What does k pop mean. K-pop: is Korean culture taking over the world? Idols: "Fake Idols"
What is k-pop?
K-pop (/ keɪ pɔp /, an abbreviation for Korean pop) is a musical genre that originated in South Korea and incorporates elements of Western electropop, hip-hop, dance music and modern rhythm and blues. Originally emerging as a music genre, K-pop has grown into a massive music subculture with millions of young fans around the world.
And if you ask yourself? What will you answer?
You are not going to tell people information from the Internet. You will tell them what you know personally yourself.
K-POP is a genre of music that combines several styles of music.
K-ROP is a separate world that takes us into your imagination.
Every time you listen to k-pop, you may have a flickering thought, like you did not notice it before, or it is good that you still heard this genre.
Can you remember your world before k-pop? You have listened to Russian and American songs. You didn't have a lot of expectations, different theories and fantastic videos. You were just listening. All performers could seem to you of the same type, who copy the style of others. But that's not the case in K-pop.
You can't see the second BigBang, the fifth Super Junior, the twenties of the Girls Generation. Everyone has their own style of songs. Is it okay to listen to just one K-pop group? You have such a wide selection, so why not use it?
Many people know situations such as, someone insults you just because you listen to Koreans. You cannot convince them, and they cannot convince you. What should be done?
Nothing. Should you quit k-pop for someone else's opinion? Do you have to hide what you like, but at the same time embrace a style that you don't like because it is popular? If you did so, then you are ruining your personality.
Personality is a unique gift that every person has. Only you can decide who you will be.
You shouldn't care about someone else's opinion. You are who you are. And you will change when you want and only for your own sake.
Someone says that k-pop is a childish and frivolous genre. But who said you should listen to adult music? Everyone grows, but nobody wants it. If k-pop makes you happier, listen to it as much as you like.
K-POP is a genre that is becoming popular every year. It takes over the whole world.
Maybe we regret not having forced this genre before with 2NE1, f (x), TRAX, Shinhwa, HOT and SES. But we are glad that he is with us right now.
Korea. K-pop dictionary
When faced with the Hallyu Wave, you ask yourself questions: " What is K-pop? Who are key popers?"We will try to systematize some concepts that relate to Hallyu Waves... So, in short, key-operas are those who listen to Korean music, Korean groups, those who are simply addicted to the Korean variety art, the so-called Hallyu wave... Or in more literary language: K-pop is an abbreviation of the English phrase Korean pop - the name of a musical genre that emerged in South Korea, which incorporates elements of Western electropop, hip-hop, dance music and modern rhythm and blues. Originally emerging as a musical genre, K-pop has become a large-scale musical subculture with millions of fans among young people around the world.
Well, and the key-pop is an adherent of the specified style of music. South Korean artist PSY is one example of K-pop idols, and his song "Gangnam Style" became a worldwide hit. We propose to jointly create a complete (as far as possible) Key-Poper dictionary.
Below is, at the moment, a short dictionary:
1. All-kill
Definition: When a K-pop song is # 1 on all music charts at the same time (ichart). Perfect all-kill when the song is kept with the All-kill status for several days.
Use in speech: "Miss A won "All-kill" status with their comeback single".
2. Idol (idol)
Definition: Media persona (singer / band member, actor, model, etc.) with an attractive image. Idols are a separate category of stars and should be a bright, pure ideal and an unattainable object of love for violent fans. Directly and I want to repeat the phrase: " For fans, idols are like stars that shine in the sky, and they cannot be reached by ordinary mortals"(c) MonStar /. Idols are prohibited from dating the opposite sex, which is almost everywhere clearly stipulated in his contract. Therefore, there are frequent" boyfriend scandals "- the publication in the press of exposing the romantic relationship of an idol. Rumors are usually not officially confirmed, so as not to harm the ideal image of idols, but the scandal could be followed by an unexpected departure from the stage.
3. Idols 4D (idol 4D)
Definition: Artists who don't behave like idols are supposed to. They are weirder, more eccentric, and seem to live in their own dimension. What they will soak in the next moment is a secret not only for those around them, but also for themselves! A striking example of 4D personality are: Kim Hyun Joong, Kim Jae Joong, Jang Hyun Seung.
Use in speech: "Jae Joon is always somewhere, you never know where he is now when he is standing next to you!"
