What is K-pop and why is your child so obsessed with it.

What is K-pop and why is your child so obsessed with it.

 

Here’s what’s happened. You’ve come home from a long day of work, you’re tired and want some peace and quiet. But as soon as you put your foot through that door, you’re blasted away from loud music resonating from your child’s bedroom. You shout one two three times, telling them to turn off that noise but no answer. Thoroughly annoyed, you kick off your shoes, dump your bag and slam their bedroom door open. Only to discover them wiggling their hips to vocals in a foreign language. Oh mama maii oh ma ma maiii are the last words you hear before the door is shut in your face.

 

Months pass by and all you hear from them is unfamiliar lingo like bias, light stick, 190716 Momo, bt21 and most importantly who is this Jungkook character they worship with their blood, sweat and tears. The fear of the possibility of them having joined a cult takes over, forcing you to search up what exactly is K-pop and why is my child so obsessed with it.

 

Now if you would have paid attention to them, you would know K-pop is an umbrella term for a genre of music originating from South Korea. It combines elements of pop music with hip hop and rock influences. And it has recently taken over the world during the ‘Hallyu ’or the ‘Korean wave’ popularizing Korean culture, K-beauty, K-pop and K-dramas.

 

A majority of K-pop fans or stans as they commonly refer themselves to as, often receive negative reactions from their parents, colleagues, or fellow peers when they express their love for such music. And that’s why I’m here to explain as to why K-pop is so addictive, a wonderful genre of music and why you should not belittle their interests.

There’s something for everyone.

When you think of Korean music the first thing that probably comes to mind is ‘Gangnam Style’ by Psy, but K-pop is more than just that. It covers a variety of genres often a mix of several in a single track. For those who do not enjoy the mainstream music which often focuses on pop with elements of rap can enjoy music from several solo artists who focus on R&B (Zico, Crush), Pure rap (Jay park, G-dragon, CL, Jessie, AgustD) and ballads (IU). Its very hard to not find a song that you like.  

Variety of themes- not everything is based on love, sex and drugs

Unlike much of the western music industry, K-pop music videos are often fresh and based on a variety of subjects- everything from teenage growing pains to catchy tunes about delicious fishes. BTS are the biggest boy band in the world right now, and one of the reasons behind their success is their socially conscious music. They campaign self-love and embracing oneself and address social issues with songs like ‘IDOL’ and ‘21st Century girls’. Several other artists have dabbled with topics from depression and feminism- f(x)’s ‘Red light’ and Yoon mi Rae’s ‘Black happiness’. For those who enjoy lighter bops can jam to Twice’s ‘Alcohol Free’- a summer song about the feeling of being drunk on love without actually consuming alcohol and TXT’s ‘Our Summer’- a melody capturing the memories of promises made as children of being friends forever and enjoying every moment of their summer. For those who prefer more mature themes, groups like (G)-Idle and Onlyoneof are perfect for them. (G)-Idle’s recent release ‘Nxde’ speaks out about the oversexualization of K-pop idols and Onlyoneof are known for their rather controversial themes expressing lust, desire, and LGBTQ+ storylines in their MV’s*.

(*MV- music video)

Close to zero curse words and nudity- can be enjoyed by all age groups

Almost 70% of the K-pop songs have close to zero swear words, neither in English nor Korean making them enjoyable for all ages without restrictions. Even majority of the rap does not have strong curse words. Many K-pop MVs are concept based- some being about fantasy, some almost childish, several with cool stunts and effects. Most MVs are pg-13 making it overall viewer friendly. Despite the common belief that K-pop is just famous among 15-year-old fangirls who scream about handsome and pretty idols, the fandom consists of people ranging from 10-50+ years old. Music can be enjoyed by anyone and of any age group. Just like the western music industry, K-pop is a genre of music enjoyed by millions around the world.

 

Encourage learning about other cultures and languages

It is common knowledge that those who consume a lot of foreign language media like K-dramas and anime are bound to develop an interest in the respective countries thus encouraging learning new languages and discovering and respecting cultures that are not their own. The K-pop industry fans over not only music but also variety shows, livestreams, and often branches into Korean traditions and everyday culture. This provides endless material for learning Korean and the social setting of the country. It may seem obsessive to an outsider but gaining any new knowledge irrespective of the source is beneficial to an individual. This in turn may encourage your child to learn about cultures and languages all over the world. I personally have picked up several phrases from watching Korean media that would be helpful if I ever visited the country. It has also taught me to respect other cultures and their basic manners without offending them.

