K-Pop: a global obsession and its implications for south korea
K-Pop: The Definition of a Global Phenomenon and its
Implications for South Korea
by Taylor Powell
Global Connections 2014-2015
The Global Studies and World Languages Academy
ABSTRACTThe
research will cover the diverse topic of Korean pop, or K-Pop for short. It was
conducted in order to investigate the emergence of K-Pop, how it came in to
popularity, how the industry scopes out talent and shapes it into perfection,
and how the finished product has been an important economic contribution to
South Korea.
K-Pop is essentially manufactured, from recruiting and
training all the way to music releases. Its success has led to a lot of
international attention for South Korea, from music purchases to increased
tourism. Such economic boosts have led the country and its people to invest
more heavily in K-Pop as an industry. The
research has also explored how K-Pop has created cultural transformations in
South Korea, such as beauty standards for men and women alike, and how those
changes are viewed in the Western world. Additionally, the research will look
at how Western musicians and producers have taken part in collaborations with
Korean artists and what makes K-Pop marketable to an English speaking nation.
INTRODUCTION
As a war-torn third-world country in the recent past, South
Korea has come a long way in making its own mark in the world, especially with
the success of its music industry in recent years. The spread of Korean
television, music, and culture is referred to as the "Hallyu", or
Korean Wave; for the purposes of the research, "Hallyu" will be used
in reference to the spread of K-Pop.
Korean
pop, K-Pop for short, has in recent years become a global fad, captivating
youth all around the world regardless of linguistic differences. K-Pop is an
ever-adapting media movement that has already proven its worth both in numbers
and in bridging borders between citizens across the globe. South Korea has, by
adopting the American ideal of pop culture, created an international pop music
phenomenon that transcends linguistic and cultural barriers.
It is important to examine many aspects of K-Pop,
including economic growth surrounding its birth, cultural influences from
domestic, nearby, and Western sources, cultural transformations that stemmed
from its ever-increasing popularity, how gender plays a role in audience
demographics and marketability, and how international interest, support,
sponsorship, investment, and promotions have fostered the growth of its
industry on a global scale as well as carved the path it will take in the
future.
Furthermore, in order to explore how K-Pop has maintained
its international presence and appeal through mainstream media, it is necessary
to address particularly famous and successful Korean singers and idol groups,
major record labels that sign and manage the most popular groups, and other key
factors in order to truly grasp the extent of its reach. Ultimately, the
research presented will demonstrate why K-Pop has become as valuable as it is,
from its importance to individual fans and to the country of South Korea
itself.
LIMITATIONS
The research was limited by time constraints, project
guidelines, and the inability of the researcher to experience South Korean culture
firsthand. The researcher was encouraged by project guidelines to focus on how
K-Pop appeals to Americans specifically. Therefore, mention of other countries
throughout this study will be scarce. Additionally, as a teenager, the
researcher was unable to travel and experience Korean culture firsthand, and
has relied on personal experience as a K-Pop fan and on general knowledge of
South Korea in addition to the sources cited in the project.
Some limitations in data collection occurred when
collecting surveys. Generalizations created from survey results may not be
accurate due to the possibility of errors or misunderstandings in participant
self-reported behaviors. Additionally, only a small population of teenagers
were polled, so it could be possible that the respondents are not an accurate
reflection of the prevalence of K-Pop.
RESEARCHER BIAS
Another potential limitation is cultural bias on the part
of the researcher. An American living in the melting pot of the world, the
researcher may be limited by interpreting the K-Pop phenomenon in ways that
other countries may not see as true or relevant. The researcher has taken
precautions to avoid a narrow-minded focus by presenting K-Pop exactly as it
is, describing both its positive and negative aspects.
REGIONAL BIAS
While
the research will attempt to focus on how K-Pop has spread internationally,
there will be heavy references to its presence in the United States alone. The research
has included knowledge and sources from other countries in an attempt to stay
true to the topic, but given that the research must be grounded in relevance to
the United States due to project guidelines, it may appear to be imbalanced.
LITERATURE
REVIEW
Benjamin, J. (2012, May 18). The 10 K-pop groups
most likely to break in America. Retrieved November 5, 2014, from
http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/the-10-k-pop-groups-most-likely-to-break-in-america-20120518
The
source discusses the author’s top picks for who could potentially have the most
success in the American music market based upon what made them so vastly
popular in Asia.