4. Akge fans
Definition: Fans of individual members, not the whole group as a whole, that is, they are people who support only one person from the whole group.
Use in speech: "Eric is the best of all Shinhwa members".
5. Bias or Ichiban (in Japanese)
Definition: Your favorite idol or celebrity. Pets can be from different groups, and therefore the ultimate bias prefix is in front of the most beloved.
Use in speech: "G-Dragon is my favorite bias".
6. Bias list
Definition: Favorite idols list.
Use in speech: "In my bias list, the harem is a favorite".
7. Goods
Definition: This is the name for all the attributes with the group's emblem. For example: towels, accessories (bracelets, rings, headphones), clothes, light sticks; it also includes albums, photobooks, autographed photographs. All this beauty can be bought over the Internet from the official website (group) for sale.
8. Drama
Definition: This is a television series. They are among the highest rated programs on Asian TV channels. Despite the same name for all series, dramas are released in various genres - romance, comedy, detective, horror, action, historical, fantasy, etc.
The standard season for dramas is three months. Usually the seasons are clearly distributed by months, in January the winter season begins, in April - the spring season, in July - the summer season, in October - the autumn season. The number of episodes typically ranges from 16 to 24 episodes, but there are exceptions. By the way, only in the Russian-language fandom Korean, Chinese, Taiwanese and Hong Kong, and Japanese TV shows are called dramas, although the word itself came from Japanese television. The most popular dramas in the CIS countries:
- Flowers after berries / (South Korea, 2009);
- Flowers after berries / (Japan)
- Healer /
- City Hunter /
- A.N.JELL: You are beautiful! /
- For you in all color / ( Japan)
- Mars /
- My Favorite /
- Full house /
- Scarlet Hearts /
Well, to be honest, the list is endless! All the dramas in it will be worthy and worthy of attention!
9. Daebak
Definition: A Korean word that conveys surprise or delight.
Use in speech: "Daebak! The performance was amazing!"
10. come back
Definition: Return.
Use in speech: "Kim Hyun Joon makes a comeback from the army".
11.K-poper
Definition: A K-poper is someone who listens to K-pop, is in a South Korean group fandom, and watches Korean dramas. K-popers differ from other people in the manner of their communication, as a rule, K-popers should know at least the words: "aisch", "oppa", "nuna", "kumao", "saranhe" and many other Korean words.
12. Lightstick
Definition: from English LightStick - a luminous stick with the band's logo and in the official color of the fanclub; this attribute (along with personalized towels and plaques) is used at concerts, fan meetings and any events where the artist performs.
13. Leader
Definition: The main member of the group, who was chosen for this post by the agency. He is responsible for the rest of the members, as much as possible to keep track of these fidgets.
14. Manne / Makne
Definition: From Korean 막내 - junior. This is how the elders call the younger ones. For example, Manne EXO is Sehun, because he is the youngest member of the group. Guys often say " 우리막내세훈 / Uri Manne Sehun" ("Our junior member Sehun").
"Lzhe-Maknae"- this is a separate type of babies, as a rule, they are at the end of the age list of the group, but not the youngest. The key factor in such groups is that the maknae is more serious and calmer than most of the elders, and the one who is not far from a real maknae in age behaves like a little fidget (is capricious, turns on the engine and runs like crazy, jokes, makes cute faces) ... They take away the role of cuddles from the real maknae.
Fake maknae is not found in all groups, but in many. Examples of such "nasty": Hyuna / Hyuna, V / V ( Bts), Jero / Xero ( Topp dogg), Yoseob (Highlight).
15. Member
Definition: From the word member - a member of the group. By the way, another curious fact! Within the group, there is such a thing as annual lines, that is, the distribution of idols relative to the year of birth. For example, idols born in 1990 will be called 90 line and everything is the same in other similar lines.
Use in speech: "Taeyang, member of Big Bang".
16. Momjans
Definition: People who became famous for their beautiful bodies.
17. Natisen
Definition: From the English Netizen - a derivative of "internet" - the Internet and "citizen" - a citizen, literally - a citizen of the Internet, the Russian version - a network user. They are also called netizens and cyber citizens. Also, netizens are a whole army with an instant reaction to all the latest news, leaving comments of both positive and negative (most often) character. Regarding the Korean entertainment industry, netizens may also shape some of the future news themselves.
