K-pop or how Korean youth live. K-pop: Korean culture taking over the world? What is ror

Everyone has probably heard or seen the word “K-ror” at least once, but what does it mean?

Organization and management

Popularity and influence

Having attended many different concerts, I was amazed by Korean pop music. The staging, choreography and performance were amazing, but more importantly, I felt the soul of the music. Korean music has a bright future. Quincy Jones in an interview with a Korean magazine.

Japan is the largest consumer of Korean pop music, with the genre accounting for 7.81% of its music market and growing. In 2011, sales of Korean artists' products in the country exceeded $300 million, up 22% year-on-year, despite an overall decline in sales in the Japanese music market.

More and more American performers agree to work with Korean ones, among them are: famous musicians like Kanye West and the Jonas Brothers. In addition, Korean pop music has been positively reviewed by such famous music producers like Quincy Jones, Teddy Riley, and Grammy-winning producer Alicia Keys.

Since 2011, Billboard magazine began publishing the K-pop Hot 100 (Billboard Korea K-pop Hot 100), and YouTube, at a meeting with the President of South Korea, announced the opening of a special channel at “youtube.com/KPOP.” The New York Korean pop festival attracted more than 40,000 visitors, and the French concerts were sold out with 14,000 people. Korean singer Rain topped Time magazine's list of the 100 most influential people of 2011, and CNN named K-pop as the third reason to visit Korea. Big Bang made it to the top 10 on iTunes, SHINee became the first Korean group to hold a concert in London, while others korean groups began to appear frequently in the tops of German MTV. Wonder Girls became the first Korean pop group to top the Billboard Hot 100.

Analysts attribute the success of the Korean pop industry to the fact that its marketing model differs from world practice. First of all, this is a developed system of fan clubs, themed establishments and services for fans, as well as the active participation of idols in communicating with fans through social networks. This was also facilitated by active support and distribution of products and information via the Internet through social networks, portals and video resources.

The main channel for the dissemination of Korean culture in Russia is youth associations of fans of musical groups, films and other cultural products of South Korea. Just as in their time it was the young people who contributed to the assimilation of advanced youth trends in Western society, so today’s youth are the conductor of current cultural trends eastern countries. Before we begin to analyze the reasons for the growing popularity and methods of spreading modern korean pop culture, we will give definitions of youth subcultural activity. According to British sociologist Dick Habdige, subcultures attract people with similar tastes who are not satisfied with generally accepted standards and values ​​[see: 36, p. 15].

Dissatisfaction with existing norms and values dominant culture This is due both to the fact that in modern society they quickly become obsolete, and to the fact that their transmission from older generations is often violent, provoking young people to defend themselves against it. On the one hand, the younger generation comes under the influence of sustainable social groups and institutions, on the other hand, they themselves, through social activity, contribute to the transformation of the structures of society (for example, the spread of the Internet, the development of the leisure industry or the introduction of new technologies). Representatives of informal youth associations, differing from the prevailing majority in behavior, style, language and other aspects, contribute to the changes taking place in the cultural environment (just remember jeans in the 1960s).

There are many subcultures based on various musical styles and accompanying views on life, clothing style, slang, etc.: hippies, punks, metalheads, goths, emo, cyber-goths, etc. Fans of South Korean pop culture also form their own subculture called "Korean people". This concept unites all people who are interested in K-pop and dramas. Representatives of this subculture usually call themselves K-popers (English: K-poper - a person who loves K-pop) or drama lovers (that is, a person who loves dramas) , however, there are no hard boundaries between these two groups - K-poppers not only listen to Korean pop groups, but also watch TV series, and vice versa.

Analysts attribute the success of the Korean pop industry to the fact that its marketing model is quite different from global practices, as discussed in the previous chapter. The system of comebacks and promotions is complemented by a developed system of fan clubs, themed establishments and fan services, as well as the active participation of idols in communicating with fans in in social networks[see: 56].

As a rule, every public figure has his own fans and anti-fans. East Asia known for her ardent fanaticism - each musical group, actor/actress, model or other celebrity has his own fandom and official fan club. In order to join the official fan club, you need to register at Daum-cafe. Fandom includes representatives of the official fan club, numerous unofficial fan clubs and ordinary fans who are not members of either one or the other. Fandom or fandom (English fandom - literally “fandom”) is an informal subcultural community whose members are united a single interest associated with a work of art or its author, that is, a passion for a certain film, TV series, book, etc. [see: 46].

