|
Korean Job Discussion Forums
"The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Teachers from Around the World!"
|
| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
UlsanBoy
Joined: 19 Jun 2011
|
 Posted: Sun Oct 02, 2011 9:25 am Post subject: The Guardian: Girls' Generation lead K-pop invasion of Japan |
 |
|
South Korean bands sweep 'cute' J-pop idols from charts to conquer world's second largest music market
The language is unmistakably Japanese, the lyrics delivered in familiar high-pitched tones over a backdrop of electronica. But the wave of pop music sweeping Japan is not the sugar-coated homegrown variety that has long clogged the airwaves.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/sep/30/japanese-pop-girls-generation |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Gorf
Joined: 25 Jun 2011
|
| Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2011 12:55 am Post subject: |
|
|
| NY - Reuter's - In other news, vomit has knocked off poop as the world's most repulsive substance. No one knows how long this trend will last. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
happiness
Joined: 04 Sep 2010
|
| Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2011 3:05 am Post subject: |
|
|
Um...Shojou Jidai is not that big, and they are latecomers tothe scene. Id say Kara is bigger, but still...most of my friends like to look that the videos, but they dont dig the singers as much. Theyre tall and well made up, and Japanese pop fans arent used to that. Japanese rockers and singers are more normal, then again, most people can wear the same fashions as their fave singers there, being Japan is big into brands and brands go crazy for the market.
When I read the article, it felt more like a Korean article translated. I know some J-gals and guys like K-pop, theres alot that dont. Dont forget the big thing about ti all, K-artists have to go abroad, and then they have to sing in a langauge thats not their own, and act differently as well. Thats not nationalistic pride, thats for money. Of course, Japan is a great place to do music, and I personally say, as someone who has worked in music, Korea isnt. Artists always fall of the face of the earth. Id ventured to say 21 is the biggest group now, and their music has totally gone to sound like US club music. All the English, the Gyopo singers and such, the club beats...
just saying. I think the K-wave is a bit exagerated, but the cheap exchange rate right now is the biggest attraction for Japanese coming here. Its 1500won to 100 yen. THATS SO CHEAP. imo, thats manipulated, and Korean singers are exported to countries that dont have a strong pop music industry of their own (china, se asia), and Japan, every 10 years or so goes through this. Before K-pop, it was Hong Kong culture a bit back.
just saying, I dont buy it. Its so easy to manipulate the media now, in fact, its the norm.
last time I was in Fukuoka, I saw Beast on tv beatboxing. I thought why?!? Japan has some of the best musicians in the world for modern music (Japanese hiphop is a big market, Korean hiphop is an afterthought). Why would they be impressed with a Korean beatboxing? It was Fuji tv though, so then I understood. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
nero
Joined: 11 Mar 2009
|
| Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2011 5:48 am Post subject: |
|
|
Yeah, it has to be all hype.
I recall a few years ago when I lived in Japan, walking to my job through namba walk and at the end just heaps of unemployed dudes doing their b boy shit and heaps of girls just dancing and dancing for HOURS I mean spinning on their heads kind of stuff. This is a media ploy. 'Hey let's give you something 'different' - the real cool cats are so far ahead of korea it's embarrassing. Kpop will pick up a few followers (my Japanese co workers told me they find the Koreans 'masculine' *snort*) but really, it ain't groundbreaking, right? It's just retreading the age old b.s. that the retards like.
Man, I wish this country would do something original ( and NO don't link a hundred Korean 'indie' bands for me to peruse..they all sound like Collective Soul and it ain't right). |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
rainism
Joined: 13 Apr 2011
|
| Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2011 6:20 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Quote: |
| my Japanese co workers told me they find the Koreans 'masculine' |
say that AGAIN? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Steelrails
Joined: 12 Mar 2009
Location: Earth, Solar System
|
| Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2011 3:10 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Hell hath no fury like westerners and their opinions about music.
Geez, people need to seriously lighten up when it comes to music.
Whatever music is about, its not what these uber-serious types are making it out to be.
If you like it, listen to it and enjoy it.
| Quote: |
| my Japanese co workers told me they find the Koreans 'masculine' |
1)Nothing wrong with people having different concepts of masculinity. Different is not wrong.
2)I think they mean the Korean actors who tend to portray gangsters/sleazebags in Korean movies and such or their crooners, not the boy bands. Not necessarily a Schwarzenegger manliness, maybe like a Sinatra or Bobby Darin manliness. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
chrisinkorea2011
Joined: 16 Jan 2011
|
| Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2011 6:16 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I just find it funny that korean singers want so desperately to achieve the success in the japanese market as well, BUT they will boycott when japanese musicians try to come to korea. funny world aint it? lol
Give it some time, the whole kpop thing in japan will fall through. I personally love J rock/visual kei, have for years. It was refreshing to see that X Japan was playing in korea even if they are super old compared to newer japanese groups. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
rainism
Joined: 13 Apr 2011
|
| Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2011 7:50 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Steelrails wrote: |
| Quote: |
| my Japanese co workers told me they find the Koreans 'masculine' |
1)Nothing wrong with people having different concepts of masculinity. Different is not wrong.
