Discussion 1: Balancing Between Korean Nationalism and International Recognition for Korean Idols9/23/2018 I believe the best way for Korean idols to balance the need to be nationalistic while keeping the international audiences is to emphasize the entertainment nature of K-Pop. Using art as a way of communication, Korean idols could focus on their perfection in talent to distract political conflicts. Given the historical relationship between Korea and its former colonizer, Japan, conflicts between the people of the countries are inevitable. However, entertainment is used as a bridge to connect the two countries from then to now. As Maliangkay stated in his article: “one has to acknowledge that Korean entertainers and entrepreneurs were trying to carve out a living as much as their Japanese counterparts, even if the implications of financial ruin for this two groups were very different” (2007: 68). Although almost never mentioned, the music industry is where people collaborated peacefully, because the Japanese government had censorship policies but allowed freedom as long as it followed the norms shaped by the Korean consumer market (2007: 68). Although some idol groups, such as BTS, have rejected collaborating with Japanese producers due to political views, groups like Girl’s Generation and SHINee have created a huge K-Pop market in Japan, given that their albums have reached the top chart position multiple times. Within Korea, Korean idols are expected to be the representatives of Korean nationalism. Under President Roh Moohyun’s lead, the government puts almost all of the cultural subjects, except for religion, under the umbrella of the Korean Wave, or Hallyu, categorizing them in the international market by adding “K” in front of different areas of art (Lee 2013: 192). Originally evoked a nationalist view of Korean people’s spirit, identity, and character, the idea of K-Culture was further extended into anything produced with Korean elements are considered Korean regardless of its origin (Lee 2013: 192). Keeping this idea in mind, Korean Idols collaborating artistically with international artists contributes to Korean nationalism by incorporating Korean culture into the global music industry and introducing it to the international audiences. There are Korean artists who have successfully expanded their markets to outside of Korean. Some of which include Rain, who starred in Hollywood productions, T-ara, who did a K-Pop remix for the viral Chinese song “Little Apple”, and CL, who collaborated with the award-winning Australian dance crew, Royal Family, for her song “Hello Bitches”. These artists have reached out to the international audiences as representative of the Korean culture, balancing both to be nationalistic and attracting global audiences without political conflicts involved. Focusing on the entertainment nature of K-Pop helps Korean idols to attract international audiences while still stay loyal to their country. From collaborating with international artist, many Korean idols have already reached out to global audiences in order to introduce Korean culture without causing political conflicts. ReferenceLee, Hye-Kyung. “Cultural policy and the Korean Wave: From national culture to transnational consumerism.” In The Korean Wave: Korean Media Go Global, edited by Youna Kim. 185-198. London: Routledge, 2013. Maliangkay, Roald. “Their Master’s Voice: Korean Traditional Music SPs (Standard Play Record) under Japanese Colonial Rule.” The World of Music 49, no. 3 (2007): 53-74. AuthorVanessa Tang
19 Comments
Han
9/24/2018 08:12:28 pm
I think another great example was Psy’s big hit, “Gangnam Style”. Like any other k-pop music video, it stayed true to K-pop yet it still did extremely well overseas (proven by the 3 billion views it received on Youtube). This song opened the realms to a whole new genre for many people worldwide, while not needing to adjust it’s music/filmography style in any way to the ‘American’ standards. In fact, it probably DID that well because of how unique and fresh this type of music was to the foreigners of K-pop.
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Clara
9/24/2018 10:10:56 pm
BTS has also done exceptional work promoting outside of Korea. After breaking into the North American market by being the first Korean Group to win a Billboard Music Award, their international stardom has actually been able to spread the prominence of the Korean music industry while representing the values of their country on a global scale.
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Aneet
9/25/2018 10:17:53 pm
In addition to K-pop songs, another way to spread the prominence of Korea’s culture is through music videos accompanying K-pop songs. An example would be BTS’s latest title track “Idol”. Not only was the song mostly sung in Korean and was a huge hit internationally, “Idol” featured traditional Korean instruments such as the janggu and traditional clothing such as hanbok in some parts of their music video, which also promoted Korea’s traditional culture and values globally.
Kristy
9/25/2018 04:53:39 pm
I think it is also very interesting when you have certain K-pop groups that market themselves as being very globalized, highlighting the fact that they have a mixture of Korean and non-Korean members in their groups, in attempts to bridge the gap between Korean audiences and the rest of the world. There are idol groups like GOT7 where members Jackson, Mark, and BamBam are constantly introducing themselves by stating their nationality, as well as groups being built on the concept of being international, such as U-KISS (which stands for Ubiquitous Korean International Idol Super Star).
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Chaeree
9/25/2018 11:28:38 pm
This is true! Not only having a mix of Korean and non-Korean members in the same idol group they would also specify a specific target audience. It was interesting when EXO first debuted with two unit groups EXO-M and EXO-K. Even though they both were K-pop groups and published same songs SM entertainment had EXO-M mostly targeted to Chinese audience only that their songs were all sung in Chinese lyrics and predominantly with Chinese members within the group.
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Ariel
9/26/2018 10:11:15 am
I agree completely. K-pop band members are slowly becoming more diverse, as the big companies (JYP, SM, etc.) are constantly recruiting overseas. This is a smart marketing attempt so that the group structure appeals to international fans. Through keeping the core group Korean, it promotes a layer of nationalism and togetherness, in the sense that K-pop is able to bring together Koreans and non-Koreans alike.
