K-pop! Favorite Groups and Break Downs

I've been a Korean pop fan for almost a year now and I must say I can't get enough of it! I'm adding new artists, groups, and songs to my play list everyday and I don't see an end to it!. Who knew that accidentally stumbling on one video would have made me an addict? Although I haven't been a fan for a long time, I have started to notice some trends that a lot of K-pop groups seem to follow. For instance, almost all of the  k-pop groups with few members follow the same format of rappers and singers, and then there's the "trip to the dark side and back"  trend I've seen in a lot of videos. Then there was the really huge difference I found in Korean music that really differed from American music, like super groups. Below are a few of my findings.

The Format (2NE! Example):

 Most of the K-pop groups I have listened to follow a very basic format that usually works in groups of three or more. All of the members usually possess the ability to carry a note. Usually there are two main leaders in the group that contribute to most of the vocals. For example, in the group 2NE1(pictured above) Sandara (Dara) and Park Bom (Bom) are the vocal leaders. They are usually the ones dominating the chorus or hook in the song. The third member of the group usually spends his or her time switching between vocalizing and rapping. Minji (Minzy) takes this role in the group, and is also the dancer. Last comes the rapper. This is the person who spits most of the hot rhymes in the group. They also contribute to the vocals, but only a minimal amount. CL is the main rapper in 2NE1 and has the best flow and most air time most Korean rappers in groups.  The rappers usually have a tom boyish style and will rarely be as seductive as the other members of the group, but love to boast about how they are the best rapper in the city/country (kinda like American rappers).

Super Groups

For some reason, Korean music producers like to create Korean Super Groups that usually have 8+ members. I have no idea how they do it, but somehow it seems to work. Groups such as SNSD (nine members)or Girl's Generation, and the all male group Super Junior( ten), both pictured below and to the left respectively, are just two examples of the super groups that have K-pop fans going wild. I don't deny these groups are favored across seas, but I don't really like these types of groups. I actually like to learn about the artists that I am listening to, and I do not have time to learn all thirteen members' names and try to point them out when I'm watching their videos.

Many groups have tried to help fans with this confusion by giving their members edgy cuts, bold colors, and making their talents standout in the group (the dancer, the rapper, the back up rapper, the sweet one, etc.) Although this might help some, I still fail to remember their names. I also wonder how the group feels when most of the fans only  favor certain members and act as if the others don't seem to exist. Are they all able to get equal camera time or sing equal parts? I would highly doubt it. Membership is also another concern with me. Recently a few members have become inactive in the groups I listen to. For example Super Junior has shrunk from thirteen members to 10, and if rumors are right, one of the members in SNSD has either quit or been dropped. Maybe it's a sign to the producers ...

Split Personality: Videos

I have noticed that most K-pop groups usually start off the same way: really cute, happy, bright colors, and seem to be really sweet. Then as their career takes off they begin to ... change. They ditch the happy pinks and blues for darker, more serious colors in their videos. Their songs no longer are about having a crushes or other topics of the sort, instead they go to hurt, betrayal, and seduction.

      One example of this would be the girl group Kara. They transitioned from sweet girly videos like "Rock You" and began to do more sexy videos like the ever popular "Mister" and "Lupin" (both of which I love, BTW). Note that I have only really seen this in girl groups, but I don't doubt that the boy groups do the same. I know that groups are supposed to grow and try to change their image, but it seems as if most groups follow this formula. Start out sweet and innocent, turn into sexy and seductive. It seems that Kara switches back and forth between the two styles. Wonder Girls is the only Korean Group I have heard that hasn't really done this, but since I haven't seen all of their videos, I can't really say for sure (Buy Wonder Girl's English album at Justice stores or online.)

  

Translation Videos Lie

One last thing I know about K-pop is that direct translation videos sometimes make no sense at all. Listening to English covers of the songs can also be tricky. Some of the people who make the English cover have no idea what they are (singing) about and makeup their own lyrics to the songs while keeping the original chorus or hooks. If you want to know what  a song really means or to see the direct translation find a reliable sites that shows the lyrics. Also remember translations in English may not be the same in Korean since some Korean words may not have a meaning in English,or may have multiple meanings.

PS. I Still Love J-POP! It was my first love and I will  never let it go!

(Korean and Japanese artists and songs You should know)

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  4Minute- "I,My,Me,Mine", "Hot Issue", "HUH"
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  2NE1-anything by them
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  After School-  "Because of You"
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  BigBang- "We Belong Together" check out their English version also, "Lollipop","Wedding Dress"
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  BoA- "Possibilities" "Love Letter","ID :)", "Touched" ,"Eat You Up" English album available
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  Kara- "Mister" "Rock Your Body"
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  Pumashock- listen to her covers of Korean songs as well as her own music.
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  SNSD- "Gee" "Oh" "Chocolate Love"
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  Utada - "Sanctuary", "Simple and Clean", Japanese versions are better in my opinion, she also has English albums.

* I accidentally deleted my play list, but in it's prime it had over 80 songs, both K-pop and J-pop
~Chan