I stumbled into K-pop. I know how it happened. I was researching for a project I’m writing and was curious about J-pop, K-pop and the differences between them. I tumbled very quickly into the slippery world of Babymetal, 2NE1, Crush, Exo, Arashi, and Perfume. I was utterly surprised by Crush and Zion T. Before long I was way down the rabbit hole and looking back up at the world with a different point of view.
It started with Mamamoo. The all-girl group borrows heavily from girl groups of the 90’s all the way through Destiny’s Child. Only, these girls do it better. The difference is that with these K-pop (and to a lesser extent, J-pop) groups, they know exactly what they are and remain unrepentant about that. I’m stuck in a musical realm where the level of scrutiny and judgement flares outward from the artists themselves to an often discerning audience who expects artists to reach beyond themselves and be more. This doesn’t seem to be the case in K-pop where the musicians are often striving to be the best version of themselves that they can be. They are also incredibly talented.
No, they aren’t giving me something I’ve never seen before. Yes, it often feels like a rendition of something I vaguely remember from the past, but it is a reflection of the now that echoes the then. It isn’t special, but these artists are especially good at what they do. I won’t wear their tee shirts, but their songs and videos make me happy.