2)I think they mean the Korean actors who tend to portray gangsters/sleazebags in Korean movies and such or their crooners, not the boy bands. Not necessarily a Schwarzenegger manliness, maybe like a Sinatra or Bobby Darin manliness. |
beg to differ on no. 1. Under your definition, being a drag queen can be "masculine".
agreed to no.2. In fact, it's the Korean "bad guys", like gangsters, etc who exude a certain coolness and masculinity. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
nero
Joined: 11 Mar 2009
|
| Posted: Tue Oct 04, 2011 3:09 am Post subject: |
|
|
| No, they told me Korean men have 'big shoulders' so I think it's mostly physical. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
rainism
Joined: 13 Apr 2011
|
| Posted: Tue Oct 04, 2011 3:29 am Post subject: |
|
|
| nero wrote: |
| No, they told me Korean men have 'big shoulders' so I think it's mostly physical. |
compared to WHOM? Japanese guys? I can't say I've noticed any difference but then again, I haven't looked closely.
small shoulders and even smaller?????
everything I've bought here is always too tight for true comfort around neck and shoulders, even when I buy Korean double XXL (equivalent to American XL)
so I don't buy anything here. (and overpay in the process) |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
DIsbell
Joined: 15 Oct 2008
|
| Posted: Tue Oct 04, 2011 5:00 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Steelrails wrote: |
| Hell hath no fury like westerners and their opinions about music. |
Ok, calendar.
First, just because Korea doesn't have a particularly diverse enough music scene to support more widespread presence of criticism doesn't mean that other non-Western countries aren't critical/picky/opinionated about music. Japan is a fairly solid example. Quite a diverse, developed, and accomplished music scene there and plenty of people who are into music and opinionated about it.
Anyways, it's a shame that all the hubub is about pop music in Japan when there are so many amazing Japanese artists that actually do well/have done well internationally in other genres. Toe, BORIS, Tujiko Noriko, Number Girl, Pillows, World's End Girlfriend, Shinichi Osawa, Downy, etc and so on.
But I'll agree with you about the K-pop manliness. Compared with the image put forth by Japanese pop-stars, male K-poppers generally come off as studly. Japan originated the flower boy phenomenon and now there's a trend of "herbivore" men in Japan. The visual Kei stuff also has men looking pretty made-up with long hair and very slight figures. Then you look at some of the K-pop dudes, who might not be as big as all the proud-barbarian Mr. Universes on this board, that have hair cropped shorter and pretty ripped physiques (and constantly show them off with ab-flashes and shirt removals)... and yeah, the manliness angle makes total sense, especially in an Asian context where chest-hair, full beards, Vikings, and lumberjacks have never really been part of the picture. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
rainism
Joined: 13 Apr 2011
|
| Posted: Tue Oct 04, 2011 7:05 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Quote: |
| The visual Kei stuff also has men looking pretty made-up with long hair and very slight figures. |
= Koreans (also)
maybe the Korean physiques have broader shoulders by several millimeters.
anyone notice one of the M Blaq boys in their Mona Lisa video (I actually like the song) is wearing a skirt?
btw disbell, no beard, no lumberjack clothes or looks, but I'm not touching my chest hair.
the women seem to like it (even many Asian ones)  |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Squire
Joined: 26 Sep 2010
Location: Jeollanam-do
|
| Posted: Tue Oct 04, 2011 7:35 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| I'm surprised K pop hasn't made it in the UK yet. There are droves of 'music lovers' who are into manufactured girl/boy groups singing songs other people wrote. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Steelrails
Joined: 12 Mar 2009
Location: Earth, Solar System
|
| Posted: Tue Oct 04, 2011 8:07 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Touche
Hell hath no fury like a bunch of Korean teenage girls and their opinions about boy bands.
Anyways...
One thing I was thinking of, people listen to music for a variety of reasons, in no particular order
1)To link with a community. Think singing songs together in church or in the army or at the noraebang or in the club. A shared "songbook".
2)Technical Appreciation of the music. Usually for more "hardcore" listeners.
3)It's catchy/sounds good. Often, but not necessarily more casual music listeners. It sounds good to them and they like it. I think people beat up on these music listeners for no good reason, when in fact isn't that the point of music? It sounds good and I like it.
4)The music puts them in a certain mood. Jazz got people drinking. Country gets people drinking. Crunk music gets people drinking. Coffee Shop Indie gets people drinking coffee.
5)Closely related to number 4, Some people listen to music to experience the emotions of the singer/performer/musician.
6)Some people listen to music to be part of a narrow group. This is a bit different than #1. #1 is about coming together, #6 is about separation. Think people who listen to ICP or Deathcore or some relatively obscure genre.
7)Expression of individuality. The music they listen to expresses who they are. This can be relatively calm, or extreme. But the listener to some extent has music as part of their individual identity.
8)Association with past events or Visual experiences. The music is used to mentally transport the person to some other reality. It could be a past one or a fantastical one.
9)Outright snobbery. Music is a tool to promotes oneself, but more importantly a tool to look down on other people. This phenomenon seems to be exploding.
Reasons 1-8 for listening to music all have their merits.
Reason 9, which seems to be rampant, is sad. I think people these days put way, way, way too much importance into musical tastes.
I just don't get why people liking certain kinds of music bothers some people so much. And I don't get how those people come up with silly reasons why the music they listen to makes them a better/smarter person.
Even snobs listen to music for at least one of the reasons 1-8. Just because someone listens to music for one of the other reasons doesn't make them a bad music listener.
It's kind of like someone who rides a bicycle for purposes of racing looking down on mountain bikers or people who use a bicycle to commute or people who just like to casually ride a bike. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
rainism
Joined: 13 Apr 2011
|
| Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2011 12:19 am Post subject: |
|
|
i just don't understand how a good pop song like "Mona Lisa" or "Lonely" can be treated as part of the same genre or equal to something that causes an immediate gag reflex and hurling chunks, for e.g.
"Roly Poly", "Gee" and most stuff by Korean girl bands.
btw.. Party Rock Anthem causes me to hurl chunks too. yet my Korean teenage students can't get enough of that song.
when I was a teenager I listened to "cool" music 
(true). and it wasn't pop. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