Ladner, M. (2013, August 20). K-pop and the future of Korea. Retrieved
October 29, 2014, from
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mimsie-ladner/kpop-korea-music_b_3784115.html
The source discusses the tendency of foreigners to
write-off K-Pop as a generic, repetitive, and “sugary” form of music when it
has proven quite useful in boosting the economy. The author goes on to describe
how K-Pop artists are going on tour around the world. This source has been
useful in providing an excellent argument against taking the potential of K-Pop
for granted.
Matsumoto, J. (2012, May 3). The K-pop explosion.
Retrieved November 5, 2014, from http://www.grammy.com/news/the-k-pop-explosion
The source describes how K-Pop concerts tend to sell out
abroad, and in recent years there is reported to be a drastic increase in the
crowds’ diversity. This source is incredibly important to this project because
it proves that K-Pop is gaining so much popularity that it can overcome
language barriers, as the concerts are not just selling tickets to Korean
speakers.
Min-Soo,
S. (n.d.). Lessons from k-pop's global success. Retrieved October 13, 2014,
from http://www.korea-marketing.com/lessons-from-k-pops-global-success/
An economic analysis by Seo Min-Soo acts as a
counterargument to Oh’s assertion that K-Pop’s international reach detracts
from its originality as Korean. Min-Soo asserts that K-Pop “…challenges
assumptions that ‘Korean culture,’ especially when presented to outsiders, must
always mean ‘traditional culture’”. He goes on to say that Korean markets are
constantly evolving to capture and maintain interests in foreign markets. Min-Soo’s
study has provided graphics and models that break down the processes through
which idols are recruited and trained and how promoters tackle international
markets.
Naidu-Ghelani, R. (2013, January 23). Gangnam
brings fans—and tourism revenue—to Korea. Retrieved October 29, 2014, from
http://www.cnbc.com/id/100399553
The source describes Gangnam Style (arguably the most
internationally sensationalized K-Pop song of all time) and K-Pop, and how they
have contributed to major economic gains in South Korea. This source helps
provide raw data on how important the K-Pop industry can be fiscally.
Oak, J., & Young Woong, P. (2013, August 6).
The root of K-pop: The influences of today's biggest acts. Retrieved November
24, 2014, from
http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/k-town/5638224/the-root-of-k-pop-the-influences-of-todays-biggest-acts
The
source was used to determine the beginnings of K-Pop music and its evolution of
style as it has found its way into mainstream media.
Oh, E. (2011, May 26). K-pop taking over
the world? don't make me laugh. Retrieved October 13, 2014, from
http://travel.cnn.com/seoul/life/tell-me-about-it/k-pop-taking-over-world-dont-make-me-laugh--476482
A CNN article by South Korean-American journalist Esther
Oh makes a powerful statement regarding K-Pop’s international appeal. She
acknowledges that it has been able to spread, but as soon as foreign producers
and artists invest in and take part in the production of K-Pop, it is no longer
truly Korean. The researcher values this article and does not deny that Oh’s
argument has merit. However, the researcher would like to propose that,
regardless of whatever foreign influence K-Pop undergoes, it is still sung in
Korean; it is still a fascinating concept that music in an uncommon language is
even able to get international attention.
Satoh, J. (2014, December 4). J-pop's influence
on K-pop [Personal interview].
The personal interview done with Julie Satoh
helped support the idea that J-Pop influenced the success of K-Pop in the early
stages.
The road to K-pop stardom: Training. (2012,
February 13). Retrieved November 24, 2014, from
http://seoulbeats.com/2012/02/the-road-to-k-pop-stardom-training/
The
source was used to elaborate on K-Pop idol training, its requirements, and its many
controversies.
Tuk, W. (n.d.).The
Korean wave: Who are behind the success of Korean popular culture?(Unpublished master's thesis). Leiden
University.
The source was used to
inspire the initial research. Additionally, it was used in the paper to cite an
example of a very famous K-Pop idol who is not even Korean in order to prove a
point about the internationalism of K-Pop.
METHODOLOGY
The project was supported mainly by research. The
researcher has spent extensive time studying the process of producing K-Pop,
the economic gains Korea has experienced since the industry took off, and data
supporting the international presence of K-Pop.
The information gathered from research was supported by
personal interviews and surveys. The interviewees and respondents were all
students or teachers at Tallwood High School, some K-Pop fans and some not. The
researcher attempted to find a blend of races, ages, and genders to create the
most diverse sample possible. The surveys supported the research in the sense
that K-Pop was not an uncommon term to the American youth.
