With his billion views on YouTube, PSY has become a household name. “Gangnam Style” is the first K-Pop song to be played on American radio, and every time it comes on, no one can resist trying out the dance moves.
With the success of “Gangnam Style,” it is possible that many other K-Pop groups will be entering mainstream American radio soon.
K-Pop, or Korean pop music, a mix of bubblegum pop, hip-hop and dance music, has been around since the early 1990s, but with the rise of the Internet it has recently reached American shores.
Freshman Artha Lou DaSilva loves the boy group, BigBang.
“I admire them because they have been through many obstacles, yet they overcame them and are still together,” she said.
Some of the most popular groups are Girls’ Generation (Sonyuh Shidae), whose new song “I Got a Boy” has already reached over 7 million views in the span of just one day on YouTube, and the boy group, Super Junior.
Korean popular culture differs widely from American culture. While in America, fans appreciate a singer or a musician who has “made it” by themselves. It might be even better if the have humble beginnings. In Korea however. These groups, ranging from five to 10 members, have been groomed for stardom since they were very young.
Entertainment industries, such as S.M. Entertainment, hold auditions as where auditioners have to select both singing and dancing acts of popular pop stars. Competing against literally hundreds of people at the age of as young as seven, it is indeed a fierce industry.
These industries do not stop at just auditions. They also have managers and agents who go around not only Korea, but also foreign countries to hold “street” auditions. Both Jessica Jung of Girls’ Generation and Krystal Jung of f(x) were scouted by such agents while living in LA.
Group members, like Daesung from BigBang, have been taught how to dance, sing and respond in interviews. Schedules for trainees include not only vocal and dance lesson but the industries set up simulations where trainees pretend that they are stars and participate in fake variety shows.
Some industries even take it a step further by teaching their trainees introductions and conversation skills in other languages. They also hold weekly check ups to see how much they have improved. This is also a chance for stars to groom their “personal talent.”
Personal talent is key to popularity in Korea. These personal talents can range from imitations of famous celebrities to martial art skills. By showcasing these talents on television, the fans are able to see the personality of their favorite stars.
Although in the states, celebrities are simply on their own to formulate their answers during an interview, K-Pop stars are groomed to recite perfect answers that fit their image and/or their group’s image.
This helps to keep the entertainment industry, for the most part, scandal free. However because of this, the Korean tabloids are absolutely fierce when any kind of slip is made by a star. Because most celebrities are under contract, one slip can lead to possible loss of their job.
The members of these groups are young and they debut around the age of 17-19, but most stars range around 20 years old. The majority of the groups live together in dorms, where they are constantly flocked by fans who leave gifts and messages for the group members.
“Although I don’t like all these K-pop stars, “ DaSilva said, “I have to say I still admire their effort to aim for perfection.”
By: Yumi Miyazaki and Ellie Papadakis