K-pop: The Music Machine

Meta Stange

Nearly three years ago, a video was uploaded to YouTube that radicalized American perceptions of Asian pop music. Since it was posted in July 2012, Psy’s wildly popular “Gangnam Style” became the first video on YouTube to surpass 1 billion views, topped the charts of more than 30 countries, inspired countless parodies and flash mobs, and was even hailed as a “force for world peace.”

Though K-pop was already gaining traction in the rest of the world, “Gangnam Style” was the United States’ first real exposure to the world of Korean pop music. Its growth has been relatively slow in mainstream North America, but it is undeniable that it has made an impact. Everyone from Spin and Stereogum to The Atlantic and The Washington Post seems to have something to have something to say about South Korea’s most significant cultural export.

What makes K-pop so wildly successful, both at home and abroad? A standardized formula that combines the most popular aspects of pop music, enthusiastic, energetic choreography, carefully calculated fashion choices, and beautiful young people, all wrapped up in sea of candy colored visuals. K-pop hits aren’t created as much as they are manufactured, and its stars aren’t discovered but rather cultivated. A potential K-pop performer goes through a rigorous training program for a minimum of two years before their potential selection for a “debut.” It is an intense process, but one that thousands of South Korean teenagers hope to get the chance to experience.

While Psy provided a gimmicky glimpse of K-pop, Korean girl/boy band superstars still generally exist outside of the realm of American consciousness, but the recent release of the track “Dr. Pepper” from Seoul-born CL shows the true mainstream cross-over potential that exists for Korean artists. The song was produced by wildly popular producer Diplo and features verses from Atlanta rapper OG Maco and neon-soaked superstar RiFF RaFF. Deviating from the K-pop stereotype of overly sweet electro-pop, it opts instead for the formula that currently dominates the American Top 40: bass-heavy beats that frame a combination of female singing and male rapping. (See: Rhianna/Eminem, Beyoncé/Jay-Z, Big Sean/Jhené Aiko, etc.) It remains to be seen whether the trend of compromising the stylistic characteristics that typify K-pop in favor of standardized American production values will continue, but it seems to be working for CL.

K-pop’s sugary design may seem benign enough, but its increasing popularity has had some startling repercussions. South Korea is currently in the midst of a plastic surgery boom, with as many as one in five women going under the knife for elective surgery. These procedures are intrinsically linked with the cookie cutter looks of the pop stars idolized by millions. In addition, the price of fame for stars is quite high. They are required to dedicate years of their lives to their training in the hopes that one day they will gain some semblance of popularity. Signees as young as 12 spend their days in vocal lessons, dance classes, speech instruction, and more before they ever see the inside of a recording booth or stage.

The standard for stardom may be high, but it is important to note that this is a universally applicable phenomenon. Everyone expects our celebrities to be talented and beautiful and entertaining and wholesome and perfect, an impossible burden for even the most exceptional person. K-pop did not invent these qualifications for stardom, but it also does not try to hide them. You may be a little put off by the process, but the music is catchy as hell.

Meta went on her first trip before the age of two and has been infected with wanderlust ever since. Her dream is to live a nomadic lifestyle so she can experience all the world has to offer. She's addicted to music, coffee, and making really bad jokes.

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