The Future of K-pop: Not Too Dark?

If you have been paying attention to the latest music scene, I am sure you have heard of “What Makes You Beautiful” by One Direction (if you haven’t, you can listen to the song here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJO3ROT-A4E).  One Direction is a British-Irish boy band that has recently topped the iTunes chart with their debut album “Up All Night.” According to New York Times, the group sold 176,000 copies of their debut album in its first week of release, and the members of the band, whose ages range from 17 to 20, have generated a massive fan base. Also, the new Disney TV show “Shake it Up” just recently released a music video of their sound track “Something to Dance for/TTYLXOX” performed by two Disney stars Zendaya and Bella Thorne (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cy7o_jNeoEw). The music video is currently #2 on iTunes Music Video chart.

With One Direction’s success, some music critics claimed that boy bands are the new big thing. Also, the “Shake it Up” music video is very similar to K-pop as they have the 90s dance music and synchronized dance routines. Wait, are boy bands coming back? Does that mean K-pop actually has a chance to be popular in the U.S. this time? My prediction is, with the right strategies and talent, I think the future of K-pop is very bright in the U.S.

Even in the past 6 months, what the Korean top three agencies have achieved in the U.S. is very impressive. On January 31, 2012, SM Entertainment’s Girls Generation made its American TV debut on David Letterman Show. Furthermore, YG Entertainment’s 2NE1 recently signed a contract with Will.I.Am., who is the front man of Black Eyed Peas, to produce their album in English. In February, Alicia Keys’ husband and a famous hip-hop producer Swizz Beats also singed a contract with a Korean agency, promising to bring K-pop to America. 

Girls Generation on Letterman Show

It is certainly astonishing what the Korean producers and agencies have achieved; however, I think it is time for them to take one step further by thinking about the following ideas:

1. Collaborate with local agencies, stylists, and songwriters: It is imperative to collaborate with local producers who fully understand the market. When you look at K-pop groups outfits, you might think the outfits are too “weird” or “out of fashion.” The smart move will be working with American stylists to dress K-pop artists in a way that would be more appealing to the American audience. 

2. Understand American pop culture through American fashion and film: When JYP’s Wonder Girls appeared in a Teen Nickelodeon movie, and when RAIN had a Hollywood lead role in the film “Ninja Assassin,” both Wonder Girls and RAIN gained exposure and popularity from the mainstream audience.

3. Not just learn the language but be familiar with the culture: Even though Wonder Girls and RAIN spent a lot of time and effort to be fluent in English, they failed to understand the American culture. Their interviews on American TV shows were extremely dull. When they were being interviewed by American reporters, they were being very humble, which is the right thing to do in Asian culture, but they rather seemed timid and unconfident on American TV. They also did not follow any of American jokes, which made them look even more boring. Wouldn’t Americans want to see someone funny and confident? It is important to learn the language and have a sense of American humor and confidence.

With the right game plans, the future of K-pop in the U.S. is bright. Also, the Korean Big 3s have learned their lesson: simply translating the Korean lyrics of a K-pop song to English won’t make the song “American.” Furthermore, with the re-gained popularity of boy bands and dance music in America, K-pop is finally in synch with the right trend. The Korean producers must take this opportunity as their final chance to understand the American music market and appeal to the mainstream audience with the right type of music.

There have been many interactions and collaborations between the European music industry and American music industry. As a matter of fact, many American pop songs are produced by European producers and DJs. Why can’t we build the same bridge across the Pacific Ocean, between the U.S. and Asia? One day, I hope to see the same level of collaboration between the American artists and Korean artists.