Hegemony and K-pop

Courtesy of Rosa Menkman

By David A. Tizzard

“We don't want to change our identity or our genuineness to get the number one. Like if we sing suddenly in full English, and change all these other things, then that's not BTS,” said RM of Korea's world famous pop group in a 2019 interview with Time magazine.

But things do change. Opinions shift. And new and exciting opportunities present themselves. Two years ago, BTS were wondering if they would get a Billboard number one. They've now had multiple number ones and continue to break records as they do. Their video releases have become genuinely global events commented on by the World Health Organization and beyond.

More than just this, however, they continue to inspire and bring love to fans all over the world. BTS are more than just music: they're a movement. They have brought together people of all ages and cultures to share in an experience that is both life-affirming and life-changing at the same time. And what makes something valuable in our present age is not the material object itself but rather the idea and feelings that it provokes in the consumer. The value of BTS is how they make people feel and this is true of most good art.

With this understanding of the real impact the group has had on millions of people's lives, I nevertheless feel that their current success in the American pop charts is not achieving the revolutionary acts some in the press might claim. K-pop is not taking America by storm with “Dynamite,” “Butter,” and “Permission to Dance.” BTS has not changed the charts: the charts have changed them. Or they have changed themselves for the charts. Either way, the charts remain the same. And to succeed, for the most part, you follow a certain formula.

To be clear, this is not an easy thing to do. I'm sure countless artists have attempted to achieve chart success in America through all manner of approaches and either failed gloriously or simply fallen into irrelevance. BTS have done neither: they've absolutely crushed it. But how?

After their transformation from the early hip-hop concept, they eventually found what was a somewhat unique and winning formula. They were writing and producing their own songs, they were singing and performing in Korean, their choreography and dance was super slick, they explored ideas of masculinity, and they were addressing relevant domestic social issues. Their work shimmered with philosophical ideas ― classic literature quoted in their music, imagery and metaphor filling their videos, and existentialism characterizing their products. This was something different. It was why they were a force to be recognized with.

The genre-bending and schizophrenic sounds of “DNA” and “Fake Love”; the art-filled video of “Blood, Sweat and Tears” complete with Herman Hesse, Icarus, Renaissance art, and Biblical illusions sending fans into explorations of the world and ― ultimately ― themselves; the three minutes of contemplation at the start of “Euphoria” before any music actually started. It was all something that, whether you liked it or disliked it, would often only be found in BTS. Or at least not something you would find as easily in Western pop songs.

Now, however, their songs are written in the West with Ed Sheeran penning their recent blockbuster. The songs are all in English, they use random cowboy and disco concepts in their videos and costumes, and they sing about things such as “Cups of milk,” “King Kong,” and “Smooth criminals.” To my ears, the last three English language songs are indistinguishable from other western pop in style, delivery, and format. Without a music video as a guide and just listening to the track, admittedly not something that happens often these days, the average listener wouldn't think it was not from a “Western” artist. Instead of occupying a niche and doing the weird, they've worked out what tops American charts and they've bought forward those songs. And to be fair, they've succeeded.

But it raises the question: can there be an internationally (see American) successful K-pop group that defies the established traditions, musical arrangement, and genre, or does it always have to conform to the standards there? And isn't the current success actually reinforcing the hegemonic structure rather than actually challenging it?

Dr. David A. Tizzard (datizzard@swu.ac.kr) has a Ph.D. in Korean Studies. He is a social/cultural commentator and musician who has lived in Korea for nearly two decades. The views expressed in the article are the author's own and do not reflect the editorial direction of The Korea Times.