18. Ocean
Definition: This is the lighting effect that fans create at the band's concerts using the official fanclub color light sticks. They simultaneously turn on light sticks and other lighting "devices", as a result, the artist sees a large ocean of light of the same color (the color of the group).
For example: The Yellow Ocean is rightfully considered the largest - at concerts Big bang; Red Ocean - at DBSK concerts; Ocean Blue - at Super Junior concerts; Ocean Pink - at SNSD concerts; Sapphire Ocean - At SHINee concerts and many other oceans.
19. Olchzhan
Definition: From Korean 얼짱 is derived from 얼굴 - face and 짱 - cool, best (slang), and means "best face". This expression is used both on the Internet and in real life. In general, these are people with an attractive appearance, but now this term is used in relation to those who have achieved popularity due to their beauty. For example, before the debut of B.A.R. became famous precisely as an oljan.
20. Pedonuna
Definition: A symbol for female fans interested in group members who are necessarily younger than themselves. Pedonuns are the main engine of K-ROR to the masses, and fans are. No, it's actually simple. For example: if you are 20 years old, and you stick to your collarbones, for example, Zelo from B.A.R. then congratulations, you are a fagot.
21. Subgroup
Definition: Bringing together several members within a core group to act in different directions.
Example: EXO, EXO-K and EXO-M. EXO-K Korea, EXO-M- a subgroup that is promoting in China.
22. Promotion
Definition: The period of promotion of an album / single after its release (release).
23. Bias sheet destroyer BIAS WRECKER
Definition: A man who asks everyone to be his favorites.
24.Sasaeng
Definition: From Korean 사생, fans who stalk and invade a celebrity's privacy. They can also commit selfish and obsessive behaviors that threaten the lives of others.
Use in speech: "I heard that Super Junior had an accident due to crazy sasaeng fans accompanying them home.".
25. Swag
Definition: Swag today means a certain style that rappers often use. For some, it may have a different meaning - "show off" or "show off". In principle, it is logical. After all, the style of clothing that is called swag is window dressing. For constant wear, such clothes, in my opinion, will not work. The usual casual is much more convenient. By the way, ordinary people have been making fun of those who wear swag for a long time, because it looks funny and ridiculous.
26. Selka
Definition: Selfie.
Use in speech: "My girlfriend's phone is just full of selkami".
27. skinship
Definition: An action that can be described as touching. In Korean culture, this is considered normal in platonic relationships where people like to touch, touch other people's hands, cheeks, etc. This also applies to same-sex relationships.
Use in speech: "I think BTS members are addicted to skinning".
28.Sonba (선배), Sonbe-nim or Senpai (in Japanese)
Definition: The address of a younger artist to an older one (in our language "teacher").
29. Staff
Definition: The artist's personal team of assistants includes: makeup artists, stylists, managers, drivers, that is, these are those who always stand behind him.
30. Stan
Definition: A fan who does everything to help the group or performer (votes, watches the video 1502345 times, sends SMS to the Mnet vote, etc.). The Stan are dressed up because their group is the best and must win, and for that they do their best. Went from the song Eminem "Stan", which is sung about an obsessed admirer.
Use in speech: "I confess I'm EXO's Stan".
31. Tonsen or Kohai (in Japanese)
Definition: From Korean 동생 - literally, "little brother". In the case of close friendships, Koreans prefer to refer to each other as family members: younger brother / sister (dongsaeng), older brother (hyung / oppa), older sister (unni / noona). Even if they are strangers to each other.
Use in speech: "Kim Young Ah, the nation's little sister".
32. Trainy
Definition: This is the name given to trainees in music companies who are destined to either become idols in the future or fly out of the company if they do little or poorly. During the internship, future stars are taught everything: vocals, choreography, fashion basics, pop culture history, acting, make-up. And that's not the whole list! Simply put, as a trainee, future idols are constantly working on themselves in order to please us later.
33. Fighting
Definition: Expression of support that means "Hold on", "Good luck".
Use in speech: "Good luck with your exam. Fighting!"
34. funwar
Definition: Community controversy over idol.
Use in speech: "FanVors between these groups are just ridiculous!"
35. Fandom
Definition: Fandom - from the English word fandom, literally, "fanaticism", less often fanbase - a fanbase or community (transliterated fandom is also used) - an informal (usually) subcultural community, whose members are united by a common interest associated with an addiction to a particular artist, film, book , TV series, etc. All celebrities have fan clubs, regardless of the country or the type of artist's activity. Each fanclub is given an official name, often an official color.
