So, you have been dancing to the beats of the “Gangnam Style” ever since it broke the internet but never ever thought about the genre of music that it represented. In a world that has been dominated by rock, pop, and jazz music, the unique beats and rhythm of the Gangnam Style created tremors amongst the music lovers. Everyone started looking for the genre of this song and it was then that K-pop music became so popular. In fact, K-pop has existed since 1992 but it did not have a huge fan following base because of the enormous popularity of all the other music genres. But, with the taste of music slowly starting to change, K-pop has become a global phenomenon which can be tracked in popularity on: https://kpopmerchandise.org/
The mixed package
K-pop is not just about the song or the lyrics or the rhythmic beats. You ask any Korean about K-pop music and they will immediately say that there are actually three unique contributors that make the song so popular. The first factor is the amazing performance. This includes the combination of unique music and lyrics and dance performance. You will notice that K-pop album videos focus a lot on the dance moves.
This makes the overall performance so much better. The second factor is the polished aesthetic. There is nothing vulgar that is conveyed through the song or the video. Most of the songs are meant to spread happiness and joy. Lastly, the in-house studio production that makes it a musical hit in 99% of the cases. If you notice carefully, you will find that the videos of K-pop songs are shot inside a home or an enclosed room. Unlike other music genre videos that showcase an emphatic scenery or a particular story through the video, K-pop videos are more about the dance and the beats.
Fine-tuned performance
There are several reasons why K-pop music has become so popular amongst the worldwide audience. The slick choreography together with the addictive melodies and the high production values make them a perfect package. It is not just the hard work of the music director or the singer and the production guys. There is a whole bunch of Korean performers who spend years to make sure that they learn to sing and most importantly, dance in perfect synchronization. The ultimate outcome of the video will be a musical sensation but a lot goes on behind the scenes to make the video and the song successful.
The popularity of the K-pop genre speaks for itself. South Korea hosted the 2018 Winter Olympics and the opening ceremony saw the athletes march in the Parade of Nations with a number of hit K-pop songs playing the background. The fact that the songs played during the Parade of Nations has international significance is a sign that K-pop has well and truly become global. Like EDM, it is being consumed by millions of music lovers who prefer to overlook the greats of Bob Dylan, The Beatles, and a number of elite music makers because digital music is the present and possibly the future too.