Thanks to China, Kpop Dominates U.S. and the West (country, place)

[attisbons]

Kpop is breaking records left and right in the world right now. I'm not sure how much Kpop appeals to the demographics of this forum, but truly they are doing some remarkable things among the young millennials.

For example, a global Kpop group sensation called BTS ("Bulletproof Boy Scouts") have just CRACKED the U.S. market, and here's what they have achieved in the last few weeks/months:

1) First Kpop/Asian group EVER to chart no.1 on U.S. iTunes with their latest single "Mic Drop remix" (no.1 in 55 other countries currently - trending no.1 on Youtube).
2) Guinness record for having the BIGGEST presence on Twitter ever/winning the Billboard music award that dethroned Justin Bieber on Twitter votes (over 300 million votes!)
3) First Asian/Kpop group EVER to perform at the ABC's American Music Awards; Jimmy Kimmel Live; James Corden Show and Ellen Degeneres. Tickets at all these shows were sold out in seconds. Countless number of Hollywood outlets have covered the massive BTS fanbase and interviewed the group.

4) Finally, they will appear on Dick Clark/ABC's 2018 New Year's Rocking Eve with Ryan Seacrest. For Americans, this is arguably the BIGGEST prime-time show EVER that many many Americans will be watching.

Some articles (such as Forbes) have written that this phenomenal rise of Kpop in America particularly may be thanks to China, since the sour S.Korea-China tensions due to THAAD have compelled South Korean artists to look for an opening elsewhere.

Truly impressive.

What do you guys think of the rise of Kpop not only in Asia, but in the Americas/West? Personally, I think this is significant given that the fandom has only grown since the days of one-hit wonder Psy, it's also great for Asian representation in the Western media, as there previously has been very few globally popular Asian artists.

[Mattks]

I personally think kpop is overrated. I like some Korean tv, movies, and music. But I’m not really a fan of kpop and not really sure it deserves such a high reputation. But I’m also not a fan of the most recent American pop music.

S Korean-China relations will improve, China’s media and government is running some strong anti S Korean propaganda, but they will change to some other country in a few years. Chinese nationalism kind of cycles for whatever the government/media aims at. Almost every country is the same, but Chinese for whatever reason, just really gobble it up.

[tangelag]

Okay, here goes. I LOVE BTS! I was hooked the moment I saw their first MV.

They’ve been compared to the Beatles and I agree. They are something very special. They are humble; talented (doesn’t matter to me that they are the creation of an ‘idol manufacturer’). They are the raw material and they have risen to the occasion; have likeable personalities; work ethic; real connection to fans; thus social media domination; savvy PR...

Many don’t know that their music/videos are conceptual and frequently tied to literature, philosophy and these concepts are tied together in sequential songs/videos. The references are intriguing.

Gorgeous presentation and video/cinematographic beauty/innovation. They have a spectacular ‘presence’. I think they have correctly taken the pulse of young music fans and they are running with it.

They have (as often happens in Asia) taken essentially American concepts and have done them much, MUCH better.

One other (very important) thing: They have excelled in learning from African American music and dance, particularly Hip Hop, Rap, R&B and Blues, and it’s an awesome combination. It’s not your run of the mill ‘pop’. There is much thought that has gone into the creation of this group. Kudos to them for this.

EDIT:

As to it being due to China? I didn’t have an opinion when I started writing this, but I really don’t think it is due solely to China. I think it is a combination of right time/right place and in the case of BTS, the talent, presence of the group is just an amazing phenomenon.

To tell the truth, I recently bought ALL of their music (most of it unheard) for the sole purpose of helping them reach their goals. Happily, I enjoy every song that they’ve made.



...I’m a fan...

[Dangerous-Boy]

i listen to edm

[OyCrumbler]

But they copied everything from Acid Mothers Temple. Try listening through a few Acid Mothers Temple albums and you’ll see.

[Zambon]

Kpop is most likely catching on because western pop music has become too damn weird. Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus, etc are terrible to listen to and even worse to look at. Particularly for young girls. Then you have acts like Justin Bieber selling records to prepubescent girls using sexiness...we have all lost our minds over here, meanwhile, Kpop is decent entertainment.

[tangelag]

Originally Posted by OyCrumbler

But they copied everything from Acid Mothers Temple. Try listening through a few Acid Mothers Temple albums and you’ll see.

Who copied them? I listened and heard ‘acid’ music a la Hendrix.

[Bettafish]

I don't listen to Kpop but I think their dance-singer groups are very famous. Basically few other countries produce so many groups nowadays.

In China "sexually charged dancing" is often disallowed, and the companies only dare use teenage girls and boys to perform something nonsexual. These teen groups are very popular in Chinese language communities, such as SNH48, TF Boys.

[415_s2k]

I can't stand the music but honestly compared to the pop that's coming out of the US right now, which is just... terrible, and oversexed and increasingly unnecessarily politicized or scandalized for the sake of pushing records, well, I'd rather have my daughter listening to kpop between the two.

[Douglas Dakota]

I love Korea but I don't like K-pop. Neither do I like those current Pop-Songs of the West.
80s Rock or nothing.