Use in speech: "Super Junior's fandom is known as "ELF" which means "Eternal Friends".
36. Funservice
Definition: Celebrity action aimed at delighting fans.
Use in speech: "SHINee members love to show their closeness to fans with fan service".
37. Funcheer
Definition: Words that fans shout during a song in order to support their favorite band (for example, excerpts from the lyrics).
Fanches are very common among Asian fans and can be heard on the band's live performances.
This is how fans express their support for their favorite band, the performer.
38. Fanny
Definition: Russian interpretation of deloulou.
39. Hallyu Wave (한류)
Definition: The Korean Wave, or Hallyu, was coined in China in the mid-1990s by Beijing journalists who were surprised by the rapidly growing popularity of the Korean entertainment industry and Korean culture in China... The Korean wave accounts for a billion (!!!) annual income for South Korea due to the export of culture.
The Korean wave is a reason for national pride for many Koreans, because now they can work in the tourism sector, which thanks to Hull has grown to an incomparable scale (and who of you did not want to go to Seoul?), And only Hollywood actors get more Hallyu stars.
Now Hallyu has captured all Asian countries, Oceania, Europe, Latin America and North America, the Middle East, India (displacing their dancing Bollywood films!) And former post-Soviet countries such as Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Belarus and Russia!
40. EvilMakne
Definition: McNe, secretly (or publicly) bullying his older band members. The main evilmacne of all K-pop are: Kyuhyun from Superjunior who constantly trolls his hyungs, Shinee's Taemin, who mocks his members, and Bigbang's Seungri, who constantly gives the press the secrets of his older comrades. In fact, the list of evilmakne is long, because it is not in vain that it is considered that if you did not pass or troll hyung, then you are a bad maknae!
41. Aegyo
Definition: From Korean 애교 - meaning something cute, pretty, childishly spontaneous and somewhat innocent. This concept describes facial expressions and gestures, in the most general terms, expressing cuteness, good manners and spiritual gentleness. Egyo is used by both girls and boys.
Use in speech: "No wonder everyone loves her, she has so much natural aegyo!"
1. J-Pop, K-Pop, K-Hip-Hop, J-Rock and others
- these are the musical styles in which the artist performs. The first letter means the country, that is, the language in which the artist sings. The word means the style itself.
K - Korea / Korea
J - Japan / Japan
C - China / China(maybe Mondor)
T - Thailand/ Thailand
Pop- pop music
Rock- rock music
Reggae- reggae
Hip-Hop- hip-hop (rap) direction
For example: K-Pop - pop music performed in Korean; J-Rock - Rock music performed in Japanese and beyond.
2. Professional words:
MV / Music Video- a music video, that is, a clip; the clip can be shot on any track of the album / single, it doesn't matter if it's the title song or not.
PV / Promotional Video- the same clip, but this abbreviation is used for the Japanese music scene; PV filmed only for the title track of the album / single, it is with this track that the promotion takes place.
Teaser- a small piece of a clip, lasting from 30 sec. - 1:30 min; is released prior to the release of the video for increased viewer engagement before the main release.
Making- video from the filming process (clip, photo session, film); during the filming of the video, another cameraman films how the filming process went (how many takes, what difficulties the artist experienced and how he took up his free time).
Concept - subject of photography or clip.
Title Track- the title song of the album / single, with which the artist performs during the promotion, it is for this song that the video comes out.
Single- single, includes at least one track, maximum three (main track, additional, instrumental version).
Single Album- a single album, as a rule, includes three tracks (not counting the instrumental versions).
Mini Album- mini-album, mini-album, as a rule, includes up to five tracks (not counting the instrumental versions).
Album- a full-length album, as a rule, includes seven or more tracks (not counting the instrumental versions).
3. Calls within the group:
1. "Dad"- this is the name of the most strictly group member who is demanding of everyone; usually the leader of the group or one of the senior members.
For example: Chorong ( A pink) - leader, Doojoon ( BEAST) - leader, Jiyoon / Jiyoon ( 4Minute) is not a leader.
2. "Mom"- this is the name of the most caring member of the group who cooks, cleans up, helps to tie shoelaces and always worries about the health of the participants; as a rule, if the leader is not "dad", then he / she is the "mom" of the group; the mother can be any member of the group.