K-POP THEN AND NOW
K-Pop's
beginnings can be traced back to the early 90s, with the 1992 debut of Seo
Taiji and boys, a rap trio that essentially fathered the K-Pop movement by
combining Western popular culture and music with the Korean language. Current
K-Pop is modeled after their methods for success (Oak, J., & Young Woong,
P.). CJ Entertainment executive vice president Joon Ahn says that, while
ballads were the most popular form of Korean music in the beginning,
"...as the international audience for K-pop has broadened, so has its
stylistic boundaries" (Matsumoto, J.).
Julie
Satoh, Japanese teacher at Tallwood High School, recalls the early days of
Japanese pop (J-Pop for short) and attributes the growth of K-Pop to its
popularity. “Before idols could debut in the Western world, they would come to
Japan,” she says. “They modeled themselves after what would sell in my country;
they had to be beautiful and good dancers. K-Pop today is what we used to see
from J-Pop all the time”. The fact is, without Japan to lead the way K-Pop
would not have had a tried-and-true model upon which to create its popular image.
"Only a few years ago, kids I taught were obsessed with J-Pop. This is the
K-Pop generation" (Satoh, J.).
An
important aspect of K-Pop’s ability to remain current is not only how it
evolves over time, but how flexible it is in the present. Nowadays, many idol
groups have adopted a more modern outlook on music, leaning more towards rap
and dance style songs to maintain relevance to K-Pop’s “tech-savvy fan base”
(Min-Soo) across Asia and the rest of the world. The most internationally
successful groups, such as BIGBANG, 2PM, Super Junior, and Beast all tend to
have a healthy blend of a variety of music styles, from dance to rap to ballad.
That diversity is vital to how K-Pop can communicate and appeal to its fans
through sound alone, especially to those fans who do not speak Korean.
PRODUCTION OF K-POP
There
are many K-Pop record labels in South Korea, but the most widely recognizable
ones are SM, YG, and JYP Entertainment. SM is behind big names like EXO, Super
Junior, and Wonder Girls; YG is behind big names like BIGBANG and 2NE1; and JYP
is behind big names like 2PM and GOT7. There are many famous groups under
lesser known entertainment labels, such as Jellyfish, Starship, and Stardom;
however, these three are the most commonly known.
The
process of producing K-Pop is a long and often controversial one. The typical
K-Pop singer begins training during childhood, usually early adolescence and
the teenage years. Potential trainees are young and impressionable, and they
possess promising qualities such as good looks or the ability to sing or dance.
These potential starlets are not necessarily all Korean, either; 2PM's Nickhun,
for example, is Thai, Chinese, and American (Tuk, W.), and M.I.B's Kangnam is
half Japanese.
Recruits
selected from auditions attend rigorous training at camps run by particular
entertainment labels, a process that can take a decade or more to complete.
These kids and teens are taking a huge risk; if they do not succeed, they would
have thrown away their entire childhood and education for nothing (Cain, G.). That
could be extremely detrimental to a young person who lives in a country that is
known for its emphasis on getting an education and value of academic success.
Euny
Hong, writer for The Paris Review, has offered a very interesting
analysis of K-Pop and how it is now being valued in Korea as an opportunity for
greatness in lieu of an education. She writes, "Most famous rock bands
formed independently...this was never going to happen in Korea. Kids...were
studying--allthe
time—or helping with the family business. Organically formed bands could
experiment with new sounds or improvise or goof off, but Koreans had no such
luxury...a young person who screws up has a hard time getting back on track.
Until recently, when K-pop proved profitable, no Korean would have staked his
future on music".
Those
who succeed are met with contracts at the end of their training period, which
are binding for a period of usually ten to fifteen years. After signing, they
move into company dorms and live there as they prepare for their musical debut
(Ladner, M.). Unlike music in most other parts of the world, getting discovered
in Korea is not mere circumstance; those who wish to succeed must truly give
their all, a sacrifice that many deem cruel and controversial.