Within Hallyu, there is a huge number of fandoms, since each group has its own large army of fans. “K-pop is a kind of “struggle” between groups. We, like many others, are trying to win our part of the audience,” say the members of the MYNAME group. Each fandom has its own name and color: for example, fandom Big group Bang is called V.I.P. (meaning - every fan of this group is an important person for every member), the symbolism of the crown and colors - yellow and black [Appendix B], the fandom of the group Dong Bang Shin Ki is called Cassiopeia (named after the constellation of the Northern hemisphere of the sky, five brightest stars which forms the letter M or W; since the group consists of 5 members, it has a special meaning - each of the 5 members shines as much on stage as these stars in the sky), has a pearl red color symbolizing passion, and April 23rd is celebrated as Cassiopeia Day Fan Club Dong Bang Shin Ki was included in the Guinness Book of Records in 2008 as the “World's Largest Fan Club” [see: 67]. [Appendix B].

The names of fandoms, however, as well as the decoding of the names of Korean pop groups, have interesting meaning- this is not a simple name, it must have a special meaning. Typically, the choice of fan club name is determined by a general vote on the group's or their agency's website. Fans send in various titles, production company managers select the best ones, and then an online vote is held. Fan club names for many K-pop groups have been chosen this way. "Teen Top fans chose official name to his fandom "Angels". When asked what the name means, Teen Top leader Cap replied: “Angels will always protect us no matter what!” . Sometimes the winner who sends the option chosen by everyone receives prizes from the band's agency - this could be an autographed CD, a poster or some other item with the band's symbols.

In any subculture there is such a thing as “staff”. Depending on the type of subculture, it may have different meanings. Within the Korean popular culture staff is a variety of products with images of stars " korean wave", produced specifically for fans. These include CDs and posters, photobooks (English photobook - “book with photographs”), magazines, clothing (T-shirts, sweatshirts, baseball caps, etc.), accessories (rings, pendants, earrings, bracelets), office supplies (notebooks, pens) , pencils, pencil cases, stickers, calendars, etc.), headphones, backpacks and bags, mugs, wallets, mouse pads, light sticks (English light stick - “glow stick”), etc. [Appendix D]. Speaking of light sticks, it is worth noting that they are usually used at concerts and can be modified depending on the concept, but they always have the color of a specific fandom. Fans turn them on during the concert, thereby creating an ocean of certain color range In the dark. It has great importance for the group - so they can see and feel the love of their fans [Appendix E]. In addition to the listed goods, staff also includes clothes and accessories worn by idols, and certain things from dramas - for example, a pendant or toy that symbolizes the love of the main characters.

Staff can be official or unofficial. Official stuff is usually sold at concerts, meetings with fans and other events of stars, on the website of the group or agency. Unofficial stuff can be sold in various online stores and differ in quality from the original goods. In St. Petersburg, both official and unofficial staff are sold in the Rabbit Shop - a “mobile” store that has been selling fan staff of Korean and its own production for the Koreans of St. Petersburg and other Russian cities for two years now. various events, dedicated to eastern cultures [Appendix E].

Post 03/13/2017 Super User 3616

Nowadays, various trends in culture are sweeping one after another. What have we not seen over the past few years! However, there are things that are steadily gaining popularity and spreading throughout the world. And today I will tell you about such a popular subculture as k-pop and explain what it is and where it came from.

K-pop is a musical genre that originated in South Korea and contains elements of Western electropop, hip-hop, dance music and modern rhythm and blues. Surely everyone remembers the stylish PSY, who took over the world with his song Gangnam Style in 2012? So this was just the beginning, because k-pop continues to slowly but surely capture the world and the sympathies of young people.

K-pop artists are confidently making their way not only to the Asian market, but also to the rest of the world. The Internet has allowed young guys with bright hairstyles not only to become stars, but also to make their creativity the basis of a new youth culture, which, in some cases, develops into a cult. Their concert tours take place across countries: USA, France, Germany, Chile - K-pop fever spreads quickly and regardless of geography. And Russia is no exception.

Representatives of this genre with their music make it to the top of the most authoritative charts (for example, the American Billboard). BTS, one of famous k-pop groups, with their album Wings it stayed at number 26 for 2 weeks, next to Adele. Before this, no K-pop group had managed to reach such heights, which speaks volumes about the power of their songs and the speed at which they gained popularity.

But how do people become interested in this genre? To understand this, I decided to talk to two Russian-speaking K-pop fans and find out how they discovered this culture.

Alina: ""My sister told me about k-pop, as she was studying it at the time. Korean. I was about 12 years old at the time. At first I wasn’t attracted to K-pop songs. But after 2 years, I accidentally came across one of those songs that my sister played for me and I decided to listen to it. As a result, I sat for 2 hours listening to the songs of this group. My sister, having learned that I liked the songs, began to send me other groups and dramas. I was amazed by the synchronicity and complexity of the dance of K-pop artists. They made everything so easy and beautiful, but if you try to repeat it, you will understand that it is hellish work to learn their choreography. That's how I became interested in the K-pop genre.""