For example: Minhyuk ( BTOB) - not a leader, second in seniority; D.O ( EXO TaeHeon ( ZE: A) - not a leader, in the middle of the group's age branch; Jihyun ( 4Minute) - the leader, the oldest.
3. "Dancer", "Dance Machine" - a group member in charge of dancing, a crazy whirligig in a dance studio, someone who dances anytime, anywhere and dances well; often the dancers are trusted to stage the dance; it is he who represents the group at dance battles, which take place as part of shows or concerts.
Vivid examples of densers: Taemin (SHINee), Lay / Lay ( EXO), Hoya / Hoya ( Infinite).
4. "Face of the group" - is considered the most beautiful member of the group (according to the recognition of other members); usually he / she has one of the largest personal fandoms (compared to other members).
For example: Mark / Mark ( GOT7), Naeun ( A pink), Jin / Jin ( Bts).
5. "Happy", "Happiness Virus", "Vitaminka" - this is the name of the most positive member of the group, who constantly smiles, whose eyes shine and he charges everyone with a good mood.
For example: Eunji ( A pink), Chanyeol ( EXO).
6. "Diva"- that's what they call a handsome, slender, a bit cutesy guy in men's groups. Likes to pose for a photo, making a real diva out of herself; may throw tantrums; notable for its love of eyeliner.
For example: Baekhyun ( EXO), Sanchez ( Phantom), Ki /
Korea. Ulzzang subculture
Who are Olchzhan (English - " ulzzan", cor. 얼짱 )?
Many lovers of Asian culture know who and what is Olchzhan but few people know where they came from.
Back in 2000, a wave of a terrible disease swept across South Korea - skin cancer. All this was due to the fashion for tanning, which came from the West. Of course, not everyone sunbathed, adhering to the old traditions of whitish skin. But the government needed to do something about this fact. The solution to this problem was the appeal of all residents of the country to abandon tanning. Companies joined in by promoting white skin by making money from whitening creams. Soon, photos of teenagers with white skin and pretty faces began to appear on the Internet - their faces were called perfect, and soon it became a kind of Internet slang and sounded like olzhang.
Presently olzhang Is a subculture that arose on the basis of the stylistic movement in South Korea and went out into the world from the Internet, where boys and girls with cute faces posted their photos, of which there could be more than 1000 pieces, and kept their blogs. Fashion in this direction gained its greatest popularity in 2005 in the wake of the photography competition " Beat popularity on the internet"in" Cyworld "(Korean social network), where users voted for the most stylish photos. olzhang appeared in Korea, then spread to China and Japan. And now this fashion has captured the whole of Asia.
From Korean slang (짱 - jjang) means "best" or best face, which means "best face" or "handsome". As a result, in ordinary life, as a rule olzhang these are those who have an attractive face and appearance.
The main criteria olzhang are:
1. Large and expressive eyes, a small nose with a high bridge and plump lips. In pursuit of beauty, Korean boys and girls use all kinds of means. In order to make the eyes appear large, special lenses are used that increase the pupil, make-up and, in extreme cases, plastic surgery to increase the incision of the eyes. By the way, this is one of the most popular operations in Korea... And the procedure for changing the shape of the nose does not lag behind this procedure in popularity. Asians tend to have a wide nose and therefore olzhang want to have a small, neat and thin nose.
2 ... Cute baby face - which is the main criterion of appearance olzhang... It takes a lot of money, time and effort to create the perfect clean and childish face, bringing it to the look of a porcelain doll. It is also desirable to have a white complexion. White skin is certainly not the main criterion. olzhang, it's just that she's been in vogue for a long time Korea and served as the beginning of the formation of this direction.
3 ... Beautiful and well-groomed hair. Stylish hairstyles. Many people also use wigs for their look.
4 ... A slender figure is also a characteristic feature of beautiful olzhang... It is not necessary to be very thin, it is enough to just have a slender figure. The main thing is not to overdo it in achieving beauty and not to take dangerous critical measures. If there are small problems. then they can always be hidden with the right clothes.
