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K-pop for the Skeptical Soul: A (Surprisingly) Substantive Guide
You’ve seen the perfectly synchronized dance moves, the impossibly catchy melodies, and the fans who seem ready to pass out from excitement. You may have rolled your eyes and muttered something about manufactured pop. But before you dismiss K-pop as a fleeting teen craze, prepare to have your preconceptions challenged.
There’s more to this phenomenon than meets the eye.
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A Brief, Incomplete K-pop History Lesson
While the K-pop we know today exploded in the 90s, its roots stretch further back.
Artists like Seo Taiji and Boys in the early ’90s pioneered the blend of Korean sounds with Western hip-hop and pop. Then came the first wave of highly-produced idol groups like H.O.T. and S.E.S, setting the stage for the global boom that followed.
The 2000s brought powerhouses like BoA, TVXQ, and BIGBANG, who began to break into the international market. And then, of course, “Gangnam Style” took the world by storm in 2012, cementing K-pop’s bizarre and delightful place in global pop culture. Which brings us to today…
