Korean Pop Idols or Korean Slaves Korean pop culture is starting to make a big impact around the world especially around the U.S. with their catchy tunes, style and how amazing the idols look and dance. Everyone believes that these idols are living the life of luxury and making money, but they are not the same as our celebrities out in the U.S. It is known to very few people that Korean artists are living under slave like contracts, that tie them into long exclusive deals with little control or financial award. These idols have to keep up a image that was given to them to better the Korean image to people around the world. Korean artist now a days are comparing their contracts as "slave like” and are filing lawsuits against their own companies. …show more content…
In these contracts that the idols sign made by the companies there are somethings that they have to do that just might not be in there, that is to have surgery when the company wants them to. These companies don’t make them get huge surgeries like butt implants, it’s just on the idols face such as their nose,eyes mouth or even jawline. The reason for this is because koreans are known for looking really young and because kpop idols are so popular now people around the world expect all koreans to have that western type look that all the idols have. In a book written by Roald Maliangkaij called ‘The International Rise of the Korean Music Industry’ he claims that “The fashion, the hair,the clothes,the style-these things are just not always attainable. 95% of performers have probably had surgery.” The reason the government allows this is because it brings in more money for Korea through their pop culture and surgery since they are known to have the best doctors around to perform such surgeries. The reason that the government profits from this is because there are a lot of fans you would love to look like their favorite Kpop idols so they go to this amazing neighborhood in Seoul called Gangnam which is known for its culture of beauty and style(Cain,2015). Gregory Cain, a journalist who now lives in Korea wanted to know what the fuss was about for so many kpop idols wanting to get surgery so he went to Gangnam to Seoul 's biggest plastic surgery clinics and got his face to closely resemble G-Dragon from boy group Big Bang. While there he learned that the government commands one-quarter of the $21 billion global plastic surgery industry which attracted 300,000 medical tourist in 2014(Cain,2015). The reason behind all this plastic surgery making Korea loads of money is because everyone wants to look like a korean idol and have that mix of
The author clearly distinguishes K-pop from “traditional values of Korea” (Lie 360). This means that the first conceptions that come into people’s mind when thinking of traditional Korean culture such as Confucianism are not very much reflected in K-pop. However, he states that K-pop displays “cultural transformation of South Korea” and therefore holds characteristics of contemporary globalized Korean society rather than traditional features (361). In this sense, K-pop reflects the history of South Korea and also the role of global consumers throughout its
Music in every country has a history going back hundreds of years. It is an excellent type of entertainment that any person can enjoy. America being such a diverse country, any person regardless of race or gender needs to be given a fair shot in an opportunity to showcase his or her talent. However, there is a lack of Asians Americans represented in America. Asian Americans must go above and beyond on what is expected in the industry, compared to white and black Americans who seem to have it much easier. “Always, it is the Asian who assimilates, who must explain his or her prese...
...enshoff et al. (2009), it is important to mention that films that are produced by Hollywood are first and foremost strictly business. To Asian viewers, it may be easier to detect these faulty portrayals, but whether Hollywood casts a Korean to play a Japanese role, or a Chinese to play a Korean, it is all the same because Hollywood uses what works to sell its product well.
Chart-topping artists have long been able to capture America with music videos that feature catchy lyrics, buoyant beats, and a vivacity of visual elements. The appeal of these videos lies in the glorification of celebrity lives, playing on the desire for pleasure amongst viewers. In the quest to address this desire, a pattern of White artists adopting clothing, hairstyles, and language that are attributed to Black culture has manifested. The appropriation that is present in these videos make them a source of capitalism in which a dominant race or class of people are able to simplify cultural rudiments of another for the sake of commercial appeal. These elements are
A mixture of western and eastern music, Korean Pop, or Korean Pop, has boomed as fans drool over the idols, their dance moves, and their combination of Asian culture with Western hip-hop verses, Euro-pop choruses, rap, and even some dubstep. Korean Pop hit the waves in Asia quickly becoming popular in China, Japan, Singapore, Taiwan, Vietnam, and many other countries (John Seabrook, 2012). The Korean Wave has continued to spread throughout the East to countries farther west such as Saudi Arabia, Iran, and others, which are quickly getting drawn into the fan base (Clair Weber, 2014).