SUPPORT IN ASIA
K-Pop
finds much of its initial support in its neighboring country, Japan. According
to recent data, Japan has more K-Pop views on YouTube than Korea does, with
numbers exceeding a staggering four hundred and twenty three million, nearly
double Korea’s YouTube views (Min-Soo, S.). The K-Pop industry has responded in
kind, releasing many songs in both the Korean and Japanese languages. For
example, “Replay” by SHINee has been done in Korean and Japanese. Sometimes,
groups will release albums exclusively in Japanese without doing them in
Korean, such as 2PM’s Genesis of 2PM and
VIXX’s Dark Angels as only two of
many examples. Some K-Pop groups have even become famous in Japan first; for
example, five-member J-Pop group DBSK was very popular in Japan, and when they
split up, they turned into prominent K-Pop groups TVXQ and JYJ.
Likewise,
many groups perform in Korean and Chinese. The most notable example of this is
the very popular group EXO, who has two sub-groups: EXO-K, who sing in Korean,
and EXO-M, who sing in Chinese. When EXO does a project together, they release
their new singles in both languages as well. Famous boy group Super Junior also
has a sub-unit that sings in Chinese, known as Super Junior-M. After all, it was
the Chinese media who first coined the term "hallyu", which is widely
used to describe the swelling of the popularity of Korean media abroad (Tuk,
W.).
In
order to appeal to their neighboring countries, a lot of late-stage training is
in foreign languages particularly Japanese and Chinese. The tendency to be
all-inclusive in Asia has earned K-Pop special attention from not only the
consumers, but sponsors as well; most recently, online Asian retailer YesStyle
“proudly” declared its decision to sponsor K-Pop group Block B on their first
tour in the United States, “Showcase Live in USA” (YesStyle). Corporations like
YesStyle that are not specific to Korea alone are investing in K-Pop as it
ventures abroad, which is an undeniable indicator of its growing popularity and
worth as an advertising partner. This is excellent news for the rapidly growing
industry, and may signal a movement towards further globalization of K-Pop
music.
SUPPORT ABROAD
K-Pop
has garnered a wealth of international support at a surprising rate in foreign
countries, with foreign people, speakers of foreign languages. Christine Ha,
writer for Los Angeles' The Korean Times, claims to have noticed a
thirty percent increase in no-Asian fans at the annual Korean Music festival.
"We noticed [the growth in audience diversity at the Hollywood Bowl shows]
about two or three years ago...it includes the Hispanic community, the Chinese
community [and] other Americans … we always sell out". That is the Korean
Music Festival alone; K-Pop concerts in big cities around the United States are
selling out to non-Asians (Matsumoto, J.), and that is a huge hint that
language barriers are dissolving at a rapid pace.
There
are many groups who have experienced global popularity and are considered to
have a very good chance at becoming immensely popular in America. These groups,
like Girl's Generation, 2NE1, and BIGBANG, are widely adored by American K-Pop
fans and are only expected to increase in popularity as the years go by,
especially because they tend to be very chock full of clean content, making it
marketable to even young children (Benjamin, J.). It is common for these groups
to have at least one member who is fluent in English, either through his or her
upbringing or idol training. For example, Taecyon and Nickhun of 2PM find their
abilities to speak English quite useful. Says Nickhun, “To be able to
communicate with the fans is very important. So if 2PM ever makes a debut in
English-speaking countries, we can connect with the fans better"
(Matsumoto, J.).
FOREIGN MUSIC PRODUCERS
In
recent times, it is not uncommon to see the American and Korean music
industries combining. Jon Matsumoto reports, " Snoop Dogg performed on the
title track of Girls' Generation's 2011 album,The Boys; Kanye West appeared
on JYJ's "Ayyy Girl" in 2010; and the Black Eyed Peas' will.i.am will
reportedly produce the U.S. debut album by K-pop group 2NE1, an all-female
hip-hop group". He also points out that American music artist have been
promoting K-Pop as early as 2009, when Wonder Girls opened for a Jonas Brothers
concert back in 2009 (Matsumoto, J.).
Korean
singer and rapper Kwon Jiyong, better known by his stage name G-Dragon, has
become immensely popular with foreign artists; he has worked with Skrillex,
toured alongside PSY (who has also performed with Snoop Dogg) and Justin
Bieber, and on his most recent album “COUP D’ETAT”, collaborated with DJs Diplo
and Baauer, as well as American singers Missy Elliot, Sky Ferreira, and more.
He is the prime example of the growing faith in the potential of K-Pop idols to
be international superstars.
In
the past few years, K-Pop groups have been focused heavily on going abroad for
their concert tours. With internal support from organizations such as the Korea
Creative Content Organization (Despres, S.), YesStyle, and more, groups like
Block B, VIXX, BIGBANG, and B.A.P have been able to tour across Europe, North
and South America, as well as other Asian countries. Idol groups are able to
anticipate more and more success, even in countries with little to no Korean
populations. This is only more proof that language means nothing in terms of
making K-Pop marketable.
