K-Pop is definitely a distinct genre from Western music, but it’s not exactly Korean music either. Obviously, K-Pop is created in Korea, but it’s not like there’s anything unique about it. It may not sound like mainstream Western music (meaning American music), but Western producers write many K-Pop songs. SM Entertainment in particular makes use of […]
https://kultscene.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Is-Kpop-Korean-.png5001500Tamar Hermanhttps://kultscene.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/KULTSCENE-LOGO-2018-TRANSPARENT-RED.pngTamar Herman2014-05-23 16:55:392014-07-03 02:38:37K-Pop: Korean Music or Music From Korea?
Following last year’s success with Ringa Linga, YG Entertainment announced early last week Taeyang’s upcoming comeback Rise, which comes out on June 2nd. And while the suspense for the beat, lyrics, music video, and choreography builds among fans, I’m left wondering about the overall style concept… Taeyang has had a few changes in fashion as a solo […]
https://kultscene.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/taeyang-style-evolution.png6201000Alexis Hodoyan-Gastelumhttps://kultscene.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/KULTSCENE-LOGO-2018-TRANSPARENT-RED.pngAlexis Hodoyan-Gastelum2014-05-23 11:41:552014-07-03 02:38:56Taeyang’s Music Video Style Evolution: Real or Fake?
K-Pop is definitely a distinct genre from Western music, but it’s not exactly Korean music either. Obviously, K-Pop is created in Korea, but it’s not like there’s anything unique about it. It may not sound like mainstream Western music (meaning American music), but Western producers write many K-Pop songs. SM Entertainment in particular makes use of […]
https://kultscene.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Is-Kpop-Korean-.png5001500Tamar Hermanhttps://kultscene.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/KULTSCENE-LOGO-2018-TRANSPARENT-RED.pngTamar Herman2014-05-23 16:55:392014-07-03 02:38:37K-Pop: Korean Music or Music From Korea?
Following last year’s success with Ringa Linga, YG Entertainment announced early last week Taeyang’s upcoming comeback Rise, which comes out on June 2nd. And while the suspense for the beat, lyrics, music video, and choreography builds among fans, I’m left wondering about the overall style concept… Taeyang has had a few changes in fashion as a solo […]
https://kultscene.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/taeyang-style-evolution.png6201000Alexis Hodoyan-Gastelumhttps://kultscene.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/KULTSCENE-LOGO-2018-TRANSPARENT-RED.pngAlexis Hodoyan-Gastelum2014-05-23 11:41:552014-07-03 02:38:56Taeyang’s Music Video Style Evolution: Real or Fake?
K-Pop is definitely a distinct genre from Western music, but it’s not exactly Korean music either.
Obviously, K-Pop is created in Korea, but it’s not like there’s anything unique about it. It may not sound like mainstream Western music (meaning American music), but Western producers write many K-Pop songs. SM Entertainment in particular makes use of Western producers. There are even trial versions of Girls’ Generation and f(x) songs recorded by Ke$ha and Ariana Grande:
Most K-Pop songs incorporate lyrics in English or some other language. Numerous songs have English titles rather than the Korean ones, which new fans often get confused by, so why does Korean music have English titles?
Mostly because K-Pop is now an international phenomenon, and while everyone may not be able to read Korean writing, just about everyone can read English. Another reason is because Koreans think that if someone speaks English they’re more educated and successful.
There are also K-Pop idols who aren’t Korean, and K-Pop groups that primarily promote in China or Japan, and yet those songs are still called K-Pop.
That’s not to say that every K-Pop song is created by foreign producers or even contains lyrics in another language, but the sound of most K-Pop songs don’t sound remotely Korean. There is a very distinct sound to traditional Korean music, but that is typically lost in K-Pop.
Anytime a K-Pop singer attempts to sing traditional Korean or trot songs, it’s almost like the singer must be joking. Only a few idols have attempted to incorporate traditional Korean elements into their songs, like Super Junior-T, a Super Junior subgroup where the members sang trot songs, and ToppDogg’s song Arario, which incorporated Korean pansori music.
Moreover, the real reason why I question whether K-Pop is truly Korean is because it doesn’t really appeal to the average Korean. K-Pop is aimed at teenagers and young adults, and is very popular abroad, but most Koreans don’t care about it half as much as international audiences do. Some K-Pop songs do become popular, because they’re catchy, but not because they are K-Pop songs.
The most popular songs in Korea are actually typically indie songs, like Busker Busker’s Cherry Blossom Ending, Junggigo X SoYou’s Some, etc. Coffee shop songs have a unique genre in Korea, and are generally more popular than K-Pop, since the calming style suits more people’s listening palate.
Urban Zakapa, Nell, and even IU are generally better accepted in Korea than K-Pop idols, since they’re generally considered to be unartistic pawns of entertainment companies. Also, calmer sounding songs are more attractive to older listeners. This is why Akdong Musicians, AKMU, is also increasingly popular in Korea. Although AKMU is run by an idol company, YG Entertainment, the duo doesn’t sound like typical idol acts.
Now, that’s not to say that Koreans aren’t proud of K-Pop and don’t listen to it –I have many Korean friends who like EXO, BIGBANG, Girls’ Generation, etc. But there’s very little in most K-Pop songs that appeal to Koreans because it doesn’t evoke Korean values and culture.
