Beyond idols: How well do indie, hip-hop reflect Korean identity?

The Yangbans perform in Pulmujil, a bookstore owned by the band's singer Jun Bum Sun, right. Courtesy of Jun Bum-sun

“We don’t feel represented by K-pop, but we’re part of it, too,” two underground musicians in Seoul said.

While K-pop dominates global charts with its high-gloss image and meticulously produced idols, another current runs deeper through the city's music landscape, expanding the definition of what Korean music can be.

The Korea Times sat down with Jun Bum-sun, leader of indie rock band the Yangbans, and Moolompyo, a hip-hop and neo-soul artist, to question whether K-pop genuinely reflects Korean culture or if other genres have a stronger claim.

Determining the authenticity of a specific subculture is a complicated task, especially in the case of Korea, where history has played a major role in shaping collective identity. Due to its 1910-45 colonization by Japan, periods of Chinese influence and the U.S. military presence after the 1950-53 Korean War, Korea's cultural identity has undergone rapid and hybrid transformation. This raises the fundamental question, "What counts as authentically Korean?"

K-pop is often treated as the forefront of Korean culture, given its widespread popularity and replication across the globe. But for musicians like Jun and Moolompyo, K-pop doesn't reflect the full spectrum of Korean life.

“Pop just means popular music,” Jun said. “In that sense, some of my songs are pop. If K-pop is pop music made by Koreans, then technically, I'm part of it — and I'm not ashamed to say so.”

However, the “K-pop” label being sold globally rarely includes artists like the Yangbans or Moolompyo.

Moolompyo speaks during an interview on March 3. Courtesy of Daniela P. Solano

Moolompyo, who identifies as a neo-soul artist, mirrored the Yangbans leader's sentiment. “K-pop has always been around me. It´s inescapable, but it does not represent my reality,” he said. “It's heavily influenced by American pop culture. After the war, we didn't have many traditions left. A lot of what we do was shaped by what came from the U.S.”

Both artists frequently perform in Haebangchon, a neighborhood in Yongsan District that, according to Jun, is becoming what the Hongdae area was for indie music two decades ago. For this reason, it is common to find artists performing sporadic live jams in corners like Woori Super, a bottle shop located on Noksapyeong-daero, which embodies the communal spirit of Korea's underground music scene. But why is this scene not being showcased similarly to K-pop?

In terms of language, for example, Moolompyo insisted on writing and singing only in Korean.

“English is my second language. I don't know the slang or the cultural vibe. Singing in Korean is my identity. It feels new and fresh,” he said.

He grew up listening to Drunken Tiger, who he considers one of the few rappers who truly captures the essence of Korean life in his lyrics.

“He talks about what we eat, what we watch, how we curse at each other in the street — That's my Korea.”

For Jun, “pungnyu” — a term that literally means "wind flowing" in Korean, but refers to the traditional Korean appreciation for art, nature and harmony — is his true Korea. Transmitting this philosophy in his music is his way of being authentic to what he considers a true Korean tradition. He named his company Wind & Flow Society, as well as the Yangbans’ first EP, after this term.

“That's the true spirit of hallyu — pungnyu,” he said.

Yet both musicians maintain that their genres, indie rock and neo-soul/hip-hop, can still represent Korea just as much as K-pop does. However, it would look different to the polished image the world receives. It would be real and perhaps not always perfect, but why shouldn't devoted fans of the Korean wave appreciate how their artists genuinely live and navigate life?

While K-pop continues to dominate international headlines, artists like Jun and Moolompyo remind us that Korean culture is far more diverse than the idol-driven image suggests. For them, authenticity doesn’t lie in global trends but in the lived experience of everyday Koreans.

Daniela P. Solano is a cultural researcher and the founder of KoreanWave.Lab, a platform dedicated to promoting Korean underground subcultures. She hosts Korean Wave Radio, a monthly show broadcast in Mexico that highlights Korea’s independent music scene. Based in Seoul, she is also the Seoul correspondent for Mixmag Asia and works in marketing at Nyapi Seoul, an edgy underground music club. Her work explores the evolving identity of hallyu and challenges mainstream representations of Korean culture.