So, let’s talk about Korean pop music!
When people think of Kpop they think of Psy. Automatically, Gangnam Style comes to mind and they are set on the belief that Psy is representative of all Korean pop music. However, there is much more to the world of Kpop than Psy and his hilarious and zany music videos. I have only been interested in Kpop for a little over a year, but within that year I have been exposed to various artists, new and old, and have also been exposed to Korean culture. I can honestly say that Kpop has found a place in my heart and it has locked itself in. I do not speak Korean but I do not need to know the language to be able to feel emotion from the voices that are singing to me. As Peter Van Houten said in The Fault in Our Stars, “The important thing is not whatever nonsense the voices are saying, but what the voices are feeling.”
Along with the emotion in each song, the amazing singing is accompanied by awesome dances! These Kpop groups and solo artists spend hours and hours practicing dance routines for their music videos and for the multiple performance shows that they attend daily. The dances can be very difficult and intricate causing these artists to show true dedication through grueling practices. Along with being very skilled in their dancing, Kpop artists are also truly talented singers. Unlike most artists that are popular in American pop culture, most of if not all Kpop artists sound the same live and recorded. These artists work hard day and night to produce fantastic songs and music videos, and I am excited for the moment when Kpop becomes a huge thing in America! Although you may not be into Kpop, here are five songs that will get you hooked!
Orange Caramel – My Copycat
EXO – Growl
Big Bang – Fantastic Baby
2NE1 – Missing You
Super Junior – Mamacita (Ayaya)