, they sell their soul for fame and stardom. Contracts are commonly seven years or more, with clauses that control everything from dating to hair color.
As outsiders looking in, many international fans or observers criticize the entertainment companies as completely commercial, on the one hand, or dysfunctional and corrupt, exploiting and taking advantage of artists, on the other.
But many within the system view it as a temporary period of struggle that will help them become more resilient, almost like joining a fraternity or sorority. The first few years of fame is the “hazing” period before they become a fully vested member of the entertainment family with what it takes to be a successful K-pop artist.
The regimentation, overwork and even injustice that K-pop idols endure are public knowledge, yet not much has changed since the start of this culture and the industry that produces it.
The Stereotypes, the production team behind Red Velvet's 'Bad Boy', playing around, as usual. image: The StereotypesGroups still practice 12 hours a day. Still survive on cheap meals of ramen, kimchi and convenience store snacks. Still sleep four to a room in the dorms provided by the company. Still get little vacation time. But it’s all considered “necessary evils” to be successful in the K-pop scene.
Can the entertainment companies be blamed for such practices? After all, Korea only recently became a “first world” country. Having increased its economy by a factor of 100 between the 1960s and late-‘80s, it now has the 11th largest GNP in the world. With such extreme growth within such a short period of time, some of these operations are consistent with keeping up with supply and demand. After 25 years, K-pop is still experiencing growing pains.
As the genre becomes more and more popular world-wide, collaborations with foreigners is becoming an industry mainstay, notably among the singers, who can now be from China, Thailand or elsewhere in Asia.
A newish trend has been the bringing on of overseas hitmakers to crank out catchy tunes. Take any of last year’s albums from SM Entertainment, the most popular Korean company, and you’ll notice most of the tracks were produced or written by non-Koreans.
For example, the K-pop masterpiece “Overdose” by EXO was composed by The Underdogs, an American R&B and pop duo made up of Harvey Mason Jr. and Damon Thomas, who gave it both hardcore hip-hop and epic orchestral moments.
Creative art direction for Red Velvet's title track, 'Rookie', which was composed by musician and comedian Sara Forsberg. image: S. ForsbergThe producers considered the sheer size of the group they were writing for, a 12-member boy band, and worked to split the song so that each member could shine. They wanted to make a track that was different and stood out, as opposed to the generic sound that often plagues K-pop groups. With "Overdose" one of the most recognizable new pieces of music by EXO, The Underdogs accomplished that feat.
“Bad Boy”, a ‘90s R&B/Trap tune by Red Velvet was produced by The Stereotypes, a quartet consisting of Jonathan Yip, Ray Romulus, Jeremy Reeves and Ray Charles McCullough II. They also worked on “Somebody to Love” by Justin Bieber and “Finesse” by Bruno Mars.
In interviews, The Stereotypes emphasized how a song like “Bad Boy” wouldn’t make it in the US music industry: simply too “musical” and lacks the formulaic structure of most American radio hits. It’s more fun to write for K-pop artists, they said, because producers have more freedom to experiment and play around, often going through a half-a-dozen styles in a single song.
Another Red Velvet tune, “Rookie”, is a fun bubble-gum piece produced by Sara Forsberg, a popular YouTube comedian, also known as SAARA. Forsberg went viral with her video “What Languages Sound Like To Foreigners”. As a polyglot with an exceptional talent at accents, she captured audiences with her witty personality.
A lot of SAARA’s subscribers had no idea she was a K-pop music producer until her first K-pop hit, “You Think” by Girls Generation, was released. Since then, she’s gone on to launch a solo career under the moniker SAARA, and continues to make YouTube videos in addition to producing.
LDN Noise, a London-based production duo, created “Touch” by NCT 127, along with countless other tracks. Sampling an old-timey tune and taking it up a notch, “Touch” has a refreshing summer sound that sounds like sparkling soda.
