Post 03/13/2017 Super User 2883
In our time, various trends in culture are sweeping one after another. What have we not seen in the last few years! However, there are things that are steadily gaining popularity and are spreading around the world. And today I will tell you about this popular subculture like k-pop and explain what it is and where it came from.
K-pop is musical genre, which originated in South Korea and carries elements of Western electropop, hip-hop, dance music and modern rhythm and blues. Surely everyone remembers the stylish PSY, who took over the world in 2012 with his song Gangnam Style? So this was just the beginning, because K-pop continues to slowly but surely take over the world and the sympathy of young people.
K-pop artists are making steady progress not only in the Asian market, but also in 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 on a national scale: USA, France, Germany, Chile - the K-pop fever is spreading quickly and regardless of geography. And Russia is no exception.
Representatives of this genre with their music make their way to the lines of the most authoritative charts (for example, the American Billboard). bts one of famous k-pop groups, with their album Wings, held for 2 weeks at position 26, next to Adele. Before that, no K-pop group could reach such heights, which speaks of the power of their songs and the speed of their popularity.
But how do people get addicted to 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 because she was studying Korean at the time. I was 12 years old at the time. At first I wasn't attracted to k-pop songs. But after 2 years, I accidentally stumbled upon one of those songs that my sister played for me and I decided to listen to it. As a result, I spent 2 hours listening to the songs of this group. When my sister found out that I liked the songs, she started sending me other groups and dramas. I was struck by the synchronicity and complexity of the dance of k-pop artists. Everything was so easy and beautiful with them, but if you try to repeat it, you will understand that it is a hell of a job to learn their choreography. That's how I got into k-pop."
Irina: "I met K-pop by accident. One day I was looking for something to watch and I was offered one "movie" (later I realized it was a drama). The drama was called "Let's Go Pretty Boys". And after watching it, I started looking for music and met the Boyfriend group. Since that time, I began to get involved in Korea and this culture. It was about 4 years ago. So slowly I learned about k-ror. Maybe it's fate. What attracts me to k-pop is that most of the songs have deep meaning. Sometimes they helped me a lot in difficult moments. Well, where without their choreography, it is, as always, complex, beautiful and rhythmic. The attitude of the artists to the fans shows their sincerity, they show themselves for who they really are, and it's very touching."
In Russia, K-pop has just started to gain its popularity, but it is doing it faster and faster. Thanks to the activity of the community of Russian fans, k-pop artists began to be published in the Vse Stars magazine, well-known for young people, and their clips were shown on Russian television. All this tells us that, having emerged as a musical genre, K-pop has become an entire subculture with millions of fans among young people around the world.
Hello, I would like to talk about one of your passions, k-pop, but first, please introduce yourself.
My name is Alice and I'm a k-poper. It's a disease.
Let's move on to the first question. I heard that before becoming a direct member of a Korean music group, a person must undergo quite serious training. Can you comment on this?
People who train in agencies are called trainee . A large number of trainee debuts every year. A lot are released every year. Let's say five idols . Some may come and literally debut in three months, while others may stay there for up to twelve years. The leader of the EXO group, for example, trained for nine years, studied a lot, not only vocals and dances, rapping or something else, but also languages and etiquette.
What are the agencies you mentioned? How can you get into them?
For example, big three are large agencies called " entertainments » in Korea - people are often recruited through simple selection. That is, they have selections once a year, of course, not all over the world, but, let's say, one of the Big Three companies announces recruitment for different languages.
Please tell us about the process of releasing the band's new album.
What is mandatory in K-pop when releasing an album: maybe you don’t spoiler the song itself title , but they can, for example, post some "pieces" from the new album. But, in particular, it happens like this: they announce the release, probably, somewhere in two weeks, maybe one and a half. Everyone is waiting, and a couple of days before the release of the album, the company starts uploading teasers. Moreover, there can be as many teasers as you like, although most often one or two. Then they release a clip, this is a must. They released an album - they released a video.
Is there anything following immediately after the release of the album?