5. Fashion olzhang- unlike many subcultures in olzhang there is no strict dress code. Fashion olzhang ahead of the European one by several years. And then, after a certain period, the things that were once popular with olzhang are becoming popular all over the world. In the wardrobe of every fashionista there are long and short skirts, cute blouses and T-shirts, a lot of jewelry and all kinds of hair clips, and jewelry with spikes. Style olzhang soft, feminine and vanilla. Sexual olzhang almost never happens, they would rather show their legs in short skirts than bare the neckline. They all prefer aegyo style, that is, cute, cute style. Primary colors olzhang soft, muffled, delicate and somewhere they send us to vintage. Also, clothes can have a lot of frills, ruffles and bows. Olchzhan not necessarily buying a bunch of branded clothes, it can be very simple things. And many even sew clothes themselves. And what's more interesting ... There are two " zhang"-categories:
1 . olzhang/ 얼짱: A pretty face plays the lead. 얼굴 (olgul) is translated from Korean as "face".
Korean pop music, or K-pop , this is already an international phenomenon, considering that her fans can now be found not only in South Korea, but also in other countries, mainly in Asia. In the wake of the Japanese wave of J-pop, Korean youth culture has boomed in China, Taiwan, Southeast Asia and even Japan itself. It happened relatively recently, but the path to popularizing Korean pop music was long and has a history of half a century.
Concerts were held at American bases where Korean musicians could earn extra money, and it so happened that it was from the stage of the US 8th Army that famous bands emerged that served as the beginning of South Korean rock music.
One of the first and most famous stars of those years to this day is Patty Kim (real name Kim Hye Ja), who made her debut in front of American soldiers in 1959. In her career - performances in Japan, New York and, according to some rumors, fame about her swept even in North Korea.
Thanks to the song "Girl from Seoul" (서울의 아가씨 ) fame came to the trio "Sisters Lee" ( Lee sisters ), whose name was invented after the "Kim Sisters" who performed Korean folk songs in variety show style. So, "Sisters Lee":
Rock music in South Korea began to appear virtually simultaneously with the rise of the Beatles in the UK, again thanks to AFKN radio. Overseas music quickly gained popularity among Koreans, and they began to try to form their own groups, so rock music became known in Korea as "group sound". Rock bands performed in front of the US military at bases in Yongsan, Gunsan, Pyeongtaek, Munsan. Having gained experience, then they already entered the national stage.
The birth of Korean rock is called the debut in 1964 of the group "Add 4", formed by musician Shin Chung Hyun, who has never parted with a guitar throughout his life. His blues "Woman in the Rain" (빗속의 여인 ) then took first place in popularity, and it is still sung by different performers.
Simultaneously with Add 4, the Key Boys team appeared키 보이스 , which in 1963 on one of the stages of the 8th US Army was created by five guys. These are Yoon Han Gi, Kim Hong Thak, Ok Son Bin, Cha Do Kyun and Cha Jun Nak (윤항기 , 김홍탁, 옥성빈, 차도균, 차중락 ). Two years later, they released the first album of songs by composer Kim Young-kwang (김영광 ), but did not last long in this composition. After two of them left for another group, the previous lineup broke up and a new one was formed while maintaining the previous name "Key Boys".
Sisters Bae In Sung and Bae In Suk in the Pearl Sisters duet(펄 시스터즈) were unsurpassed stars, unlike others who ascended not from the stage of the 8th US Army, but from the screens of television that was just born in the country.
In the late 60s, they gained popularity thanks to the Show Show Show! TVS channel. The Pe sisters were perfectly distinguished not only by their musical qualities and voices, but also by their pretty faces, beautiful figures and lively plasticity. The song "Nima", which was composed by the aforementioned Add 4 musician Shin Joon Hyun, debuted in either 1968 or 1969.
Later, Bae In Sung married a South Korean oligarch, her sister Bae In Suk performed solo concerts for some time, and then married an American Korean and left the country.
Singer Kim Jung Mi (김정미 ) in the 70s had the same gloss and manners as Western stars during the heyday of the hippie.
In 1976 in Seoul, under the leadership of bassist and singer Ku Chang Mo, the Black Tetra-3 group was formed, which, in my opinion, was a kind of Korean version of the group. Animals ".
Songolme (송골매 ) http://www.songolmae.co.kr/, which means "Falcon", has become a rock group that has become famous in South Korea since the early 80s. It was formed in 1978 with drummer Bae Chol Soo, and then Ku Chang Mo joined the group. The group ceased operations in 1991.
By the way, Ku Chang Mo successfully performed solo in the 80s, thanks to melodic songs and a pleasant, naturally flowing voice.