Irina: "I discovered K-pop by accident. One day I was looking for something to watch and was offered one “movie” (later I realized that it was a drama). The drama was called "Let's Go, Handsome Men." And after watching it, I started looking for music and met the group Boyfriend. From that time on, I began to become interested in Korea and this culture. This was about 4 years ago. That’s how I slowly learned about k-ror. Maybe it's fate. What attracts me to k-pop is that most songs have deep meaning. Sometimes they helped me a lot in difficult times. Well, where would we be without their choreography, it is, as always, complex, beautiful and rhythmic. The attitude of the artists towards the fans shows their sincerity, they show themselves as they really are, and this is very touching."

In Russia, k-pop has just begun to gain its popularity, but it is doing so faster and faster. Thanks to the activity of the community of Russian fans, K-pop artists began to be published in the well-known magazine for young people “All Stars”, and their clips were shown on Russian television. All this tells us that, having emerged as a musical genre, K-pop has turned into an entire subculture with millions of fans among young people around the world.

On music channels and new shocking groups from Asia began to appear frequently on the Internet. Possessing a unique style of clothing, excellent choreography and incomparable songs, they are winning more and more fans around the world. The name of this phenomenon is K-pop.

The early nineties can be considered the starting point of the march of k-pop in its modern form. In 1992, a trio called Seo Taiji & Boys performed on a local television talent show, performing a hip-hop song with a distinctive Western sound. Nowadays such groups as “Girls Generation”, “Super Junior”, “Big Bang” perform in this genre, which have become widely known not only in Asia, but throughout the world.

Russians are familiar with K-pop only thanks to the famous video by PSY “Gangnam style”, which has received more than two billion views on YouTube. But in reality, this video is just a small tip of the iceberg of Korean popular music.

K-pop and its features

K-pop is a music genre that originated in South Korea. The melodic part incorporates many other styles, such as electronic and dance music, rock, hip-hop, and may even contain elements of classical and country.

It is being performed idols (eng. Idol)- guys adolescence, who have been specially trained in vocals and dancing by production centers since childhood. K-pop groups consist of either only girls or only boys, and their group size varies from five to nine people. So what is so special about this popular music that makes it so fascinating?

Of course, these are the songs themselves - simple melodies mainly with a strong emphasis on dance electronic music, which “clings” to the ear. The tracks are sometimes so mesmerizing that it no longer matters that they are performed in an unfamiliar language. Although in Lately there is a tendency to insert English words into a song to attract listeners from all over globe and let them understand what the story is about.

The topics of the songs are very diverse: from food and lifestyle to romantic relationships, and some songs can be full-fledged stories containing deep thoughts. It is worth noting that such music not only looks at Korean culture, but also includes many references associated with other countries and peoples.

Idols: "fake idols"

These are Korean performers who have signed a contract with some agency involved in music promotion. Before becoming popular and recognizable, young guys go through difficult courses training in vocal, dance and acting, and thanks to this they not only perform songs on stage, but also star in various TV series.

K-pop performers are also trained foreign languages, and the producers bring their appearance to perfection, and in the very literally. Almost all idols have transferred plastic surgery and keep themselves in shape by following strict diets and actively engaging in grueling exercises. Usually, private life Such guys are not made public, which adds a certain aura of mystery and enigma to their personality.

Images and dances are cooler than Michael Jackson's

One of the main attractive factors of this genre is the visual content and the image of the performers. Asia has long been famous for its artistry and subtle artistic approach, which has played a significant role in the local entertainment industry.

In all their videos, K-pop stars are professionally made up and have an individual style, expressed not only in flashy hairstyles, but also in extravagant clothes. There is an opinion that the image of the performers outshines many Western stars in its effectiveness and originality.

Idols are not at all shy about bringing something new and interpreting modern trends in their own way. A good example rapper G-Dragon and singer CL can serve as style icons, introducing new trends among young people, be it clothing items or new hairstyles.

Korean groups are famous not only for their vocal abilities, but also for their carefully crafted dances, which require professional training. It takes an insane amount of time and effort to prove that artists dance no worse live than in their videos. Men's dancing are based on hip-hop, while women's are more sophisticated and simple.