Although, Kpoppers do want to marry their favorite celebrities (who would not want to be able to marry their favorite celebrity?) they know, unlike Sasaeng fans, that the chance of that happening is highly unlikely. Both Kpoppers and Sasaeng fans are between the ages of early teens to any other age. There is not really a specific age where you have to stop liking or listening to Korean music. However, sasaeng behavior is seen more in girls in their early to late teens. I think that girls in their early teen years are very impressionable and naïve; Idol’s will tell them things like “you are the only ones for me” or “I love my fans the most” or “ I will never date.” When they hear things like that, the ones that do not have strong minds, will believe them. So when they said idols do start to date, Sasaengs will openly show dissatisfaction and displeasure about it, even threatening to kill themselves if the relationship is not broken off. The boundary line between what is right and what is wrong is not blurred for Sasaengs. They just choose to ignore them and instead blame their actions on
This SWOT analysis will look at K-pop at four sides to discuss how it become an international hit. 1. Strengths 1.1 A comprehensive and strict training system In order to become a K-pop singer in Korea, it is not an easy thing. The company had been looking for trainees long time before they actually decided to introduce a boy group or girl group.
In South Korea, for instance, the central character is played by a member of K-pop idol rather than an actor. K-pop idols, who make an important contribution to the global interest in the Korean Wave, are distinct from traditional singers due to their huge fan bases and their possibly limited singing capacity. Following the trend in South Korea, where pop idols act in media products like movies and television series, is the mode of localization. This leads to a new cultural form
Do you like music? How broad is your taste in music? If you’re into American pop and would like to try something new, Korean pop “KPOP” is something you should try. Kpop originated in 1992 in South Korea, completely changing the music game there. American pop we all know it is just one genre and mainly one sound. But with Kpop it is a range of genres, all of which i have listened to. Most kpop artist are in boy groups or girl groups, and each group has their own sound, from pop-rock. There is one boy group i personally think deserves the title as ‘princes of kpop’ as kpop fans would say. EXO is the best boy group and deserves the title as the princes of kpop due to their singing skills, dancing skills, acting skills , and their broad knowledge.
Americans believe that after ‘N Sync, boy bands were dead and then brought back by One Direction. Although One Direction is a British group, American has accepted them as the return of boy bands. That can be proven wrong by looking over at South Korea. While ‘N Sync lasted seven years a Korean boy band, Shinhwa, has been together for sixteen years and is still ongoing, meaning that One Direction was not the return of boy bands, but have just been added to the list. Kpop has been alive for very long and has found its way into peoples’ hearts. The fame that follows Kpop has introduced people into the Korean culture and has influence other parts of the world. Although KPop is a very important factor in the spread of Korean culture many people do not know what Kpop is, therefore the question would be what is Kpop and who are the biggest Kpop stars?
With the music being the highly profitable, capitalist enterprise that it is today, it is no wonder that it is controlled and regulated by a few large conglomerates that exist is today’s world. It is important to make clear that although evidence is being presented of the positive aspects of globalization through music that there is overwhelming evidence that cultural imperialism is more than it seems on the outside. One must keep in mind that cultural imperialism, globalization and the creation of a global village is a business. People are profiting at other people’s loss of cultural identity, they are sold a culture and heritage. With the every growing N’Sync fan clubs and Britney clones, the world is turning into a stage for pop culture and its glamorous unattainable standards.
Now, there is a phenomenon that occurs with Korean pop music and older Koreans. This phenomenon is a distinct characteristic of Korean pop that separates it from the older Korean pop music of the seventies. This phenomenon is that the older Korean people do not understand the words that come out of the mouths of the singers of Korean pop music that pumps out of the music industry of today in the nation of Korea. This phenomenon parallels that of the pop music of the biggest country of North America—also known by many humans as the United States of America—where older people have trouble connecting with the popular trends in music. This might be illustrated by American people who tend to like country music.
middle of paper ... ... Nevertheless, it is believed that globalization should continue to be promoted in the future, while actions should be taken in order to solve the negative impacts of it as well. Bibliography Farrar, L. (2012, December 31). Korean wave of pop culture sweeps across Asia.
YUN, T. Recent transformations in Korean law and society. Seoul, Korea: Seoul National University Press, 2000.
Celebrity fans are not only obsessed with their idols, but also want to look like them. Not to mention, cosmetic surgery costs a ton of money. However, the die-hard fans are willing to spend a bunch of money just to achieve the looks of their idols. According to them, it was worth it, considering the advantages they will feel, for instances like: people will admire them, and mistaken them as their idol. On the other hand, having a cosmetic surgery is excruciating and also gives financial