exploratory essay

Selling one’s soul for fame is not a new expression in today’s society. This term often refers to the music industry’s lack of individualistic rights for the artist. Throughout the history of music there have always been companies that have monopolized the market. Although the music industry of America has some what evolved as artists take more liberties with their own music. South Korea on the other hand is at a point in which the artists have less freedom to take control of their careers. Some refer to the contracts the artist make with the company as 'slave contracts'. These type of contracts define not only the image of the artist but how many years they are to be with the company. Although, others say that this is the price of stardom and being committed to their dream. This controversy is only a small part of the overarching model of how the Korean pop music industry works.

In the United States due to use of technology and social media today's artists do not have to relay heavily on record companies in order to become well known. As we now have more advance forms of self promotion. Furthermore, we do not associate coming a pop star through the use of training boot camps rather through show like American idol or the Voice. There is a large focus on the freedom of individual artistic license unlike in Korea were the pop genre focuses more on pop groups rather than the individual. The Korean music industry is more controlled and contained to certain companies much like how the American music industry used to be and in some ways still is. With the help of technology it is easy to rise to the top and just as easy to fall to obscurity. more My main source an article on Beyond Hallyu discussed two view points of “slav...

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...do not go into the extent or the severity of this issue. Furthermore, this is excepted as part of the music culture.

This acceptance plays into the different models one will find for the music industry. In comparison the music industry of the United States which has begun to push past large corporations as technology allows smaller unknown artist to get out there without a big record label. Furthermore, the use of groups verses individual pop stars play a huge role into the model and what is accepted as the norm.

As in Korea to become famous or an pop star idol one is trained and groomed for stardom.

Works Cited

Benjamin, Jeff. "Bekah, Former K-Pop Star, Talks Realities of Korean Music Industry." Billboard. N.p., 24 Oct. 2013. Web. 22 Feb. 2014.

Victoria. "K-Pop ‘Slave Contracts’ – A Closer Look." Beyond Hallyu. N.p., 26 Mar. 2013. Web. 22 Feb. 2014.