Yes, there will be further promotion, without it it is very difficult for groups, especially not very famous ones. Month the group is moving forward. The first week is coming comeback stage . That is, people still show their song, dance and performance on various shows along with other groups. Awards begin next week. During the three weeks of the show, the sales and views of each group will be calculated, and a score will be calculated from this. If your score is higher than your opponent's, you get a reward. There is such a thing as double or triple crown . Suppose one group won every day for three weeks (against famous bands This happens). Then she gets a triple crown on one of the shows.
They say the sheer number of K-pop fans is insane. What can you say about this?
I can comment on this with just one word:
sasaeng. sasaeng fans
. Such fans in K-pop and in general in Asia are very common among, probably, female audience. These are very inadequate people who can
With
talker
their biases
Or just your favorite band.
Are there any gestures or rituals that fans can use to publicly show their love for the band, say at a concert?
If we talk about good fans, who simply love either the group or the bias ... In general, in Korea, each group has so-called light sticks . They are different shapes and different colors, it all depends on the group. And very often, fans express their feelings with color. These sticks are very supportive of the bands. Let's say there is some kind of awards, and at this awards there is an opportunity to be just a fan and support your pet.
AND last question: Does it happen that the band members themselves and their agencies express gratitude to the fans or try to do something nice to please them?
At concerts, it happens that the fans of some pairings can often to ship one participant male group with another. And in the agencies themselves there are special people who monitor fan activities. They see that there are, for example, two members who they really want to see together (they can be written about fanfic or edited video). Then these band members are approached and asked to "interact" in front of the fans. It is called fan service .
Main distribution channel Korean culture in Russia are youth associations of fans of music groups, films and other cultural products South Korea. Just as at one time it was the young who contributed to the assimilation of the advanced youth trends of Western society, so today's youth is a conductor of the current trends in the culture of Eastern countries. Before proceeding to the analysis of the reasons for the growth in popularity and ways of spreading modern Korean pop culture, we will give definitions of youth subcultural activity. According to the 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 the existing norms and values of the dominant culture is connected both with the fact that in modern society they quickly become obsolete, and with the fact that their transmission from older generations is often violent, provoking the young to defend themselves from it. On the one hand, the younger generation falls under the influence of sustainable social groups and institutions, on the other hand, they themselves, thanks to 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 (suffice it to recall jeans in the 1960s).
There are many subcultures based on various musical directions and their accompanying views on life, clothing style, slang, etc.: hippies, punks, metalists, goths, emo, cyber-goths, etc. Fans of South Korean pop culture also form their own subculture called "Koreaman". This concept unites all people who are fond of K-pop "ohm and dramas. Representatives of this subculture usually call themselves key poppers (eng. K-poper - a person who loving K-pop) or k-pop (that is, a person who loves drama / drama), however, there are no hard boundaries between these two groups - K-pop 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 already discussed in the previous chapter. The comeback and promotion system is joined by a developed system of fan clubs, themed venues, and fan services, as well as the active participation of idols in communicating with fans on social media [see: 56].
As a rule, every public figure has its fans and anti-fans. East Asia known for its ardent fanaticism - each musical group, actor / actress, model or other celebrity has its own fandom and official fan club In order to join the official fan club, you need to register at Daum-cafe. The fandom also includes representatives of the official fan club, numerous unofficial fan clubs and ordinary fans who are neither there nor there. a single interest associated with any work of art or its author, that is, an addiction to a particular film, series, book, etc. [see: 46].
There are a huge number of fandoms within Hallyu, as 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 groups Bang is called V.I.P. (meaning - every fan of this group is an important person for each member), the symbolism of the crown and the colors - yellow and black [appendix B], the fandom of the Dong Bang Shin Ki group is called Cassiopeia (named after the constellation of the Northern hemisphere of the sky, five the brightest stars which form the letter M or W; since the group consists of 5 members, it has a special meaning - each of the 5 members shines on the stage as strongly as these stars in the sky), has a pearl red color, symbolizing passion, and April 23 is celebrated as Cassiopeia Day Fan Club Dong Bang Shin Ki was listed 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 special meaning. As a rule, the choice of the name of the fan club is determined by a general vote on the website of the group or their agency. Fans send various titles, the managers of the producing company select the best ones and then an online vote is held. In this way, the names of fan clubs were chosen for many K-pop groups. "Teen Top fans have chosen official name to his Angels fandom. Asked how the title stood for, Teen Top leader Cap replied, "The angels will always protect us no matter what!" . Sometimes the winner who sends the variant selected by all receives prizes from the band's agency - it can be an autographed CD, a poster or some other item with the band's logo.
