For this cultural post, I wanted to focus on Kpop. Specifically the group Seo Taiji & Boys because they created the industry. They are seen as the cultural symbol that showed all the changes, not only in the culture industry, but also in the whole environment in Korea.
There use to be a control of pop culture that was imposed by the South Korean dictator Park Chung Hee. During the era, the government controlled the broadcast systems that televised popular musical variety shows. In order to be broadcasted, pop music had to be patriotic like “Ah, Korea” or safe like a G rated love ballad for the government to commission and promote it. The first iconic moment away from this was by Seo Taiji & Boys who didn’t get the best responses from the judges even though everyone who saw the show was really shocked. Since only three broadcast agencies existed back then, it was hard to find a new culture. However, the TV debut of Seo Taiji & Boys in spring 1992 was the defining moment that showed cultural progress in South Korea was possible. It was very different because Seo Taiji & Boys rapped, wore baggy pants, and danced like B-boys which was uncommon. Even the newspapers started described them as the Korean new kids on the block. When they wore something, it became the trend; they actually introduced American hip-hop fashion to Korea and so what we consider normal within popular culture in Korea expanded.
The song below is the song that the judges gave Seo Taiji & Boys a low rating for, but also the song that became so successful that MTV Iggy said "K-pop music would never be the same" again. It is called 난 알아요 which means “I Know”.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEDHEzs5kyk
Regardless of the censorship that was happening in Korea by the government, somehow the 1995 classic “Come Back Home” by Seo Taiji & Boys about teenage runaways passed. However, another track of the album “Regret of the Time” was banned because its lyrics directly disrespected the older generation. Since Seo Taiji & Boys wanted to go out on top, they retired when they were at the height of their fame. About 40 years before that, South Korea was an incredibly poor country but it had delved its economy strategically from the ground up and by 1996 when Seo Taiji & Boys retired, it became the 11th richest country in the world. A person named Lee Too Man saw music as the next big export afterwards and wanted to market music as cultural commodities. His first hit product was group H.O.T. and their song “candy.” In it they wore ski gloves and people began wearing those gloves out on the street and the dance for it was also catchy so it caught on too.
I learned that the formula for making K-pop that still exists today was established by the three agencies SM entertainment, JYP entertainment, and YG entertainment. This was when the government took advantage of using culture as the next big export industry during the financial crisis which hit in Asia. Something interesting I didn’t know about was that although we refer to the groups as K-pop, in Korea they’re called idol groups because they were made through a very specific process. The entertainment company auditions or scouts the idols, trains them to sing, dance, and act, and carefully assemblies them into polishes and well-rounded groups. K-pop bands also have at least five members and they all take on specific roles.
In K-pop love is the biggest topic, but its also the topic that K-pop stars are never really allowed to talk about personally. Apparently there is this idea that every single K-pop star is meant for the fans. K-pop is very unique because its a visual art as much as it is a musical one. In all music videos i’ve seen, theres also bold colors and the choreography is impeccably timed. I read that this huge amount of dedication in music videos i even true with smaller labels. They always have a vague story element that is impossible to understand.
For example in BTS’ song Blood Sweat & Tears: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmE9f-TEutc
They’re in a very European art museum but what’s happening doesn’t make sense. However, they have such beautiful dance moves.
Also in most K-pop songs i’ve heard, they’re largely sung in Korean, but there’s always some English lyrics that makes it catchy. I wonder if that’s one of the reasons why K-pop is universally popular even though many people don’t understand most of the lyrics. I also read that many K-pop songs are written by foreign composers from Sweden and the US. The songs usually mix and match genres too so you can go from super upbeat pop to hardcore breakdown the next second.
I remember when Psy’s song, Gangnam style, got so popular all over the world and became the first ever Youtube video to reach a billion views. The US has usually been averse to non-English music until BTS, another group. Ellen had said in a video that when they came to LAX, it was like the Beatles were there. Now, K-pop is definitely globally known and loved worldwide. When I use to go to the gym at UR, i use to hear BTS’s songs on the radio. I find it so cool to hear foreign languages being put on billboards and played in day to day music in stores, gyms, etc. I wanted to talk about Seo Taiji & Boys because they set the whole style and turned music in Korea to what it is now. I am really curious when other languages represented in music will also get so popular in American music hits and which it may be!
References:
http://www.moonrok.com/history-k-pop-chapter-3-seo-taiji-and-boys/
https://www.vox.com/culture/2018/2/16/16915672/what-is-kpop-history-explained
https://ontheaside.com/music/a-brief-history-of-k-pop/
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/bts-kpop-albums-bands-global-takeover-707139/
Replies
Hi Priyanka,
Such an interesting post! I've heard of Seo Taiji & Boys many times but never realized that they have contributed so much to k-pop. I also noticed that many kpop songs are written by foreign composers and generally have English in their lyrics, which is really interesting. It is also nice to see some k-pop songs today are sending strong social messages and are being used in protests.
I actually am a fan of a few Seo Taiji & Boys songs but I didn't realize how significant their musical success was to Korea's history. I have a general understanding of what the entertainment industry is like in present time but never really thought about how it came to be. I grew up listening to K-pop long before I heard any American pop song and its so exciting that Korean idol groups are taking over the music industry worldwide.
Priyanka,
I enjoyed reading your post! I myself am a big fan of BTS and other groups. I had some idea about the censorship and government suppression that K-Pop was born out of as well as the scrutiny the people in that industry have to face. However, without it I don't know if we would have same affects that was brought by Seo Taiji & Boys. As their music, like you said, represented a culture shock that we hear the echoes of today. I also find it extremely exciting that K-Pop is becoming popular in the United States. I really wonder what the future holds for international cultural exchange.