Greg Bonnick (rt) and Hayden Chapman, from LDN Noise, speak at KCON, the most popular K-pop convention. image: KCON USA. image: LDN Noise The British pair, Greg Bonnick and Hayden Chapman, often appear at K-pop conventions, where they share never-before-heard clips of their famous tracks. At one event, they played a vocals-only version of the song “Monster” by EXO, so fans could hear the hidden intricacies. They also make an effort to connect with fans on social media and release behind-the-scenes footage of the production taking place.
Despite the problems in the K-pop industry, it’s clear that their talent has international appeal and immense potential. They already work their butts off and are fully dedicated to their craft, it’s only a matter of bringing out individuality and authenticity that will be the key to world wide domination.
Lauren Jiang was born and raised in the Bay Area and is an entertainment and lifestyle journalist who is passionate about strengthening community, expressing herself through performing arts, and specializing in Korean culture—indeed, she recently lived there for a year. Jiang can be reached . Posted on Jul 24, 2018 - 05:30 PM
by Lauren Jiang
Seo Taiji & The Boys kicked off K-pop in 1992: (lf-rt) Yang Hyun-suk, Seo Taiji, Lee Juno. image: YG EntertainmentLAVISH MUSIC VIDEOS, BRIGHT COLORS,
trainee programs, military-precise choreography and seemingly-random English phrases are the elements which combine to make what’s taking the world by storm: K-pop.
Despite its seeming recent appearance, K-pop has been around since the 1990s. The first act to make their mark was Seo Taiji & The Boys in 1992, a trio which introduced rap into a music scene previously dominated by bumble gum or patriotic songs.
In fact, one of the Boys, Yang Hyun-suk, would go on to create YG Entertainment in 1996, Korea’s second most famous entertainment company after SM Entertainment, which was founded a year earlier by record producer Lee Soo-man. When Park Jin-young, a K-pop solo artist, established JYP Entertainment in 1998, K-pop had its entertainment trifecta and the race was on.
As it exploded on the peninsula, K-pop also caught fire in Japan, which was in the throws of its economic “Lost Decade” and craving upbeat and romantic art. Soon K-pop was in demand and the entertainment companies began aggressively recruiting talent through referrals and auditions but also right off the street at public casting calls.
Once the “trainee” is admitted to a company, they spend between three months and ten years learning their craft and honing their image. With their regimented schedules and living environments, even their romantic life is highly regulated, somewhat ironic since so much of their music concerns love. When the company finally deems them fit, they debut as an “idol”.
Scene from EXO-K's mega-MTV for their hit 'Overdose'. image: SM EntertainmentThe perfect K-pop idol is an elusive combination of on-screen charisma, vocal talent—if you can’t sing, but can dance, they’ll make you a rapper, and, of course, good looks. Idols in turn are combined into groups, each fulfilling a specific role: for example, the most attractive is called the “visual.”
Unlike in American celebrity culture, idols are openly judged for beauty. On the talk shows, idols are literally asked to rank each other from best to worst looking.
Sometimes an individual is the “face” of the group, the most recognizable member. They often go on to pursue a solo career because of sheer star power (think Beyoncé in Destiny’s Child).
The “main vocal” is, of course, the best singer and the “main dancer,” the best at dancing, but the “happy virus” is the person with the most personality and energy.
There is almost always a leader, often the most trained in media relations, who starts most songs and handles the group’s introductions. With any combination of these elements, a strong K-pop group can be formed.
Most idols subject themselves to plastic surgery, although it doesn’t have the negative, fake connotation it does in America. Women and men alike go under the knife for “double-eyelid surgery,” which gives them Caucasian-like eyes, or nose jobs, the two most common procedures in Korea.
Suho (Kim Jun-myeon), the leader of the K-pop Chinese-Korean band EXO, performing in their MTV for 'Overdose'. image: SM Entertainment.Idols are commodities in Korean culture, objects for consumption. That’s why they never speak out about political issues, or seem to rebel against the status quo, and are always loyal and obedient to their entertainment company.
