WHAT IS K-POP MUSIC?

Korean pop music, known as K-Pop, has gradually become a part of the mainstream in the Asian music market. K Pop incorporated hip-hop and Japanese pop music and created a distinctive style. In addition, K-Pop artists showed up with nice looks, perfect bodies, and impressive dance moves. Each of the K-Pop artists has a very strong personality. These features successfully attracted fans’ attention. Companies put a large amount of effort into publicity campaigns and marketing strategies. Overall, these elements gave K-Pop a unique “sound.”

There are some factors of K-Pop’s differentiation. First, most K-Pop performers are part of a group; there are few solo artists. Groups have from 3 to 9 members. This factor helps to increase the exposure because each member can be promoted differently based on his or her personality; also, performing in groups enhances the chance to attract consumers. For example, some people might support the whole group because they like just one of the members. Second, usually in Asian music market, melody is a very important element. However, K-Pop is not just limited to the songs. Even though melodies are still important, artists focus more on performance. This includes their dance moves, the artists’ personal styles, and the image of the entire group. The key of K-Pop’s success is the visual effect. In fact, consumers remember K-Pop artists because of their special dance moves rather than their music. Third, compared to entertainment industries in other parts of Asia, K-Pop gives higher quality performances, which includes the strict demand for skilled performers and impressive sets.
  
 For the western market, K-Pop is very different and fresh. K-Pop shares some similar elements with hip-hop music, so it is relatable for western culture. Moreover, a large amount of Korean immigrants are in the western market. Those people can facilitate K-Pop’s development, and this will be a significant support for K-Pop. They can take a small step in the beginning by participating in some music festivals. When they accumulate enough popularity, they can try to hold concerts to appeal more audiences. In addition, based on a recent article from BBC, concerts and advertisements are two major income sources for the music industry. Therefore, even though there may be some further considerations such as language barrier and cultural differences, entering the international market is a great opportunity for K-Pop.