BLACKSWAN expands scope of K-pop

K-pop group BLACKSWAN / Courtesy of D.R Music

By Hong Hye-min

K-pop artists used to be typified by Korean upstarts who enrolled in a trainee system operated by the country's myriad of talent agencies from a very young age. However, this definition has taken on a broader meaning amid the continued evolution of K-pop and significant changes taking place within the industry.

BLACKSWAN originally debuted in 2020 as a multinational idol group with both Korean and non-Korean members. However, it became the first K-pop band comprised only of non-Korean members after the last of its Korean contingent left the group in 2022. The group is currently made up of Fatou from Belgium, Sriya from India, Gabi from Brazil and Nvee from the United States, all of them winning contestants in an audition program run by D.R Music.

BLACKSWAN's all-international lineup gives it a unique identity, unlike most other idol groups that have gone through the grueling K-pop trainee process. But there can be no doubts about BLACKSWAN's credentials as a legitimate K-pop group, as all their lyrics Korean and mainly target the domestic audience. Nevertheless, BLACKSWAN has caught the attention of fans from abroad for being the first-ever K-pop idol group to have no Korean members among its ranks.

BLACKSWAN has further dispelled any lingering doubts about its identity as a K-pop idol group with the release of a new digital album marking their return titled “That Karma.” BLACKSWAN has appeared on many Korean music programs in recent weeks, showcasing the title track of its new album “Karma” with Korean lyrics.

This is unlike other idol groups formed outside of Korea that have gone through the K-pop trainee system, but operate mostly in markets abroad. BLACKSWAN is more than just a collection of non-Korean artists of the K-pop industry, and their distinctly Korean identity is exemplified by the painstaking efforts they made in learning Korean etiquette and the proper use of linguistic honorifics.

BLACKSWAN's diversity may have caught the attention of an increasing number of global K-pop fans, but its members say they will continue to focus mostly on their activities in Korea. This may change, but BLACKSWAN's members are clearly intent on presenting themselves to the world as K-pop artists operating out of Korea, rather than non-Koreans operating in foreign markets.

The foreign media has taken notice of BLACKSWAN's unique approach and their possibility of success in the US, Belgium, India, Brazil and Germany, where the members hail from. Industry watchers have also identified Latin America as a possible new market for BLACKSWAN through collaborations between the group with Latin musical artists.

All this marks a meaningful step forward in what's been dubbed the “K-pop 3.0” era, opening up a new world of possibilities of K-pop while addressing the many questions and doubts that have dogged the industry for years. This new generation of K-pop raises questions about language and race, and as such, there is still debate over the exact definition of a K-pop artist, especially when Korea's JYP Entertainment formed the Japanese girl group NiziU.

BLACKSWAN's pedigree as artists who have gone through the K-pop trainee system and embody the essence of K-pop despite being non-Korean provides some resolution to K-pop's lingering identity crisis. Furthermore, they have shown the industry a way forward in more effectively targeting global markets with artists from international backgrounds, all the while preserving the core identity of K-pop.

BLACKSWAN's emergence is expected to have a significant bearing on the future direction of K-pop. If idol groups centered around Korean artists initially paved the way for K-pop's international success, the torch should be passed on to K-pop groups representing diversity to broaden the industry's scope in the global markets.

Hong Hye-min (hhm@hankookilbo.com) is a reporter at The Hankook Ilbo, a sister publication of The Korea Times. This article, previously published in The Hankook Ilbo, has been translated as part of a news-sharing program.