Table of Contents

“Kpop”, the Revolution that Changes America

Kpop in Depth

Japanese Pop Culture

Chinese Pop Culture

Similarities can be seen between the two.

Contrasts

In conclusion

“Kpop”, the Revolution that Changes America

Kpop music is popular among Koreans and other non-koreans. Korea was poor before the invasions of Japan and China. The country’s slow development resulted in its becoming a poor nation. Korea’s economic situation was very unstable up until the 1980s. Despite Korea’s poor past, South Korea is now a country with an advanced culture.

Kpop’s 1990 emergence has made music a very popular genre. The three major talent agencies in Korea are SM Entertainment, YG Entertainment, and JYP Entertainment. They quickly overtook the Kpop world. Kpop idol bands have occupied a large portion of Asia’s market since the middle 2000s. Kpop has seen rapid growth since then. It was also named the “Greatest Export from South Korea” (“World Time”) What about the historical statistics? I would like to see the changes. In 2008, Kpop exported 16.5 million dollars. (“Wikipedia”) Kpop is a rapidly growing genre. Other pops, like Japanese and Chinese pop, have been popularized but not as quickly. Kpop was more well-known and promoted than Jpop. Cpop, by contrast, has had little to no impact on the music market. China’s government was against their music being known beyond China. This paper will examine the impact of Kpop music on American society, as Kpop history is slowly changing.

Kpop is an eclectic musical genre. Youtube, a video-sharing website, made Kpop very popular in America. Youtube made Kpop more accessible to people, and this led to more people becoming interested. Many people love what kind of clothing they wear and what choreography they perform. Many students are obsessed with Korean idol groups. In some cases, idol group fans are so obsessed with their idols that they spend a lot of money and time worshipping them.

Many youth were influenced by this music. Kpop was popular among many young fans who would listen to it and attempt to imitate the idols. This obsession led to many people creating fan clubs and dance troupes for idols. Many seek to be like their idols and set unrealistic standards for beauty. The standard of beauty is a problem everywhere. This is a problem in Korea. Korea has a very high standard for beauty. It is not about being skinny or starving, but having beautiful skin. Korea is home to the highest number of plastic surgeons in the world.

People may think idol groups are like prostitutes. But many people don’t understand what it takes for them to become idols. They must be able dance, sing and socialize on many TV shows in order to be “Kpop idols”. Big Bang, the world’s most famous Kpop group, has a monotonous life that is boring and exhausting. Big Bang is the most prominent Kpop group. They have an endless schedule of concerts, TV shows, and advertisements.

Although many people think it is exciting and fun, it can get tiring after a while. Kpop idols must get up at 5 am to practice singing, dancing, performing, and practicing their moves. They often travel to other countries and learn new languages. (“Maryberrlyn”). K-pop’s female group emphasizes the importance of independence for women. Kpop singers have created many songs that emphasize how women don’t need to rely on men for their lives. (“Buzz Feed”).

Kpop is popular for its choreography. Psy, for example, was a Korean artist who created “Gangnam Style”. Although the song’s lyrics were not very well-known, it was known for its catchy beat and dance. His dance was popular because he looked like an invisibility horse riding a invisible horse and was a big, chubby Korean guy. Many TV shows copied Psy’s dance video after hearing the catchy tune. Kpop is popular because of its fresh choreography, which isn’t as “slutty,” as American pop music. American pop music tends to be about power and money. Korean pop, however, expresses different feelings.

Japanese Pop CultureJapanese Pop Culture was also known under the name Jpop. It began in 1970. Japan’s music began in the 1970s. Japanese rock music is often credited with being inspired by the Beatles. Many female idol singers made their debuts in the 1960s. Japanese music sales grew significantly in Japan starting around the mid-1990s. BoA was a Korean-singing artist who lived in Japan. BoA was a Hallyu singer who opened the doors to other Korean performers, which had a positive influence on the future of Korean music.

The birth of anime music began in the 2000s and 2010s. Many of these voice actors were not well-known and were essentially voice actors. AKB48 was a popular idol group. Jpop girl groups were growing in popularity following the Kpop movement of 2010. Jpop can be seen in movies, television shows, and videogames all around the world.

Kingdom Hearts, an American game show that aired worldwide, had a theme song that was performed by a Japanese singer. Jpop has a more similar structure to Kpop, as well as the songs they play. Both are highly technological.

Chinese Pop CultureCpop emerged in the 1970s from Hong Kong and Taiwan. There are many languages in China so there are three genres: Cantopop and Mandopop. They were primarily focused on punk and rock music before the 2000s. However, there have been more idol groups since then. The S.H.E is the most well-known. It was the female Trio. A specific member, Hebe Trian started an Indie-sounds genre that became a new craze in Cpop. Cpop is a much lower-key business than Jpop or Kpop. Cpop was able to hold concerts at certain times, whereas Kpop holds concerts every two or three weeks.

Similarities. There are many similarities in Cpop, Jpop, or Kpop. It began in America and was later influenced by Japanese and Korean music cultures. Asian music culture has been influenced by British bands such as the Beatles. Kpop was the leading Asian music genre by the 1990s. Japan was the next to follow Korea’s footsteps and started idol groups. By the 2000s, these groups were a significant part of American culture.

There are differences Kpop and Jpop were similar, but Cpop was a totally different story. Many Chinese didn’t have the privilege of accessing facebook, youtube or other social media. As a result, they did not fully understand music culture. China also has many languages.

Cpop was lacking in the 1900s through 2000s. They are slowly rising now. Kpop is a much more popular culture. Kpop hosts a weekly gathering of well-known artists who sing together and compete for the title of best Kpop singer. Kpop also has many TV series where the various artists can talk and tell their stories. This TV show allows fans to get to know the artist.

Kpop can be fun and catchy for many. However, many people would find the lyrics to be meaningless and repetitive. Kpop was a major influence on American society, much like American pop music has had on American music. Kpop proved to Americans that there is a new kind of society. Americans learned to embrace new ideas and to be open to experiencing what was happening outside of America.

For example, Americans have enjoyed Korean food after being introduced by Korean friends. Expanding their knowledge of culture and learning about other cultures. It was a great opportunity to learn about Korea and the different types of dances and fashions that it offers. Kpop is Korea’s pop music.