Break the barriers of societal norms- overcoming toxic masculinity

K-pop fashion overcomes the barriers of gender specific clothing as all K-pop idols irrespective of gender identity have been seen sporting numerous fashion trends like long earrings, androgynous clothing, and colourful hair proudly. Several male idols have expressed their opinion about breaking gender stereotypes- Taemin (SHINee) indicated that many of his choreographies sought out to find a balance between feminine and masculine movements. Recently Choi Yeonjun (TXT) spoke out in an interview with GQ Korea taking about his love for skirts saying ‘Men can wear skirts too.’ And is very confident in his style. Makeup and skincare are another huge reason why people hate on K-pop saying ‘They all look like girls.’ Makeup is not just for girls, it’s a form of art, just on the face. Performing on stage requires dramatic makeup as it is an artform. Wearing makeup in your daily life to hide imperfections on your face and taking care of your skin is not a girly thing. There is so much judgement on what men can do and what they can’t otherwise they won’t be considered strong manly and masculine. However, times are changing and so should people’s mindsets. K-pop transcends such oppressive judgements and can help provide some confidence to those who wish to express themselves freely. 

Creates opportunity for better socialization

Just like common interests and hobbies can bloom friendships between individuals, K-pop can be a common interest for many, making it much easier to find a topic to start a conversation with. I too found really good friends after shifting schools because we all enjoy K-pop and bonded over that. I asked some of my fellow K-pop enjoyers about how K-pop has affected their life and here’s what they shared.

17-year-old

K-pop as a genre of music itself has a lot to offer. I discovered K-pop through BTS four years ago and learnt a multitude of lessons through their music that have changed the way I look at the world. Their lyrics are impactful and convey positive messages. The hard work they have put to get to the top has shown me what can be achieved if I put the same amount of blood, sweat and tears into my work. Now, more groups are making meaningful songs for their fans and people who are struggling. Listening to these songs inspires me every day.

 

15-year-old

The K-pop fandom is very social. Whenever I mentioned K-pop in a public setting, all the stans would start screaming about their favs and it was just such a fun chaotic atmosphere that I always wanted to be a part of.

 

16-year-old

I always thought the lifestyle of grade 11th and 12th in coaching centres will be very monotonous but thanks to K-pop I now have so many dumb friends who would force me to listen their songs together. It has helped me fit in their social circle and they have influenced me to love K-pop as well. This has given me motivation to start my day energetically.

 

16-year-old

As cliché as it may sound to most, K-pop didn’t help me fit in to societal standards per se, but it helped me accept myself. Sure, I have my fair share of problems and insecurities like many, but my outlook on them has changed.

Moreover, it adds as a common interest for making new friends – there’s more people I can interact with and connect to.

 

17-year-old

K-pop provides a distraction from real life and problems. Exams of all sorts can be extremely stressful and listening to my favourite music has helped me destress and improve my mood.

 

How like all wonderful things have their demerits, the K-pop industry and fan culture also has its minor flaws.

Despite the colourful and bright personalities of K-pop idols, body image and positivity is a big issue in the industry. K-pop idols are designed- almost manufactured to be near perfect celebrities. This includes their body. Due to Korea’s extreme beauty standards, several K-pop idols both male and female go through extreme diets and plastic surgeries to look good on camera. This can unfortunately negatively impact the younger audience to follow through with same to look appealing. As a relatively young individual, I would advise parents to look out for such ideologies your child may be inhibiting and advise them against it.

 

Another issue is the religious fan culture. Those who stan groups are bound to want to buy albums, posters, photocards and such to support their favs. But many go overboard and end up asking a lot from their parents to fulfil their impulse purchases. For those who do have their own financial support, please don’t overindulge in such requests. And younger K-pop stans who might be reading this, please don’t take this offensively. You may love your favourite artists but please remember merch isn’t everything. You can make your own DIYs and support your artists in numerous other ways. 

 

As an ending note, I hope this was helpful to understand what exactly K-pop is and why so many people around the world are in love with this genre of music. For those who are new to this side of the internet, please keep in mind, respecting others tastes and being mindful of your words doesn’t cost anything. If you do not enjoy K-pop there’s no need to insult their interests. For parents who might be reading this, it may not mean much to you, but it would mean the world to your child if you showed a little interest in what they love. Name drop a title track or show them that you recently read this article. You never know, maybe you’ll end up liking it yourself!