Cho Young Phil (조용필) became a very bright and unique, in my opinion, phenomenon in Korean pop music - website (http://www.choyongpil.com/web/ . He was born in 1950 in Hwaseong. He began his career in 1969 with the country group Atkins (애트 킨즈), then there were other groups until Cho Yong Phil began performing under his own name in the 1980s. His songs, familiar from a husky, slightly sad voice, were sung by both "fathers" and "children", that is, people of different generations, they were known and loved by residents of the country of different classes, regardless of their position in society, whether presidents or peasants ...
In 2005, on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of Korea's liberation from Japanese rule, he performed in Pyongyang in the wake of cultural exchanges between the two Korean states with a two-hour concert. The folk song "Arirang" performed by him made a splash among the North Korean audience - tears welling up in their eyes:
Among the stars of the 80s, the comic group "Sobancha" (소방차) - "Fire Truck" did not leave the television screens of South Korea. Three guys in funny banana pants danced and sang at the same time, opposing the seriousness of the former South Korean musicians.
Singer Kim Wan Sung (김완선 ) has always been coveted on TV charts in South Korea in the late 1980s. An effective appearance, a high-pitched, slightly breaking voice, and colorfully choreographed performances made Kim Wan Sung a bright star of South Korean pop music, although ridicule about her intelligence sometimes slipped on TV screens against the singer. One of the most famous songs then was the hit "In the rhythm of the dance" (리듬속의 그 춤을 ):
Kim Wan Sung then began to appear on Taiwanese television cooking Korean national dishes and, by the way, demonstrated excellent knowledge of the Chinese language. Here's another song:
In 1988, the Olympic Games were held in Seoul and the main song of the host country was "Hand in Hand" ( Hand in hand ) performed by the group Koreana which was created back in 1962 and sang in Korean and English.
Songs from the 80s in South Korea were very pop, but melodic, varied and catchy. So, I still remember the "Ballad of Memory" performed by Jang Hye Ri:
In the 90s, the South Korean pop bubble fell under the influence of rap and hip-hop, and many new young bands emerged looking for new forms of music. There were a myriad of projects, but the group "So Tae Ji and Children" (서태지와 아이들), whose English name was: Seo Taiji and Boys. It was headed by a musician born in 1972, whose real name is Jung Hyun Chul. He adopted his pseudonym Seo Tae Ji when he was in the metal band Sonavi. With its breakup in 1991, he formed a musical and choreographic group Seo Tae Ji and the Children, which has gained immense popularity:
In the new millennium, Korean pop music has boldly stepped into the world with the emergence of personalities such as Kwon Bo Ah, who is widely known under the pseudonym BoA (in addition to the name, it is also an abbreviation for Beat of angel ). Fluent in English and Japanese, she has performed in the US and competed with J-pop stars in Japan.
South Korean music is becoming brighter, livelier, and it is not at all like the one with which it all began. But this is the essence of evolution. You can ask what is Korean left in it. The answer is simple - Koreans perform it with all their inherent emotionality, sincerity and full dedication.
KPop or K-Pop is an acronym that stands for Korean Pop Music. It can be used for all popular music in Korea, but is often used to describe a specific genre that has dominated the Korean music market for the past 20 years. This genre includes elements of Western pop, dance, electronics, R&B and hip-hop.
Mini story
Like many South Asian countries, the area of today's South Korea has undergone a number of foreign influences that have led to the development of its own popular music market. During the Japanese occupation (1910-1945), local and foreign composers created a mixture of traditional Korean music and the Gospel that is still popular today and is known as trot.
The end of Japan's brutal colonial rule heralded the emergence of Westernization. Western music began to be broadcast on the radio, and clubs appeared in various places that played this style of music to please the American soldiers who were still in South Korea. It was at this time that not only the Korean public, but also domestic musicians became interested in various genres of Western music.
South Korea's own music industry began to flourish in the 1960s. At that time, the first labels began to appear, the first singles were released, and talent contests were organized. The 70s were marked by the time of hippie folk pop
and the emergence of a DJ culture. The 80s are known as the "era of ballads".
Korean pop music in the 90s
What we know as K-Pop today is a phenomenon of the 1990s. Back then, new music groups created cutting edge, catchy songs with lyrics that touched the day-to-day problems of Korean society. This is how the path to modern sound was paved. In the mid to late 90s, many of the music labels that dominate the market today were founded. At the same time, the underground music movements of hip-hop and rock began to become more successful and popular.
