The music of Korea is slowly taking over the world. That’s certainly how it seems with groups like BTS becoming such a phenomenon across the globe. The seven-piece band, which is probably the best example of K-Pop success right now, have already achieved a number one album and multiple top ten singles here in the US. Their last record sold 2.3 million copies worldwide, and it’s likely their next release will be just as successful. Why have BTS and other Korean acts suddenly become so trendy though?
K-Pop primarily refers to any pop music that stems from Korea, and it’s been gaining significant attention around the world for the last decade. Gangnam Style by Psy pretty much started the trend, with the catchy-yet-bizarre track topping the charts in over 30 countries. The video for the song became the first to ever exceed one billion views, with sales of the song managing more than 5 million in the US alone.
When Gangnam Style first became popular, a lot of people wondered why listeners were embracing something so peculiar. However, in the years since, it’s success hasn’t seemed so strange. That’s probably because respect for K-Pop has grown significantly, and it continues to rise by the day.
Why we love K-Pop
You can typically tell when someone from Korea makes a music video because it’s like nothing you’ve ever seen before. The visuals are usually colorful and eye-popping, something that matches the personalities of the singers perfectly. It’s impossible to be a star in the K-Pop scene without having a strong personality, and that’s perhaps why the music is becoming so trendy. People are intrigued by the visuals, and captivated by the performers.
Of course, that’s not the only reason that K-Pop has been on the rise. Their songs are usually insanely catchy, and their lyrics deeper than typical pop songs. Moreover, the work that goes into performing a song is more than you’d ever expect from someone. K-Pop stars give us the synchronized choreography that we loved with groups like NSYNC, but without all the cheesiness.
Working for the money
K-Pop’s rise to stardom might have appeared like an overnight success, but it’s actually something that’s been years in the making. Unlike with most American artists, singers in places like Korea are groomed from a young age to become megastars. Years of training helps prepare them to be performers before they’ve even released a song, and the rest of the world is finally seeing that hard work.
All this training sounds grueling, particularly as singers begin working towards their careers from a young age. There’s a reason performers are referred to as signing “slave contracts” when they become part of the business. However, the industry executives clearly know what they’re doing, because they’ve managed to manufacture a success story right before our very eyes. They’ve put in the hours training this new generation of K-Pop stars, and it’s finally paying off.
As BTS and other Korean acts continue to dominate the music scene, it’s clear that K-Pop isn’t going anywhere. The band and their predecessors have spent years carving out a path of success, and they’re not going to let that go to waste. They’re here for the long haul, and to that we only have one thing to say – good!
