Can You Hear Me Now?

Radio DJs Speak on K-pop Traveling West, Trends and Controversy

“When I came to Korea I didn’t know anything about K-pop, and within four months I was obsessed with it,” explained JD.  This obsession eventually landed him a job.

“We were looking for a new host and when our producer saw his K-pop video clip, that’s when we knew we had the right person,” said Han Soo. “We wanted a host who had a passion and love for K-Pop.”

Han and JD host K-Popular, a daily lunchtime radio show on Gwangju Foreign Language Network (GFN) featuring K-pop music. The duo is playful and refreshingly bold on the air as they offer commentary about new music and emerging trends in the Korean music industry. The pairing of JD, an American, and Han, a Korean, represents in a way the new multiculturally engaged audience that K-pop hopes to attract.

“K-pop fandom started in Asia,” said Han.  “It became popular in the 90’s, but Westerners didn’t know anything about K-pop. That changed with ‘Gangnam Style.’ Because of the repetition of the song and rhythm, it was catchy even though Westerners didn’t know what PSY was talking about. They just liked it. I was very proud when PSY became a world star, and I think he opened the door for K-pop exports…These days people are living in different countries and learning to accept new cultures. Multiculturalism is making it easier for K-pop to grow. The timing is right.”

Even though JD is not a fan of “Gangnam Style,” he acknowledges that PSY made a significant contribution to drawing new Western consumers to K-Pop. JD was first introduced to K-Pop through his students.

“I was teaching and trying to relate to my students by playing Britney Spears or Christiana Aguilera,” said JD. “But my students didn’t know who they were. So I asked them who they listened to and they said Big Bang, Beast, 21, Girl’s Generation.”

He searched for these groups on You Tube and enjoyed them so much that he eventually started his own K-pop blog. He explained that many Westerners become instant K-pop fans after watching videos on You Tube and then create their own blogs or reaction videos.

“I traveled to London in January and interviewed reaction video internet stars, and K-pop dance groups and fans,” said JD. “The fandom there is crazy…A lot of fans are creating their own unique content. The Korean government has done a lot to promote K-pop, but the content fans create has it’s own energy. People get deeply involved. You get sucked into it.”

Han noted that record companies are forming groups of mixed nationalities, strategically including Chinese members in a group and re-recording songs in Chinese.

“Usually a group is promoted in Korea first and once they are big here they try to get big in Japan and China,” said Na Lindis, a K-Popular writer. “Once they are big in Japan and China other Asian countries take notice, and once you are big in Asia the West takes notice.”

Labels hold auditions in North America and Europe hoping to find new crossover talent.  However, JD remarked that the Korean language barrier often limits potential talent pools in the West to ethnic Koreans.

Groups like HOT, Girls Generation and Big Bang have helped this relatively new genre continue to evolve. All of these groups were assisted by the formidable weight of a handful of major record companies. Otherwise known as the Big Three, SM, JYP and YG Entertainment have produced most of the major stars to emerge from K-Pop. However, new independent labels, such as Antenna, are breaking away from the formulaic pop that the industry prefers, and are galvanizing new movements in K-pop.

“Hip hop is now being recognized in Korean music,” said JD. “New labels want artists that write their own stuff, produce their own stuff and play instruments…The tide is turning where you are not just a singer or performer. You are an artist.”

No stranger to controversy, K-pop is often accused of being over-sexualized and exploitative of both genders. Grinding girls and boys flashing abs are packaged to appeal to young audiences. Han and JD agreed that considering the body image pressures faced by Korean youth, it is difficult to dismiss K-pop as just entertainment.

“People dislike us on YouTube when we say that a video is too sexualized,” said Na. ”I think this objectification is degrading to all women in this country…For example the girl group EXID were such good singers with good songs, but they got famous by dancing sexy and are continuing to do that. I think this hides their true musical talent.”

Bridging the Western market seems within the grasp of K-pop, but will it ever be able to bridge the generational gap?

“When I was young my parents said I shouldn’t listen to K-pop because it was devilish,” recalls Han with a laugh. “I was banned from TV too. But I first heard about Seo Taiji and Boys from my friends. I would try to hum [Seo Taiji and Boys] songs with my friends even though I never heard or saw them.”

Though Han’s mother still doesn’t care for the loud electronic sound of K-pop, a few of her mother’s friends have become fans of K-pop idols.

“My mom’s friends watch a program where they remake old songs and the singers are K-pop stars,” said Han. “Since that program came out, they are starting to enjoy K-pop stars singing old songs for them.”