by Paige Vandergriff

Over the past several years, Grace College has come into contact with South Korean culture in a big way: from South Korea Go Encounter trips to the Global Exchange partnership with Handong Global University. This week, I’d like to introduce you to another recent arrival from Korea to the U.S.: K-pop.
Short for Korean pop, K-pop is a playful fusion of dance, electro, hip-hop, and rap that developed in South Korean during the 90’s and has exploded on the American scene during the past five to ten years. K-pop’s bold, upbeat style mirrors the music produced by many of today’s American stars; in fact, Korean popular music was influenced by Western culture during the 50’s and 60’s due to the U.S. presence in South Korea.
Since then, K-pop has evolved into an energetic blend of East and West, becoming one of East Asia’s leading cultural exports. The vehicle that has enabled K-pop to become a U.S. sensation is the rise of social networking; viral YouTube videos and Facebook shares have driven the exposure of Korean trends internationally. As of Tuesday October 2, the rapper PSY’s hit single “Gangnam Style” became the most viral YouTube video of all time, reaching over 400 million views since it debuted on July 15.
Music videos are a major feature of the K-pop culture just as they are for American pop music. Colorful, lively, and sometimes zany, Korean pop stars offer bubbly personalities, daring dance moves and catchy tunes during shows and videos; these performances allow singers to connect with their fans and emphasize their stardom. Image is central to K-pop artists; many are teen idol boy- and girl-groups with large, fanatic followings. K-pop stars are the Justin Biebers and Katy Perrys of East Asia; they just happen to be singing in another language.
So who are these K-pop artists? Some of the top bands include guys’-groups Super Junior, SHINee, Big Bang and NU’EST and girls’ group Girls’ Generation. K-pop groups are often larger than typical American bands, averaging between five to seven members, larger groups Girls’ Generation and Super Junior including nine and twelve, respectively. Just like in the States, there are plenty of other K-pop artists–from big names to small groups just starting out–and you can easily explore them on the web.
Should you give K-pop a try? Well, it all depends on your music preferences. Obviously, if the high energy of techno, pop, and hip-hop isn’t your taste, you probably won’t like K-pop either. Whether the lyrics are in English or Korean, pop music is pop music. However, if bright, bubbly, danceable tunes capture your style, you might be surprised by how entertaining listening in another language can be!