XXI century: the beginning of the Hallyu wave
The beginning of the 21st century marked the beginning of the global Korean wave. Over the past 15 years, interest in Korean culture, especially in entertainment products such as Korean TV dramas and Korean pop music, has skyrocketed.
K-Pop groups and their hits
The phenomenon of Korean pop music known as K-Pop has taken over the world. Let's take a look at the biggest representatives of this style.
Perhaps the most famous K-Pop song is Gangnam Style, which was a global hit performed by Korean rapper Psy. The song and accompanying video, which included a distinctive dance, went viral, spreading Korean pop music to a wider audience. By the end of 2012, the song had topped the charts in over 30 countries and had a huge social and cultural impact. Even then US President Barack Obama was seen performing the dance!
One of the shining big K-Pop stars is G Dragon, who touches on deep and complex themes like self-destruction and narcissism in his songs. In 2016, Forbes named him the most influential person under 30 in Asia. He was originally a member of the Big Bang group, and since 2009 he began performing as a solo artist. Since then, he has released quite a few singles and albums.
K-Pop isn't just about solo artists! So, a group of nine girls called Twice released a video for the song Cheer Up, gaining more than 195 million views on YouTube.
Girls Generation is a group of eight girls. The concept of their music is to balance sweetness and sexuality. The group debuted in 2007 and have already released nine studio albums.
Boy bands
Of course, K-Pop songs aren't just sung by girls. For example, EXO is a nine-member group. They debuted in 2012, having released four studio albums since then. In 2017, they shot a music video for the song Ko Ko Bop.
One of the most influential K-Pop groups is BTS. At the moment, they are rightfully considered the legends of Korean pop music. They became the first Korean artist to debut a song on the Billboard chart. They were also honored to appear on American television during the AMA. They debuted in 2013, released four studio albums and sold nearly 10 million singles.
One of the most recent K-Pop news is that BTS is expected to return with a new album on May 18, 2018. In addition, they will perform again at the BBMA American Music Awards on May 20, which will maintain their status as true legends of the Korean pop music industry. Their breakthrough into the global music scene shows that K-Pop isn't just for Korea.
How do you become K-Pop stars?
There are three things that make K-Pop so prominent and unique in the realm of pop music: exceptional workmanship (especially dance), extremely polished aesthetics, and home-made studio production. However, the pop industry within the country is highly competitive. From 10-12 years old, children begin to attend music auditions, special schools where they learn to sing and dance. The behavior of children is also polished there: they are prepared for the life of a pop star. From a young age, children spend hours in daily rehearsals, take part in weekend music shows, and special group performances. Through these performances, kids can gather a certain fan base before they debut as official pop stars.
After the idol - which is what the stars are called in Korea - is perfected, the label starts to deal with him: recording the album, going to TV shows and touring.
What is not visible
The K-Pop industry is known to be exploitative. The life of idols is grueling to the point of being like slavery. Performers regularly sign long-term contracts known as "slave contracts." These contracts are so strict that sometimes they spell out the behavior that the pop star must adhere to. Artists are prohibited from having any privacy.
In recent years, increased public awareness of these issues has led to changes. So, in 2017, several studios agreed to significant contract reform. However, as the recent suicide of Shinee artist Kim Jong-hyun shows, the pressure on the performers is carefully hidden.
Fan base
The Korean pop army is not limited to Asia. In fact, fans are the backbone of K-Pop's success. So, this style of music is extremely popular in the CIS. For example, there is a K-pop Stock group on the VKontakte social network. A huge number of fans of musicians from Korea gathered here. Fans are actively supporting their favorites. There is also a site k-pop.ru, which has a function identical to the above group.
Modern K-Pop seems to be a seamless, gorgeous, perfectly working machine, complete with a few glaring contradictions that make it all the more fun. Yes, Korean pop music is a collection of striking contradictions.
None of this is accidental. K-Pop is the international face of South Korea thanks to an extremely orderly, coordinated production system. More than any other music industry, K-Pop is strategically designed. It seems to be designed to work its way into your brain, thus raising South Korea and its culture on the world stage.
Through a combination of global political change, media work, fan support, and a huge number of talented performers who have gone through a difficult school of musical life, we are able to enjoy the true phenomenon of Korean pop.