K-Pop takes America
- Thread starter Averon
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Zing!
the_log_ride
Member
I find this hypnotizing.
Enjoy.
Xilium
Member
I think that much of Latin music's mainstream appeal in the states is due to so many of the artist re/releasing their songs in English. I think it is fine for a non-English song to breakthough every now and again but these artist need a stream of hit English tracks to maintain any sort of long lasting appeal, which you could arguably then say that those artist are no longer representing Latin music (i.e Pitbull, J-Lo, Shakira, ect.).
As you say, all attempts to popularize English versions of k-pop songs have completely backfired (even English speaking fans most often prefer the Korean versions of songs). Without the presence of hit English vocalized songs, I don't think any foreign artist can maintain any prolonged popularity in the States.
SolidSnakex
Member
I'm always surprised that there hasn't been a Kpop group that really took Japan seriously. I know the US is always kind of the holy grail for any artist, but it's really hard to make it here. Kpop already has its foot in the door in Japan but no one really does anything to really push through. That market is really big (I believe it's the second biggest) and it's very kind to groups. But as of now you only see groups releasing singles or albums and then doing a little promotion before heading back to Korea. I think a group like KARA or SNSD could be huge in Japan if they were to setup there for a year or so and do the variety show circuit (or get their own, which would be even bigger) while also doing various other shows. But I guess contractual obligations in Korea probably get in the way for any serious pushes.
Honestly the states is really nitpicky with their tastes. It took along time before trance/house got accepted. Even then they needed to have some women sing over it or some guy rap over it(Pitbull ugh).
Pretty sure KARA is huge in Japan. DBSK's grip on Eastern Asia was insane(too bad they split up).
Chinesse pop is referred to as C-pop, but i think thats about where it ends.
Seems to be mainly an Asia thing.
That is an amazing MV. Secret - Poison.
monchi-kun
Member
Every kpop song has "said rang hae" in it. Every Single One!
AgentChris
Member
BIGBANG. Seungri was the MC of his own show. Big Bang sells out every show. They go on some variety shows and stuff.
Kara and SNSD ARE Huge in japan.
Kara's electric boy (released like 3 days ago) sold 28,000 cd's first day in japan like 3 days ago and went straight to number 1. And thats their 7th Japanese album/single.
SNSD have many japanese specific songs, and the re-release of Oh! and their new Video Collection DVD/Blu ray broke all sorts of records. And are the only girl group to ever perform solo at the japanese bowl thing.
And both groups do, while promoting, do the variety shows over there. Just no permanent positions like they take up on Korean ones.
The main thing is that their Japanese contracts don't actually make them immense amounts of money due to the Japanese labels taking such a huge cut of the money. Then the Korean Company. And then finally the artist (after expenses).
Xilium
Member
I would argue that trance/house music isn't popular outside of a very specific scene (clubs primarily). We went through a phase of it being mainstream in the 90's but I think that's mostly over now. Dubstep will likely follow a similar path.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6XXia5B2Wg
If you want the superior version:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-XPIxwhY-Q&
The First post in the Kpop Thread has all of the major groups listed, with their hit songs, and links to the respective film clip on Youtube.
OC has done tons of work to keep it updated too.
Can be found here
SolidSnakex
Member
I'm talking about them being huge in terms of being able to consistently compete with the biggest groups in Japan. Single sales in particular are the type that can be helped out by lots of promotion for the song and the group in general. That's why ARASHI and the 48 family continually do so well. There really isn't any Kpop act that can compete with them on that level. I'm not saying that they could be as big as those groups, but I think that they could be comparable. Well, at least to the sister groups from the 48 family (they still do several 100k per single on day 1).
Don't get me wrong, i'm not saying that there aren't any popular Kpop groups in Japan. There certainly are. But there's a sizable gap between the really big groups in Japan and the biggest Kpop group there. That's what i'm referring to. I think that the gap could be closed quite a bit if a someone were to really make a serious push for that market.
Except that, I'm not so sure the gap is anywhere near as large as you think it is. SNSD were the first Female group to hold the top spot on the singles chart, album, and vdieo charts all at the same time. That was about a month ago.
I'm not sure how much bigger you can get than dominating all the charts at the same time.
Sure, they COULD become bigger in the Japanese market if they setup shop over there. But then, they just essentially become a Jpop group. Not a kpop one. They would probably become very successful in japan, but lose their korean audience like what happened with the wonder girls when they based themselves in the USA for 2 years.
And yes, the Japanese market is much bigger, they'd probably make more in total. But it becomes a question of how that is split, and how their korean company that trained them is going to get their cut.
SolidSnakex
Member
When you start bringing singles into the mix (which are a very big deal in Japan) there's a very noticeable gap. This is what 2011's singles chart looked like
Of course that's certainly a risk that they'd be taking if they did commit to a big push in Japan. But the upside is that they already know that they're going to have success in Japan. The only question would be just how big that success would be. I think that they'd be big enough to offset any loss in popularity that may come from a lack of activities in Korea. The Wonder Girls were trying to tap into a very difficult market where there was a big unknown. It really wasn't worth the risk.
Crap, I'm officially not average ><
*not finished going through article to see what they say about Wonder Girls on Nickelodeon*
speculawyer
Member
NPR's Planet Money did a story on K-Pop.
http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2012...-three-reasons-k-pop-is-taking-over-the-world
http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2012...-three-reasons-k-pop-is-taking-over-the-world
Zoe
Member
1) They did not have an album out that week, and 2) I wouldn't call picking a weak release week "dominating".
