Jon Dunbar is a copy editor at The Korea Times, as well as editor of the Foreign Community page and curator of the Korea Times Archive. If you have suggestions for possible articles, or wish to contribute articles yourself, contact jdunbar@koreatimes.co.kr.
What isn't K-pop?
By Jon Dunbar
K-pop is a specific musical phenomenon. While the term obviously derives from shorthand for Korean popular music, the specific brand of K-pop carries a big bag of connotations. Rather than one genre, K-pop is evolutionary and expansionary, absorbing new genres and sounds. Basically, you may struggle to define it but you know it when it assaults your ears.
So it came as a surprise when the prolific blog “Ask a Korean,” run by a U.S.-based lawyer known publicly as The Korean (TK), published a rant titled “K-Pop is Not a Genre” on May 20, followed up by “Once Again: K-pop is Not a Genre” on May 27. His claim is, basically, K-pop is not a genre and not limited to idol groups. He calls for consistency, and perhaps wishes K-pop better represented his own musical interests.
It is vexing because it disregards the thoughts and experiences of those in Korea’s diverse music community.
I first heard the line “K-pop is all of the music made by Korea” in April 2013 when I interviewed the music manager of the Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA). It threw me because… obviously it is untrue.
But where did this claim come from?
TK in his first post made gratuitous use of the “K-Pop Night Out” annual showcase at the SXSW festival in Austin, Texas. He pointed out that this festival, started in 2013 in the wake of “Gangnam Style,” included idol group f(x) alongside rock bands Galaxy Express and Guckkasten, as well as punk bands No Brain and the Geeks. The next year, it had punk bands Crying Nut and Hollow Jan, plus post-rock band Jambinai, alongside idols HyunA and Jay Park.
The idea was heavily pushed by Korea-based organizers that all Korean music is K-pop. Yet, in interview, members of Crying Nut and Jambinai have told me they are apart from K-pop. They want to connect with like-minded music communities around the world, not promote the national brand.
K-pop entertainment agencies receive subsidies from the government; the government in 2013 pumped 319 billion won into Korean cultural promotion, an undefined chunk of which would have gone to K-pop agencies. That money rarely comes to indie bands.
In 2012, the K-pop industry was shaken when Psy, a rapper signed to YG Entertainment, found viral success with his music video for “Gangnam Style.” Many K-pop fandoms claimed he was not a K-pop idol, and there was much regret he was the breakthrough act. And all the entertainment agencies and government propaganda outlets were caught with their pants down with Psy’s success.
But instead of admitting defeat, these agencies attempted to take credit. Psy, a K-pop industry outsider, was crowned its king. Suddenly all those rock (and other) bands, previously derided as amateur, were welcomed to overseas events like SXSW’s “K-Pop Night Out,” sponsored and branded by the same Korean promotional outlets. Domestically, K-pop still refers to the superstar idol groups but producers must be careful not to be taken by surprise by not anticipating the next Psy.
So the narrative of K-pop not being limited to idol groups and including all Korean music was dictated by outward-looking Korean civil servants and cultural promotion agencies, not the musicians, their supporters or the general Korean public.
Now, we have kids in America trying to start their own "K-pop" acts _ like EXP Edition, Coco Avenue, even Jaden Smith. _ leading many to ask what is K-pop. These U.S. novelty acts aren't K-pop not because of their ethnicity or location _ the industry already has many notable non-Korean idols, guest producers and overseas units. They’re not K-pop because they aren't groomed and curated by one of the authoritarian K-pop entertainment agencies. Korean kids starting bands in their garages, so why should Americans be any different? They're free to audition just like anyone else.
I see K-pop not as a genre but a process. Presently, this process happens to churn out mainly idol groups. The point of K-pop is to make money off sales, yes, but it is also to promote certain propagandistic values. The Korean government spends billions of won to push K-pop overseas for soft diplomacy and nation branding. Foreign K-pop fans see what they want, something that challenges notions of masculinity, even carrying a pro-LGBT message where there is none. Domestically K-pop is quite conservative, pushing values such as collectivism, consumer capitalism and patriarchy while discouraging independent thought.
Standing in contrast, Korea's indie music communities are refuges for people looking to escape the omnipresence of K-pop and its societal trappings.
TK needs to ignore English buzzwords and cultural propaganda, and instead focus on Korea’s diverse music communities and processes.
The writer copyedits for The Korea Times.