The sweet sound of K-pop

After six weeks in South Korea, I have found that one of the most important factors in assimilating into the culture is not learning the language, or understand social customs, but rather a broad understanding and appreciation for Korean Pop Music, known simply as K-pop.

You've probably heard of J-pop (Japanese pop). K-pop is essentially the same exact thing, though it seems as if the Koreans take every pop stereotype one step further into the realm of absurdity (see any Big Bang video for reference). Whether it's a slow, tear-jerking ballod, club hit, or even a sad attempt at tough-guy rap, these Korean pop stars give it their emotional all.

K-pop is ubiquitious in Seoul. Like trashy techno in Europe, K-pop becomes your daily soundtrack while roaming the city streets. It blasts from store front speakers, passing cars, subway stations, cell phones, and probably a Buddhist Temple or two. The interesting, yet predictable aspect of this K-pop invasion, is that you only really ever hear the same three to four songs. Right now the biggest hit is Davichi's single Love & War (who knows what it actually means in Korean). This song is HUGE. It makes Umbrella look like a Creed deep cut. The first time I heard this song was while watching an intense marathon of K-pop videos with some friends of mine. Though the entire song is in Korean and I can't understand a single word, the melody is so damn catchy that I found myself humming it for the next three days. Then I started to hear the song everywhere. Unlike in American however, where you start to absolutely hate those songs that are played for 6 months straight, K-pop songs seem to only get better with age....like a fine wine, if you will. Though it may be a stretch to compare a Davichi song to a delicious Pinot Noir, I still find myself smiling and often humming along when I hear that song (multiple times a day). Here is Davichi's video in all it's glory.



Now Davichi is great and all, but this is my favorite K-pop video. I have never heard a song that embodies the term "Bubble Gum Pop" as much as Kara's Rock U. I first heard this song during that same stretch of music videos, and it knocked me off the couch. The video is sweet too, especially the part where they eat paint. Unfortunately this song is a rarity out in public, though I often play it at my apartment as sort of a pump-up song before venturing out into the chaos of Seoul. Maybe this was like the song of the summer and I arrived too late, or maybe people just don't dig Kara as much as I do.

Shake it Shake It





Now, there is one final person you need to be aware of in the K-pop scene, and that's Lee Hyori. She is essentially the Britney Spears of Korea. Anything she touches turns to gold, especially the multiple Soju brands she advertises for. Unlike Davichi and Kara however, Hyori's songs lack any sign of poppy charm. Maybe it's Hyori's constant and repetitive use of simple English phrases and slogans that makes me detest her music. Unfortunately, that is also probably the reason she is so damn popular. Here is an example. This song is called You Go Girl. I apologize in advance if you can't get it out of your head for a few days.



So that is K-pop 101. I hope you enjoy. If there are any updates or hot jams in the scene, I will be sure to keep you posted. However, given the length of time that these songs stay popular, don't expect a new single until '09.