ECONOMY
K-Pop
has not only created a spike in the value of the South Korean entertainment
business; rather, it has had the unexpected effect of boosting the value of the
country’s economy and appeal altogether. K-Pop itself has become one of the
biggest exports, boosting the country’s total exports up to one hundred and
eighty billion, a whopping one hundred and twelve percent increase from 2010
(Ladner, M.). According to the BBC journal, South Korea is presently worth five
billion USD annually (South Korea).
Tourism
has also increased drastically since K-pop’s international emergence, resulting
in increased revenue to the rapidly developing nation. 2012 led to surprising
numbers; tourism revenue was double than that of agricultural exports and
totaled over thirteen billion dollars. Additionally, economist Ronald Man
claims that the impressive growth seen in South Korea could be enough to create
new jobs beginning in 2013 (Naidu-Gheleni, R.). Such gains have undoubtedly
fueled Korea's desire to continue faithfully investing in the K-Pop industry as
its own unique and unmatchable export.
GENDER ROLES IN KOREAN
SOCIETY
There has been a shift in the way male beauty is
perceived in South Korea. As an oriental nation that is patriarchal by
tradition, it makes little sense to outsiders that men in Korea have turned to
wearing make-up and spending more time on their appearance. Americans in the
Western world would consider such habits unique, if not entirely limited, to
women and girls alone.
As it turns out, this trend with men appears to directly
correspond with the rise of K-Pop. While it is true that correlation does not
necessarily determine causation, it is quite likely that K-Pop is in fact
responsible for this shift due to its influence on the Korean ideal of beauty.
Statistics from 2001 report that Korean mean spend just under five hundred
million dollars on skin care and make-up products, and an average of one out of
every ten men uses one or the other. This is attributed to the beautification
of male K-Pop idols, from the way they look in the media to their rise in skin
care and make-up endorsement deals (From macho to make-up: Shifting gender
roles in South Korea).
It is the personal experience of the researcher that this
relaxation of gender traits is one of the things that drive people away from
K-Pop. Many Americans, particularly those in the older generations, find it
uncomfortable, even disturbing. However, with today's teenage population more
socially accepting of new ideals and trends, K-Pop has still managed to anchor
down a loyal crowd.
CONTROVERSY
K-Pop
has a dark side, and it is very heavily criticized. In signing their contracts,
they are consumed by an unbelievably competitive industry. Potential stars are
more or less giving up the right to live as normal people. Many lose the right
to sleep when they want, and the right to enter romantic relationships. Many
attend training lessons in dancing, singing, and acting for long hours, leaving
them incredibly drained of energy (The road to K-pop stardom). Many feel that
it is incredibly inhumane to treat the trainees like slaves, but their plights
are often swept under the rug when fans see what kinds of things they are
capable of accomplishing when new music is released with catchy beats,
glamourous outfits, and slick choreography.
Plastic
surgery is another controversial topic in K-Pop. It is said that plastic
surgery is a must-have when training to debut in Korea. Many idols-in-training,
regardless of gender, will get nose jobs, Botox injections, and eye-lifts
(Cain, G.). The eye-lift surgery itself is arguably the most controversial
surgery of them all, as it involves widening the eyes to make them appear
rounder. Many believe that the eye-lift surgery is an attempt to emulate and
appeal to American and European culture, which is seen by critics to be sick
and despicable.
The
objectification of women is another issue scrutinized in K-Pop. Many allege
that women put in front of the camera are only there to please men, and that
they are forced to undergo surgery, wear makeup, and wear revealing clothing to
please their fans. The researcher would like to argue that, if this is indeed
to be considered a serious problem, it is not only female idols that suffer.
Males are also forces to undergo surgery, wear makeup, and wear revealing clothing,
too. This issue of objectification is a concept rather unique to K-Pop's fan
base in the Western world, as many people seem to feel that men cannot and are
not objectified in the same ways that women are. In K-Pop, the playing field is
entirely level; while it is true that female idols are often shown onscreen in
short shorts and dresses, men are constantly expected to show their abs. There
is an impossible standard of perfection that is held to both genders, and if it
is unfair to women, it is equally unfair to men.
