What Makes Kpop-Kpop? (1 Viewer)

[Lovely_Cornchips]

I'm starting to struggle with this a lot lately because a lot of artists are releasing fully English songs.
Without Korean versions and essentially to me these songs are just straight-up Pop.
Not Kpop at all.

For me, language is a big part of whether a song is Kpop or not. There is more to it of course.
I mean there is obviously some Korean culture thrust into almost every single Kpop song.
But it's starting to become hard with songs marketed as Kpop
but then being completely English.

Like Rose's song Gone is completely in English.
Wrap Me In Plastic by Momoland is basically all English.
The FLying on Faith by Chungha is also just English.

I make a top 100 Kpop list and have put at least one of these songs on there but now I'm struggling with the idea of whether these are EVEN Kpop.​

 

[mysteric]

I think a thing to distinguish is the difference between kpop and korean idol pop
kpop being any korean pop music, korean idol pop being, well, korean idol pop
the two are used interchangeably for intl fans, but it doesn't seem to be the case for koreans

 

[maruberry]

For me....

Kpop is the crazy stylings
Kpop is the rap in the 2nd verse
Kpop is the mix of Korean and English (I agree, if a song is fully English it isn't kpop! I'll give SuperM a pass, bcs they have reversed it and have a lot of english with korean mixed in)
Kpop is the mishmash of sounds and genres in one song

Although I have to say that can see the point of the argument, that kpop is an industry and not a genre

 

[Sana]

I don't consider full english songs as kpop at all, which is why I do not like "Dynamite" as much, even tho the sound is good.

 

[maruberry]

I don't consider full english songs as kpop at all, which is why I do not like "Dynamite" as much, even tho the sound is good.

Dynamite is the ultimate sellout of a song
I mean I ain't gonna get mad at them for going for the money BUT

The song is just a money grab

 

[Abeamus]

I don't think you can really set Kpop to one language as it is about appealing to fans and depending on the audience they want to appeal to they will make a song based on that with English being a pretty normal part of Kpop songs now but you also have some incorporate Spanish as well and then I know a Japanese song by a Kpop artist that has Korean and English in it so it is just about what the release itself is defined about by the artist.

 

[Lovely_Cornchips]

I don't think you can really set Kpop to one language as it is about appealing to fans and depending on the audience they want to appeal to they will make a song based on that with English being a pretty normal part of Kpop songs now but you also have some incorporate Spanish as well and then I know a Japanese song by a Kpop artist that has Korean and English in it so it is just about what the release itself is defined about by the artist.

This is really interesting tbh is it ok if I ask your opinion on artists like KAACHI? They obviously define themselves as Kpop but as you and everyone else probably saw it caused an uproar amongst people.

 

[Lovely_Cornchips]

I don't consider full english songs as kpop at all, which is why I do not like "Dynamite" as much, even tho the sound is good.

That's what I was thinking, I know you used to be able to hear a difference between Kpop and Pop even if the song was fully in English but now it feels as though that doesn't exist and you can kind of feel like the Kpop isn't Kpop anymore it's just English Pop. Being sold to us as something different.

 

[Lovely_Cornchips]

I think a thing to distinguish is the difference between kpop and korean idol pop
kpop being any korean pop music, korean idol pop being, well, korean idol pop
the two are used interchangeably for intl fans, but it doesn't seem to be the case for koreans

Could you maybe further explain what you mean?

 

[Lovely_Cornchips]

For me....

Kpop is the crazy stylings
Kpop is the rap in the 2nd verse
Kpop is the mix of Korean and English (I agree, if a song is fully English it isn't kpop! I'll give SuperM a pass, bcs they have reversed it and have a lot of english with korean mixed in)
Kpop is the mishmash of sounds and genres in one song

Although I have to say that can see the point of the argument, that kpop is an industry and not a genre

You could argue that Lady Gaga is Kpop with this LMFAOABFDSJK without the 3rd one of course.

 

[mysteric]

Could you maybe further explain what you mean?

idol pop as in more of the idol industry and the music it creates
kpop as simply any popular music that happens to be korean
not all pop music has to be a product of the idol industry, but the opposite isn't true

 

[Lovely_Cornchips]

idol pop as in more of the idol industry and the music it creates
kpop as simply any popular music that happens to be korean
not all pop music has to be a product of the idol industry, but the opposite isn't true

Oh thank you! I never really thought about that tbh.

 

[Abeamus]

This is really interesting tbh is it ok if I ask your opinion on artists like KAACHI? They obviously define themselves as Kpop but as you and everyone else probably saw it caused an uproar amongst people.

I think it's an interesting idea in concept however I don't think it really has a place in the market as fans tend to be protective of the market when it comes to what they think are outsiders attempting to come in. There's not really justification you can use for saying the groups aren't Kpop that wouldn't be a double-edged sword though since Kpop artists release songs in English and saying it's Kpop because the artists are Korean would be mess as well since what about stuff like Vivis solo.

 

[Lovely_Cornchips]

I think it's an interesting idea in concept however I don't think it really has a place in the market as fans tend to be protective of the market when it comes to what they think are outsiders attempting to come in. There's not really justification you can use for saying the groups aren't Kpop that wouldn't be a double-edged sword though since Kpop artists release songs in English and saying it's Kpop because the artists are Korean would be mess as well since what about stuff like Vivis solo.

See this is shit I didn't even think about in that regard so very interesting points I'll have to think on this.

 

[maruberry]

You could argue that Lady Gaga is Kpop with this LMFAOABFDSJK without the 3rd one of course.

Lady Gaga does have some things that make her quite similar to kpop lmao

 

[RandAlThor]

Kinda a touchy subject and i am sure Knets do not even agree.
Are kara and snsd Jpop artists or kpop artist singing in Korean and are those kpop songs? (i consider them so) is similar.

 

[Tickita]

I'd say, Korean lyrics over top of popular beats with Western influence.

But that description would include artists who don't identify as K-Pop -- Amoeba, Feel Ghood etc.
And wouldn't include Dreamcatcher because of their sound.

Maybe, K-Pop is whatever the major labels decide it to be.

Maybe it's just Korean-language popular music, and whatever that looks and sounds like can and has changed as time goes on.