In any subculture there is such a thing as "staff". Depending on the type of subculture, it may have various meanings. Within the Korean mass culture stuff is a variety of products with images of the stars of the "Korean wave", produced especially for fans. These include CDs and posters, photobooks (English photobook - “a book with photographs”), magazines, clothes (t-shirts, sweatshirts, baseball caps, etc.), accessories (rings, pendants, earrings, bracelets), stationery (notebooks, pens , pencils, pencil cases, stickers, calendars, etc.), headphones, backpacks and bags, mugs, wallets, mouse pads, light sticks (English light stick - “luminous 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 always have the color of a certain fandom. Fans turn them on during the concert, thus creating an ocean of a certain colors 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, the staff also includes clothes and accessories worn by idols, and certain things from dramas - for example, a pendant or a toy that symbolizes the love of the main characters.
Staff can be official and unofficial. Official stuff is usually sold at concerts, fan meetings and other celebrity events, on the website of the band 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 stuff is sold at the Rabbit Shop, a “mobile” store that has been selling Korean and Korean fan stuff for two years now. own production for Korean fans of St. Petersburg and other cities of Russia on various events dedicated Eastern cultures[Appendix E].
Everyone has probably heard or seen the word "K-pop" at least once, but what does it mean?
K-pop is a musical genre that originated in South Korea and incorporates elements of western electropop, hip hop, dance music, and contemporary rhythm and blues. Starting as a musical genre, K-pop has evolved into a massive musical subculture with millions of fans among young people all over the world.
According to the author of the American music magazine Rolling stone, K-pop is a "mixture of fashionable Western music and high-energy Japanese pop" and "hunts listeners' heads with repeated hooks, sometimes on English language". K-pop "goes down the line of mixing styles, combining both singing and rapping and emphasizing action and powerful visual effects". Although in Korea itself, these terms can be understood as almost any direction of Korean pop music, outside the country, K-pop is understood exclusively as music performed by so-called idols, similar in concept to Japanese idols, performed in a mixture of the above genres. .
K-pop is not only music, it has grown into a popular subculture among the youth of the whole world, driven by an interest in contemporary South Korean fashion and styles. Thanks to the Internet and the availability of digital content, K-pop is reaching a wide audience previously unthinkable. The pop culture of South Korea today is one of the driving factors youth culture in the Asia-Pacific region, with a special focus on China, Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan and much of Southeast Asia.
Organization and management
Most of the bands of this genre are managed by units of music agencies. In order to guarantee success, such companies try to fully subsidize and control professional life and future performer's career, spending about $400,000 to prepare and "launch" young performer. According to the publication The Wall Street Journal and other South Korean production centers have developed a process for preparing young singers and female singers to participate in music business. In most cases, future idols enter the "system" at the age of 9-10 and live together in a house, subject to strict rules. They attend school during the day and learn singing and choreography in the evenings.
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. this genre accounts for 7.81% of its music market, and this share is growing. In 2011, domestic sales of Korean artists exceeded $300 million, up 22% from last year, despite a general decline in sales in the Japanese music market.
More American artists agree to work with Koreans, among them are famous musicians like Kanye West and the Jonas Brothers. In addition, Korean pop music has been positively reviewed by such well-known music producers like Quincy Jones, Teddy Riley, and Grammy producer Alicia Keys.
Since 2011, Billboard magazine has begun 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 over 40,000 attendees, while the French concerts sold out to 14,000 people. Korean singer Rain topped the list of 100 the most influential people 2011 by Time magazine readers, and CNN named K-pop as the third reason to visit Korea. Big Bang hit 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 the German MTV. The 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 global practice. First of all, this is a developed system of fan clubs, thematic 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 the active support and dissemination of products and information via the Internet through social networks, portals and video resources.