In a very real sense, they sell their soul for fame and stardom. Contracts are commonly seven years or more, with clauses that control everything from dating to hair color.
As outsiders looking in, many international fans or observers criticize the entertainment companies as completely commercial, on the one hand, or dysfunctional and corrupt, exploiting and taking advantage of artists, on the other.
But many within the system view it as a temporary period of struggle that will help them become more resilient, almost like joining a fraternity or sorority. The first few years of fame is the “hazing” period before they become a fully vested member of the entertainment family with what it takes to be a successful K-pop artist.
The regimentation, overwork and even injustice that K-pop idols endure are public knowledge, yet not much has changed since the start of this culture and the industry that produces it.
The Stereotypes, the production team behind Red Velvet's 'Bad Boy', playing around, as usual. image: The StereotypesCan the entertainment companies be blamed for such practices? After all, Korea only recently became a “first world” country. Having increased its economy by a factor of 100 between the 1960s and late-‘80s, it now has the 11th largest GNP in the world. With such extreme growth within such a short period of time, some of these operations are consistent with keeping up with supply and demand. After 25 years, K-pop is still experiencing growing pains.
As the genre becomes more and more popular world-wide, collaborations with foreigners is becoming an industry mainstay, notably among the singers, who can now be from China, Thailand or elsewhere in Asia.
A newish trend has been the bringing on of overseas hitmakers to crank out catchy tunes. Take any of last year’s albums from SM Entertainment, the most popular Korean company, and you’ll notice most of the tracks were produced or written by non-Koreans.
For example, the K-pop masterpiece “Overdose” by EXO was composed by The Underdogs, an American R&B and pop duo made up of Harvey Mason Jr. and Damon Thomas, who gave it both hardcore hip-hop and epic orchestral moments.
Creative art direction for Red Velvet's title track, 'Rookie', which was composed by musician and comedian Sara Forsberg. image: S. Forsberg“Bad Boy”, a ‘90s R&B/Trap tune by Red Velvet was produced by The Stereotypes, a quartet consisting of Jonathan Yip, Ray Romulus, Jeremy Reeves and Ray Charles McCullough II. They also worked on “Somebody to Love” by Justin Bieber and “Finesse” by Bruno Mars.
In interviews, The Stereotypes emphasized how a song like “Bad Boy” wouldn’t make it in the US music industry: simply too “musical” and lacks the formulaic structure of most American radio hits. It’s more fun to write for K-pop artists, they said, because producers have more freedom to experiment and play around, often going through a half-a-dozen styles in a single song.
Another Red Velvet tune, “Rookie”, is a fun bubble-gum piece produced by Sara Forsberg, a popular YouTube comedian, also known as SAARA. Forsberg went viral with her video “What Languages Sound Like To Foreigners”. As a polyglot with an exceptional talent at accents, she captured audiences with her witty personality.
A lot of SAARA’s subscribers had no idea she was a K-pop music producer until her first K-pop hit, “You Think” by Girls Generation, was released. Since then, she’s gone on to launch a solo career under the moniker SAARA, and continues to make YouTube videos in addition to producing.
LDN Noise, a London-based production duo, created “Touch” by NCT 127, along with countless other tracks. Sampling an old-timey tune and taking it up a notch, “Touch” has a refreshing summer sound that sounds like sparkling soda.
Greg Bonnick (rt) and Hayden Chapman, from LDN Noise, speak at KCON, the most popular K-pop convention. image: KCON USA. image: LDN Noise Despite the problems in the K-pop industry, it’s clear that their talent has international appeal and immense potential. They already work their butts off and are fully dedicated to their craft, it’s only a matter of bringing out individuality and authenticity that will be the key to world wide domination.
Lauren Jiang was born and raised in the Bay Area and is an entertainment and lifestyle journalist who is passionate about strengthening community, expressing herself through performing arts, and specializing in Korean culture—indeed, she recently lived there for a year. Jiang can be reached . Posted on Jul 24, 2018 - 05:30 PM
