The K-pop Invasion
Recently in western media, we have seen an influx of South Korean Culture from South Korean dramas like Mr. Sunshine and Strong Girl Bong-Soon appearing on Netflix to South Korean performance groups appearing on shows like Ellen, Saturday Night Live, and Good Morning America. K-pop is a subgenre of pop music that originates from South Korea. Although K-pop is a specific subgenre of pop music, it holds a broad variety of music such as hip-hop, pop, rock, classical, EDM, and techno. K-pop first became popular in the United States in 2012 with the growing popularity of PSY’s “Gangnam Style”. Since 2012, K-pop has been steadily increasing in popularity since its third generation; however, there was a spike in its popularity following the introduction of the third generation of K-pop groups.
What makes K-pop what it is?
K-pop, or Korean popular music, is a genre focusing on audio-visual accoutrements. K-pop used to focus more on western culture influences in South Korean music, but as of today, it focuses more on the “idol” aspect. K-pop took the ideas from the most iconic scenes, dances, tempo, and groups, in American music from Hip-hop, pop, and R&B. K-pop has grown out of its original little bubble with the help of the internet. K-pop begun and spread due to the creation of the internet and globalization. With the help of streaming websites like YouTube and social media platforms like Twitter, K-pop has gained millions of followers from countries all over the world. Through video streaming websites and social media, clips of songs, performances, and funny group moments, K-pop is spread to people of all types of people. Music can be understood beyond the boundaries of language. This allows for people who do not speak Korean to enjoy K-pop. K-pop has catchy songs with unique beats that pair with eye-catching choreography that makes you want to dance all performed by the gorgeous, breath-taking idols.
What are K-pop generations?
K-pop is generally divided into five different generations. A new generation starts when there is a significant change in the genre; however, there is a conflict between fans on when generations begin and end. For the purposes of this essay, the five generations idea will be used as it is the most widely accepted. Typically, K-pop fans believe the first generation occurred during the early 1990s to the early 2000s as western culture impacted South Korean music. The first generation contains artists like Shinhwa, BoA, and Sechs Kies. The second generation began in the early 2000s and lasted until the late 2000s as K-pop began to spread outside of South Korea and into Asia. This generation popularized the idea of the “girl group” and the “boy group” in South Korea as the generation prior consisted mostly of solo artists. Examples of groups from this generation are Shinee, Girls Generation, 2NE1, and SISTAR. The third generation is said to have begun sometime around the end of the second and ended prior to 2016, groups including BTS, Twice, and Red Velvet. Third generation artists stepped away from the traditional love songs and party songs to delve into deeper meanings like depression, overcoming challenges, and facing your fears. The third generation of K-pop were the first groups that truly became popular outside of Asia. The fourth and fifth K-pop generations are up in the air, but it is believed to be that the fourth generation began following K-pop’s first wave of popularity in the United States and that we are currently in the fifth generation.
K-pop’s Impact
A “boy” group named Bangtan Sonyeondan, better known as BTS, has been credited to have paved the way for other groups, thus beginning the wave of third, fourth, and fifth generation groups entering western culture. K-pop artists, such as BTS, have inspired millions and have helped their fans through rough times through their lyrics, personalities, choreography, and messages. The messages that are expressed through this form of music and those artists help me get through daily situations. Listening to a preppy up-beat song about love or a heavy-bass song about standing up for yourself and proving your haters wrong provides me with enough peace of mind to get through my daily schedule. This genre and the artists behind it keep me going.
K-pop is a versatile genre that can be viewed in numerous ways as the genre continues past music and the selling of albums unlike much of the traditional pop music genre. Many of the popular groups do not stop their contact with their fans or supporters but continue it through performances, YouTube videos, social media, Vlives, games (similar to the otome games of Japan or rhythm games), signings, and creating other forms of media like cartoons to connect with their fans. For instance, BTS and their label, BigHit, have created cartoon characters called BT21, games where you can become their manager (BTS World), rhythm games formatted to their songs (BTS Superstar), interactive apps where each member can respond to you (Weverse), and much more. The level of interaction between artists and fans is what draws people to the genre. In traditional music genres, the artist does music because it makes them happy as it gives them a way to express themselves, but for K-pop artists it’s different. K-pop artists, also known as Idols, share a special connection to their fans. Idols perform for their fans, they create for their fans, they do everything for their fans, unlike traditional music genres. Fans of the genre and its thousands of artists have a strong connection with each other due to the high levels of interaction with each other.