What do you think? Is K-Pop Korean or just music in Korean? Don’t forget to subscribe to the site and follow us on Facebook,Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, and Bloglovin’ so you can keep up with all our posts.
https://kultscene.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Is-Kpop-Korean-.png5001500Tamar Hermanhttps://kultscene.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/KULTSCENE-LOGO-2018-TRANSPARENT-RED.pngTamar Herman2014-05-23 16:55:392014-07-03 02:38:37K-Pop: Korean Music or Music From Korea?
Following last year’s success with Ringa Linga, YG Entertainment announced early last week Taeyang’s upcoming comeback Rise, which comes out on June 2nd. And while the suspense for the beat, lyrics, music video, and choreography builds among fans, I’m left wondering about the overall styleconcept…
Taeyang has had a few changes in fashion as a solo artist and within the group, but it’s safe to say that, up until BIGBANG’s Alive, the R&B influence in his style was there: from the snap backs to the baggy jeans to the fedoras. But then he made a major turn with Monster, which back then, I thought was just due to the music video’s plot line. Ringa Linga proved that this trendier version of Taeyang was staying. And while fans (me included) loved it and everyone received it well, including the media, it was hard not to notice G-Dragon’s staple all over it. This made me wonder, is Taeyang maturing as an artist or is he allowing his fellow BIGBANG member or YG Entertainment to craft him into a brand name similar to G-Dragon? Let’s take a detailed look at his solo concepts over the years:
His first mini album Hot was released in 2008. His singles were Prayer and Only Look at Me, written and produced by Teddy. The R&B track displayed Taeyang in the music video shirtless, in jeans, diamond earrings, snapback cocked to the side –very à la Usher.
Then came his first full-length album Solar in 2010, also R&B, where he delivered hits like I Need a Girl, Where U At?, Wedding Dress, and I’ll Be There. Most of the aforementioned songs were produced by Teddy again, while I Need a Girl was not only co-written by G-Dragon but he also appeared in the music video and featured on the song. In this music video, we see a more sartorial look to Taeyang with the R&B-Soul flow. Wedding Dress has a good balance of casual and formal (I mean, he is at a wedding after all).
The last sighting of the Usher-esque Taeyang was probably in BIGBANG’S Fantastic Baby, where we saw him incorporate more color and vividness to his attire. It was then definitely gone by Monster. But I digress; I won’t reference BIGBANG’s concepts and genre too much since that’s a whole different thing.
Monster marked the pivotal moment where Taeyang switched styles, going from soulful R&B to electronic glam Hip Hop –or G-Dragon-fied. Yes, by Ringa Linga, his influence was apparent and probably due to G-Dragon himself producing and writing the song. The BIGBANG leader also had a few cameos in the music video.
Ringa Linga mixes EDM with Hip Hop and loses track of the R&B influence he previously had, musically and fashion-wise. On his behalf, it came at a time where R&B lost its popularity of the 2000’s and Hip Hop resurfaced in mainstream music. The only traces of the Usher-esque Taeyang are the vocals and dance moves –but even that became stronger and focused more on the choreography itself as an art than being sex on a stick.
Furthermore, both guys collaborated and created the TY & GD for the Stampd collection that included a series of shirts, snapbacks, and sweatshirts they sported on the video. They also wore pieces by Rick Owens and Givenchy to create a ghetto gothic look.
Rise will mark Taeyang’s third solo project, so what can we expect? I believe it will probably be the same ghetto gothic concept with some sort of twist. Maybe adding more trap like in CL’s solo MTBD. And, while I completely dig this look and sound since I am a fan, I have to wonder about the authenticity of it all.
Sure, K-Pop idols are known to be plastic figurines put on stage by the companies that manufactured them. But YG Entertainment artists are equally known for having creative freedom –or more so than most. Taeyang must have some say in his solo projects, right? After all, he did compose and co-write Solar, Wedding Dress, and Where U At and wrote the lyrics for Take it Slow on his own from the Solar album. Ringa Linga, on the other hand and as mentioned before, was written and produced by G-Dragon and another producer.
As I said previously, I’m a fan of this ghetto gothic plus the Hip Hop/EDM concept Taeyang has embarked with, but I would love it even more if it came from his own creativity and being inspired by G-Dragon or other artists, rather than recreating what people in control tell him to. Maybe Taeyang has matured into a trendier, more playful style. Or maybe YG noticed that G-Dragon’s Coup d’état and One of a Kind were well received around the world and want to cash in on Taeyang as well. I guess we’ll have to wait until June 2nd to see what Taeyang, G-Dragon, Teddy, Choice37, and/or anyone else working for YG have in store for us. I know I’m eager to find out.
What do you think of Taeyang’s style, is it fabricated by someone at YG or authentically his own? Don’t forget to subscribe to the site and follow us on Facebook,Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, and Bloglovin’ so you can keep up with all our posts.
https://kultscene.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/taeyang-style-evolution.png6201000Alexis Hodoyan-Gastelumhttps://kultscene.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/KULTSCENE-LOGO-2018-TRANSPARENT-RED.pngAlexis Hodoyan-Gastelum2014-05-23 11:41:552014-07-03 02:38:56Taeyang’s Music Video Style Evolution: Real or Fake?