With
the prevalence of surgery and objectifications comes criticism for the way
children and teens react in regards to their perceptions of beauty and body
image. According to The Economist, Korea is the country with the highest
rate of plastic surgery. Additionally, just over forty one percent of Korean
teens have expressed a desire to get plastic surgery to achieve their
ridiculous notions of perfection (Facing the truth: K-pop and plastic surgery).
Critics
also argue that the globalization of K-Pop does not promote Korea or its
culture; rather, it takes something that was Korean and twists it into
something else. CNN writer Ester Oh argues against K-Pop as a global music
force. “Don’t get me wrong,” she writes, “I agree that K-Pop is being listened
to outside of Korea and that it has an international fan base, but the media’s
coverage of hallyu and K-Pop feel-gooderies is ridiculously one-sided”. She
goes on to argue that when Korean artists like BoA and Se7en tried to debut in
America with American producers, they were no longer part of the Korean wave,
as they were not singing in Korean or promoting K-Pop (Oh, E.). The researcher
agrees with this logic to some extent; however, those K-Pop idols, like
G-Dragon, who have found success in America while still singing in Korean, are
what this paper considers the true definition of leading artists in the Korean
wave, as they have found the key to overcoming language barriers. After all, it
is widely believed that K-Pop “…challenges assumptions that ‘Korean culture…
must always mean ‘traditional culture’” (Min-Soo, S.).
LOCAL LINK
A survey was opened at Tallwood High School to attempt to
measure how relevant K-Pop was to its current population. The survey was open
to students of all ages and genders, as well as Global Studies and World
Languages Academy students and regular students. One respondent shared that he
knew of it and appreciated it, although he isn’t a fan. Another participant, a
proud K-Pop fan, shared that she discovered it through exploring Japanese
culture. Yet another said she liked a lot of the music, but knew nothing about
the industry itself. Another, a girl who is half Korean, discovered the genre
abroad while visiting her home country.
Most of the respondents were female and high school
seniors, and everyone who said they were fans of K-Pop were female. Typically,
each respondent was impartial to gender or preferred male groups. The most
common method of initial exposure to K-Pop was through the internet or through
exposure to other Asian cultures.
These results have lead the researcher to some satisfying
conclusions regarding the presence of K-Pop in American pop culture. Most of
the survey’s respondents were already fans of K-Pop, but it must be noted that
not a single participant was ignorant as to what K-Pop is. Every single
respondent could identify that "K-Pop" meant Korean Pop, and they had
all heard at least a few songs. It is the opinion of the researcher that teens
are one of the hardest audiences to please, as they can be picky; the data
obtained through this survey demonstrates that K-Pop has touched more people
than the general public realizes. Even if one does not particularly care to
partake in it, it is incredible enough that something as random as Korean pop
has at least caught their attention.
K-POP CULTURE
K-Pop
has, as an expression of Korea’s unique entertainment culture, garnered the
curiosity and adoration of fans internationally. As the years go on, there will
be a lot of expectations for the industry, and it appears that the K-Pop fan
base is strong enough to support it however it evolves. While many criticize
the industry for quite a number of atrocities as a form of "modern-day
slavery (Hong, E.), it cannot be denied that K-Pop is a music force with an
unprecedented international presence and potential.
As
poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow said, “Music is the universal language of
mankind”; music can communicate just as well, if not better, than language can,
and that is the most important lesson the rise of K-Pop can teach. As this
world spins on, people can reach out to one another despite the lack of a
shared language; in an ever-globalizing society, the blending of cultural lines
is truly spectacular. K-Pop is a cultural and economic revolution that will
continue to rise.
CONCLUSION
K-Pop is an incredibly unique form of entertainment. It
takes time, money, dedication, and sacrifice to make it in such a highly
competitive industry, making it all the more valuable to see the music and
choreography brought to life by the idols who have succeeded in nurturing their
talents. It has brought immense economic gains to South Korea, from the wealth
of the music industry to the increase in tourism from outside admirers. K-Pop
has proven to be a promising investment, and as the years go by it is only
expected to increase in popularity.
K-Pop is more than an
economic success. It demonstrates the power of music itself as an art form, one
that can overcome obstacles like the language barriers that tend to divide us.
The emergence and growth of K-Pop and its fan base across the world is an
incredible indicator of South Korea’s own unique economic and cultural
contribution to the international community. Those who are uninformed about
K-Pop often underestimate its potential, but it has in fact spread across
oceans and national borders, much like American music has.