AgentChris
Member
I want to see a J-Pop group try to break into the Korean market... LOL
I gotta say I listened to most of them and still only liked a few. Like, a few of the big snsd songs, uhh that one song bing bing, ummm some song lovey dovey or something had a cool dance routine. Other than that I find most of it to be pretty mediocre pop.
Zoe
Member
They really don't have anything to gain from that. The market is too small.
Namie did throw her Korean fans a bone like 10 years ago, but the local staff was so awful that she hasn't been back since.
surrealist
Member
Thread needs more Korean hip hop.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yROjTblMPag
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jx3qP9LiqI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yROjTblMPag
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jx3qP9LiqI
which has like 100000000 songs
besides, i don't really like most kpop. i liked SNSD when they were alot more demure (first album) compared to the stance they're taking (the boys)
and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6iGFB-YK--s is pretty good
didn't like MAboy :/
thanks! more recommendations would be appreciated.
I also went to kcon. The screams, man. The screams.
D
Deleted member 17706
Unconfirmed Member
Why would they want to spend resources doing so? It's a tiny market.
Regardless, there have been plenty of Japanese boy bands that have had concerts and sold albums in Korea. It's just that their main focus is the domestic market where they can make the most money for the least amount of resources spent.
The Korean pop industry was manufactured from the start with a focus on selling to other countries. This is because the Korean market can't support such efforts alone.
And then there's the trouble of having to worry about how you'll be treated every time you visit the country, or whether or not you'll have to cancel a concert or event for fear of anti-Japanese protests or possible violence.
There's been a huge push in Japan for Korean dramas and pop music. Huge. I imagine it's the market into which the Korean music industry has spent their resources the most. They manufactured a boom, whether the actual popularity was there or not. Korean everything was all over Japanese TV from around mid-2009 up until quite recently. It's since died down a lot, though, especially with the recent troubles over that damn island.
Haha yeah I thought the fangirls would lose their voices after a while but they've got lasting power
If you like early SNSD, check out A Pink. lol, funny name but might just be up your alley. You should also definitely listen to Taeyeon's drama OST ballads.
Also Rain Shower sounds exactly like Nell's stuff. Check 'em out too.
Aren't there hardcore AKB fans who buy 1000s of copies of their singles on release day? How do you compete with that, especially as a foreign group?
McKeeverFever
Banned
K-Pop is the worst conceivable genre of music known to man. The funny thing is that in Korea most of the people I know that like k-pop are my elementary students and 12 year old girls. None of my adult friends like it with the exception of 2 girls I know. There is no creativity in the K-Pop industry and most of it sounds like shitty pop from the 90's. I think it's weird when western male adults like it considering that is not at all the demographic it's aimed it with the exception of GG tryna slut it up on the tonight show.
Although I will give props to Big Bang I.E. G-Dragon as he is a good producer and song writer.
Although I will give props to Big Bang I.E. G-Dragon as he is a good producer and song writer.
i also met enough male koreans who were into all these bands. it's certainly not only for your 12 year olds.
ditto
I'm not looking for artistic epiphanies when I consume kpop/cpop etc. It's just cute/crazy fun.
billy beane
Banned
I know more Juggalos than I do K-Pop fans.
McKeeverFever
Banned
Hahaha and that's saying something.
I think my maturity and masculinity can survive exposure to pop music. And I dunno why I'm somehow supposed to daintily or gruffly refuse to be interested in Asian pop music, whereas I imagine that an interest in Korean literature or figurative painting would be legit, non-emasculating etc.
It seems peculiar—or, as you say, "weird"—to think of maturity and masculinity as being so precarious or vulnerable that Bubble Pop or Gee can seriously threaten them or call them into question.
Canis lupus
Member
Finally.
PAULINK
I microwave steaks.
I don't like admitting this but there was a time that I was genuinely infatuated with SNSD but I realized something after like the third album. Their music is completely devoid of any substance or soul. A few singles have some good hooks but the rest of the songs are really just awful filler. I realized the half the reason I cared was because there was attractive girls fronting the group. At this point I threw all of my cds in the garbage.
I hate the k-pop industry and everything that it stands for. It doesn't help that I'm half korean and I was exposed to this stuff on a daily basis when I lived over there. The fact that Gangnam style has became a worldwide sensation confuses me to no end.
I hate the k-pop industry and everything that it stands for. It doesn't help that I'm half korean and I was exposed to this stuff on a daily basis when I lived over there. The fact that Gangnam style has became a worldwide sensation confuses me to no end.
You were infatuated with SNSD, so did you ever watch any of their variety shows?
Pretty obvious its the dance.
Evening Musuko
Black Korea
In a way it has actually. There are spanish language radio stations all over the country covering all kinds of genres. (Pop/Top 40/Alternative/Norteño/Oldies etc.) And latin acts sell out arenas everywhere. Of course this is due to te fact that the Hispanic/Latino population is HUGE in this country.
Now if you're talking about it conquering the English language stations, I can understand but like I said, considering there's already a huge presence of spanish language stations why bother?
Now back on topic. As someone who used tp be huge into K-Pop back in the 90's/early 2000's it's pretty crazy to see PSY blowing up like this. I have no doubt it was thanks to YouTube. This wouldn't be possible back in the day. I doubt you'll see K-Pop become more than a niche genre here however.
Wendel Clark
Member
how do you feel about adults that like pokemon
Delusibeta
Banned
Britpop kinda goes without mention, although it seems to be filed under regular pop these days.
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