Analogues of the genre in the world

K-pop is by no means a unique genre, but all similar analogues are located in the Asian part of our planet. The big and main competitor of the Koreans is J-pop, which, as you might guess, comes from the country rising sun- Japan. It also features music performed by idols, and you can see the similarity in concept. But there are differences between them, and this affects the popularity of Japanese and Korean music abroad:

J-pop music videos do not have such powerful visualization and impact, what happens on the screen is almost static, there is no such strong choreography, everything is based on its own identity, and because of this, the music videos seem strange;

K-pop places a strong emphasis on social portals. Each group has its own YouTube channel, Facebook pages and Twitter feeds, where they constantly post photos of themselves, talk about their shows and even hold competitions. The Japanese do not strive for such aggressive propaganda, preferring to work for their “home” audience;

K-pop works according to its own well-established scheme, trying not to deviate from existing canons, focusing on the West and electronic music. J-pop is more experimental, which is reflected in the sound, number and variations of instruments, and also mixes larger number styles, often uses guitar music;

Japanese music fans abroad tend to be fans Japanese cartoons- anime. Popular music Korea is independent from other media arts.

K-pop is taking over the world

The K-pop fan base is becoming wider, becoming a separate subculture. This is especially noticeable in Latin America, USA, Europe - and is just beginning to develop in Russia. In our country, fans organize dance competitions among themselves, copying the choreography of their favorite Korean performers, and also perform at events dedicated to Asian culture.

Various festivals are organized annually, including the K-Pop World Festival, the largest of all. Every year it is held in different countries, but the finale of the festival always ends in South Korea, in the city of Changwon. Participating in it are: young talents from all over the world, and famous korean singers. It is worth noting that the South Korean government financially supports the entire infrastructure musical activity, which helps them strengthen relations with Western states.

K-pop is a powerful conveyor belt for the creation of media products, aimed not only at the audience of its country, but also at the whole world. Like Hollywood, it throws more and more new projects onto the market, the number of which can reach up to 90 groups per year, without losing the quality of the content.
This genre of music leaves a positive impression on its listeners: pleasant songs with interesting texts, great visual content.

All this is very eye-catching. Many teenagers want to be like idols who always look great, have their own sophisticated, impeccable style and have the magic of attractiveness. The desire to come into contact with something ideal and beautiful has made k-pop not just a passing trend, but a part of the lives of its many fans, whose numbers are growing every year.

K-pop groups and artists

Seo Taiji & Boys - a group that existed from 1992 to 1996, which popularized Western hip-hop in Korean music. After the group disbanded, founder Seo Taiji began a solo career and became famous outside of Korea by playing heavy music in the style of alternative rock.

Girls' Generation- a very famous and world-famous female octet, founded in 2007. In Korea, it is better known as So Nyeo Shi Dae (Sonyo Side). The songs use styles such as electro-pop and bubblegum pop. They recorded 6 studio albums in Korean and Japanese languages. They are famous for their videos, for which they received an award " Best video of the Year" at the YouTube Music Awards in 2013, beating out Lady Gaga and Miley Cyrus.

G-dragon (G-Dragon) - singer, actor, model. In addition to your solo career, participates in the k-pop project Big Bang. He gained particular popularity because of his extraordinary style of clothing. He writes songs in the hip-hop genre and has released 2 studio albums.

ARTEM SOLOPAEV

What is k-pop?

K-pop (/keɪ pɔp/, an abbreviation of 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. Having originally emerged as a musical genre, K-pop has grown into a large-scale music subculture with millions of fans among young people around the world.

What if you ask yourself? What's your answer?

You won’t tell people information from the Internet. You will tell them what you know personally.

K-POP is a genre of music that combines several styles of music.

K-POR is a separate world that takes us into our imagination.

Every time you listen to K-pop, the thought may flash through your mind about how you didn’t notice this before or how good it is that you finally heard this genre.

Can you remember your world before k-pop? You listened to Russian and American songs. You didn't have much anticipation, different theories and fantastic clips. You just listened. All the performers might seem like the same type to you, copying the style of others. But in K-pop it's not like that.

You can't see the second BigBang, the fifth Super Junior, the twenties Girls Generation. Everyone has their own style of songs. Is it possible to listen to only one k-pop group? You have such a wide choice, so why not use it?

Many people know such situations as someone insulting you just because you listen to Koreans. You can't convince them, and they can't convince you. What needs to be done?

Nothing. Should you give up k-pop for someone else's opinion? Should you hide what you like but still accept a style you don't like because it's popular? If you did so, then you are simply 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 other people's opinions. You are who you are. And you will change when you want and only for your own sake.

Some people say that K-pop is a childish and frivolous genre. But who said you should listen adult music? Everyone is growing, but no one wants it. If k-pop makes you happy, then listen to it as much as you want.

K-POP is a genre that is becoming popular every year. It's taking over the whole world.

Maybe we regret that we didn't force this genre earlier when there were 2NE1, f(x), TRAX, Shinhwa, HOT and SES. But we are glad that he is with us right now.