K-pop

K-pop (Korean: 가요, Gayo) (an abbreviation of Korean pop or Korean popular music) is a musical genre consisting of Pop, dance, electropop, hip hop, rock, and R&B music originating in South Korea.^{[5][6][7][8][9]} In addition to music, K-pop has grown into a popular subculture among teenagers and young adults around the world, resulting in widespread interest in the fashion and style of Korean idol groups and singers.^[10]

Through the presence of Facebook fan pages, availability on iTunes, Twitter profiles, and music videos on YouTube, the ability of K-pop to reach a previously inaccessible audience via the Internet is driving a paradigm shift in the exposure and popularity of the genre^[11] South Korean popular culture is today serving as a major driver of youth culture all across the Pacific Rim, with special reference to mainland China, Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan, Philippines and Vietnam. The genre is currently moving towards a position in the region, similar to that of American music in Europe during the 1980s and 1990s.

History

1920s-1950s: Introduction of Western Music

1960s

1970s

1980s

1990s: Diversification

The debut of Seo Tai-ji & Boys in 1992 was a turning point for popular music in South Korea, incorporating elements of rap rock and techno. Hip hop duos such as Deux were also popular in the early 1990s.

Beginning of Hallyu

The founding of South Korea's largest talent agency, S.M. Entertainment, in 1995 by Korean entrepreneur Lee Soo Man led to the first K-pop girl groups and boy bands.^[12] By the late 1990s, YG Entertainment, DSP Entertainment, and JYP Entertainment had burst onto the scene and were producing talent as quickly as the public could consume it.^[10]

Groups such as, S.E.S., Fin.K.L, H.O.T, Sechs Kies, G.o.d., Fly to the Sky and Shinhwa had huge success in the 1990s, not only in South Korea, but also outside of the country as well. Especially, artists such as H.O.T, Kim Wan-Sun, Clon, Baby V.O.X, NRG saw a huge success in China and Taiwan in the mid-90s.

Also during this period was the emergence of hip hop and R&B music in Korea, leading to the success of artists including Drunken Tiger.

2000s: Popularity in Asia & Globalization

Many of K-pop's biggest idol groups and solo acts, including BoA, TVXQ, Super Junior, SS501, BIGBANG, KARA, Girls' Generation, SHINee, 2PM, BEAST, After School, Brown Eyed Girls, Se7en, IU, Infinite, U-KISS, T-ara, 4minute, Secret, MBLAQ, and 2NE1.^[13] began targeting the Japanese market. The group members conduct interviews and sing in Japanese.^[14]

By 2011, K-Pop has become the mainstream genre in most East and South East Asia, including Japan, Malaysia, Mongolia, the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Taiwan, Singapore, China, Vietnam. ^[15] Through the internet, recently, K-pop started to expand to the rest of the world as well, but it yet has not become well known enough to be mainstream in those countries.

K-pop is steadily gaining influence in foreign markets outside of Asia, however, most notably in the United States ^[16], Canada, and Australia. In 2001, Nicholas Kim became the first Korean singer to place on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart with his single, "Hello Goodbye Hello".^{[17] [18]} In 2009, Wonder Girls, one of Asia’s most successful music artists who sold millions of singles including the international #1 songs “Tell Me”, “So Hot” and “Nobody”, debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. ^[19] In a push to further globalize the genre, K-pop artists are increasingly working with talent outside of Korea. In the United States, Korean artists are touring with groups such as the Jonas Brothers ^[20] and collaborating with well-known producers including Kanye West, Teddy Riley, Diplo, Rodney Jerkins, Ludacris, ^[21] and will.i.am.^[22]

Apprenticeship

Today, apprenticeship is the universal strategy for nurturing girl groups, boy bands, and solo artists in the K-pop industry. To guarantee the high probability of success of new talent, talent agencies fully subsidize and oversee the professional lives and careers of trainees, often spending in excess of $400,000 to train and launch a new artist.^[23] Through this practice of apprenticeship, which often lasts two years or more, trainees hone their voices, learn professional choreography, sculpt and shape their bodies through exercise, and study multiple languages all the while attending school.^[2]

K-pop artists

See also

• Korean music
• South Korean music
• Korean wave
• Contemporary culture of South Korea
• List of South Korean bands
• List of Korea-related topics
• J-pop

References

Bibliography

• Hartong, Jan Laurens (2006). Musical terms worldwide: a companion for the musical explorer. Semar Publishers. ISBN 9788877780904. 
• Holden, Todd Joseph Miles; Scrase, Timothy J. (2006). Medi@sia: global media/tion in and out of context. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 9780415371551. 
• Jung, Sun (2011). Korean masculinities and transcultural consumption: Yonsama, Rain, Oldboy, K-Pop idols. Hong Kong University Press. ISBN 978988802867. 
• Kim, Myung Oak; Jaffe, Sam (2010). The new Korea: an inside look at South Korea's economic rise. AMACOM Div American Mgmt Assn. ISBN 9780814414897.