How Okay-pop took over the world — as advised by one fan who rode the wave : NPR

Minji, Danielle, Hyein, Haerin and Hanni of NewJeans carry out on the Lollapalooza Music Competition in 2023.

Amy Harris/Invision/AP

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Amy Harris/Invision/AP

Minji, Danielle, Hyein, Haerin and Hanni of NewJeans carry out on the Lollapalooza Music Competition in 2023.

Amy Harris/Invision/AP

In a brand new podcast, Vivian Yoon dissects her private stake in Okay-pop, and the way her obscure childhood ardour has developed right into a billion-dollar business.

Who’s she? Yoon is a author, performer and podcast host from Los Angeles.

• Yoon helms Okay-Pop Dreaming, a podcast the place she analyzes the music’s rise to the worldwide stage whereas additionally weaving in parts from her personal life, beginning with rising up alongside the style in L.A.’s Koreatown within the Nineteen Nineties.

What is the large deal? If you have not been swept up within the international sensation of Okay-pop, it is solely a matter of time.

• Whereas the style has been round for many years, the present and hottest iteration of the music is in its fourth era — and is beloved by thousands and thousands throughout the globe.
• Yoon says broadening that enchantment has been a really deliberate transfer.
• “You are seeing this actually clear intention on the a part of these administration and leisure labels, and corporations, to create international-facing teams,” she advised NPR. “So you should have teams with members who usually are not Korean, and that’s completely on function.”

Need extra on popular culture? Hearken to Take into account This discover if we’re presently witnessing the loss of life of film stars.

The unlikely beginnings within the U.S. Should you’re nonetheless sure that you have by no means come throughout Okay-pop earlier than, Yoon thinks there may be a chart-topping earworm from 2012 that you just are accustomed to:

This is what Yoon advised NPR in regards to the Gangnam Model phenom:

Truthfully, it was so complicated. It was such a bizarre time as a result of up till that time, I had by no means heard non-Koreans actually speak about Okay-pop or simply even bear in mind that the music existed.

And swiftly, you have got folks like, “Oppa” and “Gangnam.” These are very Korean phrases. And to see all these common American folks out of the blue singing it and doing the dance, it was very, very shocking and stunning and complicated.

It was actually sophisticated, however that track was actually, actually shocking, too, as a result of it was so culturally particular.

It is all satire and parody about this neighborhood in Seoul referred to as Gangnam. And he is actually parodying the life of the obscenely rich individuals who reside there. So it was additionally actually shocking simply due to how particular the track’s content material was.

And right here is Yoon breaking down the historical past and rhythm that makes Okay-pop distinctly Korean, like a two-beat rhythm referred to as bong-chak:

So the factor that loads of Okay-pop producers say that units Korean pop music aside is bong-chak or bong or the bong issue, bong really feel. That aspect actually comes from this century-old style of Korean music referred to as trot.

One individual describes bong as coming from the Korean blues. And it is rooted in a century of hardship and struggling that the Korean folks endured all through historical past. So, you had the Japanese occupation. Then you definitely had the Korean Battle. And then you definitely had army dictators coming in within the ’80s. And so Korea has had this actually tumultuous and form of tragic historical past.

And that is actually the place this aspect comes from, bong or bong-chak, that provides Okay-pop its distinct taste.

So, the place does an uninitiated Okay-pop stan begin? Yoon says chilling out with the catchy international sensation, NewJeans, is an efficient start line.

What now?

• Yoon says exploring this facet of herself and her tradition has been nothing wanting transformative.
• “Realizing your historical past can result in a sure type of acceptance. And for me, I did not understand I used to be lacking that in my very own life. I did not understand how a lot of these identification points I struggled with rising up had been nonetheless impacting me, till I began diving into the topic of this podcast and actually speaking with these totally different folks and exploring these histories.”
• Okay-pop Dreaming is out now.

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