K-pop powerhouses target trot genre, eye new audience

A photo of "T-5," a trot group created as a joint project of SM Entertainment and TV Chosun / Courtesy of SM Entertainment

K-pop powerhouses, including SM Entertainment and JYP Entertainment, are venturing into trot music to diversify their portfolios, aiming to tap into the genre's substantial fan base, which has traditionally consisted of older demographics.

Trot is a genre of popular Korean music that emerged in the early 20th century, characterized by a rhythmic, upbeat tempo, and sentimental lyrics.

SM Entertainment is taking a stab at the genre, joining hands with the local network, TV Chosun. The network is known for creating one of the most popular trot audition shows, “Miss Trot” and “Mr. Trot,” which saw a 35.7 percent viewership rating in its first season.

The agency announced a new project, “T-5,” in late August to assemble a trot group. The project will bring together five members from diverse backgrounds, including a participant from “Mr. Trot,” a K-pop trainee, and an actor, to debut as a trot boy group.

The group’s journey to debut will be documented in a reality show, set to air in the latter half of this year in both Korea and Japan. A special preview of the show will be featured as part of a Chuseok holiday program next week.

The project, which kicked off earlier this year, will have composer Cho Yeong-su, who wrote many hit trot songs, as the chief producer for the group, collaborating with SM Entertainment’s K-pop composers.

“By blending K-pop and trot, we believe we can offer a new and exciting musical experience. The journey of these five members, each with their own distinct personality, is also quite moving. We hope you will support and eagerly anticipate the project,” SM’s chief administrative officer, Lee Sung-soo, said in the release.

JYP Entertainment is also expanding its reach beyond K-pop idols to include various music genres, such as trot. Last month, the company established a subsidiary label, INNIT Entertainment, appointing long-time performance director Park Nam-yong and executive Yoon Jae-ho as its new heads.

The label’s first project will be managing the artists from KBS’s upcoming audition show “The Ddanddara,” which the broadcaster co-created with JYP’s founder and head, Park Jin-young.

The show intends to discover talented individuals across various entertainment fields, including acting and both classical and trot music genres.

This strategic expansion comes as trot music experiences a revival, largely fueled by stars from the first season of "Mr. Trot." Contestants from the show hold five of the top 20 spots for debut solo album sales on the Hanteo Chart. Notably, the show's winner, Lim Young-woong, propelled his one-person agency, Mulgogi Music, to 36 billion won in sales last year. While this figure is smaller compared to SM Entertainment's 960 billion won and JYP's 560 billion won, Lim's solo-driven success is remarkable.

Pop culture critic Ha Jae-geun noted that music labels are seeking to expand to different genres to alleviate the risk of focusing on just K-pop.

"From an agency's perspective, diversifying their revenue streams is essential. Focusing solely on K-pop idols can be highly rewarding when things go well, but there are also times when it doesn't work out, and the risks are significant," he said.

"And since Trot has considerable events and performances in the domestic music market, they probably see potential there and are trying to enter that market."

The critic added that the impact of these initiatives will likely reshape perceptions of trot music, stirring young audiences’ interest in the trot genre, which has been more popular among the older generation.

"Instead of relying on middle-aged singers who have traditionally specialized in trot, they will utilize idol trainees or younger singers in similar circumstances, as they have experience managing idols," he said.

"So they see the potential to create a new sensation with those singers who can also dance. They believe this approach could bring a fresh perspective to the trot genre."