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Kristy
9/27/2018 09:13:35 am
Now that I think about it, I also agree with Ariel that by having a majority of Asian descent in Korean artist groups, companies' are able to keep both Korean nationalism and international attraction, without losing the components that make them "Korean". Also what I've been seeing is that for the non-Korean K-pop artists, if they have the funding, they are also promoting a lot in their own motherlands, expanding the Korean industry across different nations. These artists are not only celebrities in Korea but also celebrities to the K-pop fans in their own respective countries. If you have nations where K-pop has a bigger influence (like in Asia), you can also say that these artists have become recognized celebrities in the entertainment industry there. For example, I identify a lot with Hong Kong and Chinese popular culture, and I have noticed that Jackson from GOT7 has been receiving a lot recognition from the Chinese audiences. Not only has he been hosting TV shows with some of the most famous Chinese hosts (who have also worked in the industry for a long time and built up their portfolio), but he has also been able to produce his own music that is not Korean, and also become an important individual in the entertainment industry of another country.
CedarBough Saeji
9/25/2018 06:06:19 pm
Seems like there is a little formatting issue. I'd abbreviate the question, then delete the doubled areas to make it look nicer, but the essay is quite well done, with perfect formatting. i would, however, like to remind the group members that 350 words is what is expected of each member, although it can be in multiple comments, conversation style.^^
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Ariel
9/25/2018 08:27:07 pm
Through adding English to their lyrics and appearing on Western Television (eg. BTS), Korean idols continue to balance the need to be nationalistic by merging the western pop culture alongside a very much "Koreanized" style of music videos, melodies, and physical appearance. Although many groups' main chorus has prominent English lyrics, it is evident that they attract their international audiences, not just with some mere English words, but with a beat and a harmony that rarely exists within Western pop music.
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Han
9/25/2018 09:43:11 pm
If you're asking about composing an English versions of every single K-pop song that comes out, I think I would have to say no. At least not in my opinion. As someone who is a huge fan of K-pop, I love it because of how it is (in Korean).
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Aneet
9/25/2018 09:49:29 pm
The idea of having English versions of K-pop songs is quite interesting, since recently there has been an exploration with this idea by current K-pop artists. Such examples include Red Velvet’s “Bad Boy”, which has an English version, as well as BTS’s “Mic Drop”. As much as it would make it easier for international audiences to understand the lyrics, I think Korean artists should not make English versions of their songs, or at the very least, limit the English versions produced.
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Ariel
9/26/2018 10:17:31 am
Mirroring what Aneet and Han described, I, too, do not think English versions of K-pop songs should be made. Maybe for only a few songs, if the company actually finds a good writer and they have a specific purpose for the album release to the international audiences. K-pop is appealing for the fact that it is "Korean pop", not E-pop (English pop). This is how K-pop artists can continue to keep their Korean nationalism. To strengthen their international recognition, keeping the K-pop Korean sets the style apart and creates a fantastic cultural phenomenon.
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Clara
9/26/2018 01:04:22 pm
I also agree that English versions of songs should not be produced because I think that one of the reasons why audience are drawn to K-Pop is that the language preserves their culture within the music.
Kristy
9/27/2018 09:04:24 am
Following on Clara's point about producers in both industries (Korean and North American) collaborating together to produce music, I think this is one of the big reasons why to some Korean and Western music can sound very similar and as if Korean music is following the trend of "Western" music.
Chaeree An
9/25/2018 11:04:06 pm
K-pop entertainment once tried to attract more international audience by localizing or assimilating their music. They would change their original songs which were written in Korean into English or even write complete different songs in English as if it sounds just like any other American pop songs. The examples include Wonder Girls and BoA. Korean media would often exaggerate that they have become quite successful in America that Wonder Girls was rated in Billboard Chart or BoA appearing in interviews or TV shows which were true; however, in reality, they were not as successful as the media states.
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Kristy
9/27/2018 08:54:34 am
I also agree with your idea that the reason K-pop has been earning such high international recognition comes from the roots of the nationalistic aspects of Korea. From experience as a non-Korean born and raised in Canada, a big part of why the Korean music industry and popular culture was appealing to me was the pride and community that I saw it provide to it’s own nation. Through their showcases, performances, and TV shows broadcasted and shared to us (the international audience) on social media, we are able to also feel connected and apart of the community that Korean artists provide for their fans. Only in Korea (that I know of) is fan services and “taking care of our fans” such a big thing to the artists. These Korean artists are trained not only in their arts and performances, but also in their mannerisms and taught how to create and maintain connections with their fans.
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Clara
9/27/2018 11:01:33 pm
With Kristy's point of how Korean artists truly cater to their fans, it is another aspect that makes Korean artists unique and draw the attention of the global media. Their mannerisms are unique to their high-context culture, where they rely heavily on respect and non-verbal communication. This fan service is another extension of their culture to their global audience.
Emily
10/1/2018 11:25:04 pm
You are very specific in studying the political relationship that Korea has with its neighboring countries/industries, Japan and China, and how that contributes into their expectation for nationalism amongst their idols. You are also able to use a variety of examples across K-pop groups, showing that focusing on the craft to avoid political conflict seems to be a widespread and accepted method for idols to appeal to both domestic and international audiences. Good job!
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YoungJi Kim
10/6/2018 07:59:20 pm
Hi everyone!
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