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Hey guys, I wanted to talk about the main question behind this post which is "What is K-pop now?". And I know what you are probably thinking 'Duh, it's Korean pop music'. And to that I say true, at the beginning before K-pop became the global phenomenon that it is now, but now that every wants to capitalize on the popularity of K-pop, what is K-pop now that every wants to emulate it in some way. Today, I am going to look past the new non-Korean based K-pop artists such as Kaachi, Lana, EXP Edition, Alex from BP Rania, and others. In this post I will be referencing YouTube videos, comments, and tweets to dig down to find out what people consider K-pop and what makes up a 'serious K-pop group'. All videos I used in research will be cited down at the bottom of this post, if you would like to check them out and make your own opinions.
Let's start with the number one K-pop group is taken the fandom by storm, Kaachi. Kaachi is the UK's first Korean pop girl group and it consist of four members, and three of them are of non-Asian descent. I will be digging into the gossip and drama that surrounds the group, but looking at what makes people exclude them from K-pop. The most common arguments made against Kaachi are: 1) Most of them are not Korean; 2) They did not complete the traditional Korean training process; 3) The quality of the video and music was not on par with there Korean based competitors; 4) They don't speak Korean well enough. If you are a K-pop fan, you should know about the rigorous training that idols complete starting usually from the time that they are ten years old. Idols for years to master their singing, dancing, and rapping abilities before debuting in a group; and from looking at Kaachi's performance in their debut song 'Your Turn' the same precise that is acquired from training for years isn't quite the same. They aren't able to speak Korean too well and only one of them is Asian. A lot of people are okay with them as a K-pop group that because they are not Korean-based group, that is made of Asian members, they speak Korean, and they completed the Korean systematic training. But these notion was challenged with Kaachi, but this was not very well received among international fans of K-pop, and especially on Twitter saying that girls are not a K-pop group. While on the other hand, the members say that are a K-pop group and avidly consider themselves as a part of the genre
Alex is the former leader and member of BP Rania debuted in the girl group on November 3rd, 2015; this made her the first African American person to debut in a Korean pop group. This was a major event in the K-pop industry and in Korean Pop culture, as Alex said in GRAZY GRACE's collab video with her "I was expecting to be treated like every other member of the group but it was like 'The Black Idol'" When she joined the industry, it shook the table. She wasn't treated very well by the industry, when it came to her being in the full routine for comebacks. But the girl was seriously talented rapper and was not treated well, I don't think that the industry was ready for someone that wasn't Asian to be a part of pop culture.
Lana is a Russian K-pop idol, that found her love of the Korean culture and language from watching Boys Over Flowers, a Korean drama, when she was young. This fueled her to eventually her to debut as a K-pop idol. Her debut into the industry was not well received in the fandom. Everyone called her a Koreaboo and it was not taken well by most of the international fandom of K-pop, but as I said with Alex from BP Rania, I think that it is important to read the industry and whether or not to the industry was ready for non-Asian idols will be welcome in the community.
So to answer the major question of this post: "What is K-pop Now?" What makes K-pop has changed in the age of globalization, before K-pop was made by Asian singers singing in Korean; but now K-pop has become an aesthetic. Now that K-pop has become a major cash cow within the music industry, many people want to emulate the feel, visuals, and quality of the genre. I find it completely okay when other culture use elements of K-pop in their music. Personally, I am completely okay with using the K-pop aesthetic, but singing in the language the speak well and naturally.
So, if you want to look into your research and making your own opinions, and want to talk with me about it, you can DM me on Twitter on Instagram. I will put all of my research materials below, and go check these people's channels, because they are amazing creators. I hope all of you have a magical and wonderful day!
Citations
Kaachi picture from: https://k-luv.leonparenzo.com/tag/kaachi/
Alex from BP Rania: https://www.koreaboo.com/stories/the-full-story-behind-alexs-departure-from-bp-rania- and-dr-music/
Lana: https://kprofiles.com/lana-profile-facts/
Globalization image: https://medium.com/@Goodsvejk/globalization-and-the-welfare-regime-11de403bcd03
Research Materials:
-"KAACHI is KPOP"- Interview with KAACHI (All four members): https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=KFQu4bvv7lw
-what happened to the "K" in Kpop? KAACHI and non-Asians...: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKazXzAs9oo&t=671s
-Singer Reacts to INDIA'S First Kpop group! +SB19, ZGirls, Bpop: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvgonP6_lfw
- Is KAACHI SERIOUSLY A Kpop Group? | Can Non-Asians Be In Kpop?: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UuH_zKdWUFM&t=1s