My Fascination With K-pop and how it all started
In 2015, my hobbies mostly consisted of being a cringey emo preteen, who listened to bands who screamed into a microphone about nobody caring about them and watching anime (Japanese cartoons). My friends at the time and I had bonded over anime as we all watched it regularly. One of them had recommended me to watch a sports anime called Haikyuu and I ended up really liking it. At this time, BTS had just released a song called Dope and fans of both Haikyuu and BTS created an animation of one of the characters dancing the choreography of the song Dope. This was when I was first introduced to the genre. I really liked the song, so I went on YouTube and looked it up. I was really amazed with everything about the video, from the choreography, to the rapping, to the vocals, to the members, to the beat. Basically, as cringey as this sounds, I fell at first sight. I then watched every music video I could from them and fell down a rabbit hole of funny moment videos of the group. At what I thought would stop at watching one group’s performances and videos became a deep dive where I accumulated a liking for about 20 K-pop groups. My love for K-pop, and what some would call an obsession, only grew more over the course of the past four years.
Prior to being introduced to the South Korean genre, I suffered a spout of mental issues. Towards the later half of 2015, I developed bi-polar depression, anxiety, and panic attacks. I am not sure why these issues developed; however, these issues plagued almost every waking moment of my life. I’ve always pictured my mental issues as silhouettes of oddly shaped figures that would shadow over my every move. These silhouettes acted as shackles that would weigh me down, trapping me in the prison of my own mind. Living with these issues hinders my ability to do things outside of the comfort of my room. My anxiety and panic attacks only occurred in social settings, like restaurants where the music was too loud or at school where I was forced to be surrounded by large crowds of people. Anywhere that I had to be surrounded by strangers in a loud environment, my anxiety and panic attacks would follow close behind and attack my mental state. However, when not in the presence of my anxiety, my depression would appear whenever it pleased. Whether I was “sad” or not, depression would settle in. For a while, I had no ideas of how to handle the situation I was, and currently am, in. Then I stumbled upon K-pop. Although it seems silly, K-pop truly helps me relax. Perhaps it’s the beats, messages, or just the warm auras the artists emit; K-pop just radiates a certain energy and dedication that one cannot just help but become a fan. Listening to the music in public has helped my anxiety, panic attacks, and depression calm down significantly. Four years later, I still have these issues, but through the help of K-pop, among other things, I no longer have to suffer as much. These shadowy figures can no longer encage me because K-pop, as silly as it sounds, creates a barrier to protect me.
K-pop’s impact on my life does not just stop at helping with my anxiety, but my social life as well. K-pop acts as a conversation starter. It’s easy for a K-pop fan, also known as a “stan”, to find another due to the easily recognizable merchandise. Most of us have experienced finding someone who has a t-shirt of their favorite band or TV show, knowing that you, and what might be a complete stranger, have the same interests. The same can be said for when K-pop fans recognize merchandise. This realization that someone likes K-pop is what can spark conversations easily and create long-lasting friendships. I have bonded with thousands of people in the past four years over K-pop. K-pop brings fans from all over the world, coming from all different walks of life, together.
My Life in the Age of K-pop
In the past four years, my life has significantly improved. Although there may have been outside influences, K-pop has played a large role in the improvement in my life. K-pop has helped me develop coping mechanisms, how to make long-lasting friendships, and how to love myself. K-pop has taught me many meaningful lessons that I hope to carry with me for the rest of time. K-pop is more than just a genre, it is a community that provides life-long lessons that help you improve yourself and uplift others. With the help of groups like BTS, I have finally learned what it truly means to love myself.
" So, let’s all take one more step. We have learned to love ourselves, so now I urge you to speak yourself.
I would like to ask all of you. What is your name? What excites you and makes your heart beat?
Tell me your story. I want to hear your voice, and I want to hear your conviction. No matter who you are, where you’re from, your skin colour, gender identity: speak yourself.
Find your name, find your voice by speaking yourself.” ― Kim Namjoon
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