K-pop keeps storming music industry with its catchy songs and unique choreography. It keeps staying in the top world’s charts and attracts more and more fans to Korean pop music and culture.
Korean pop music, with its fresh sound and unusual music approach, can be a quite appealing genre for music producers. If you feel this way and want to know more about the k-pop industry and how you can contribute to it, you are in the right place!
The global recognition.
The world has been watching k-pop changing music scene for a while. It all had started way before such groups as BTS, and Blackpink. In 2009, Wonder Girls together with J.Y.Park made it to Billboard Hot 100 with the song Nobody. That was the first Korean song ever that entered the chart even though it was for quite a short period of time.
This is when the world first recognized k-pop and its sound, only soon to realize that there is more to it. In 2012 PSY stormed Billboard with the famous Gangnam Style, and every year after that, he kept coming back to Billboard’s top positions with his other tracks. These two songs were so different that it made everyone think what k-pop is and what defines it.
It is not only about pop.
Opinions on whether k-pop is a distinct genre vary. Some might say that it is a genre because there are certain similarities in the production process. The others would say that it is just a shortened name of Korean pop music in general.
One way or another, k-pop has been influenced by many other genres, especially by hip-hop, rap, and swing. This makes it safe to say that Korean pop is not really about only pop.
Momoland and electro swing vibe of their song “Bboom Bboom”
The business approach.
With so many songs going viral, there should be a robust business model behind the k-pop industry, you might think. That is right. K-pop is usually associated with three entertainment agencies: SM Entertainment – home for such groups as EXO, Red Velvet, and NCT; YG Entertainment is famous for BiG Bang, Blackpink, and 2NE1; and JYP that works with Twice, Stray Kids and GOT7. Often Big Hit Entertainment is added to that list as well because they are the ones who introduced BTS to the world.
One of the reasons why K-pop is successful is that artists join labels at an early age, so by the time they debut in the music world, they can be considered well-developed music professionals.
Another reason why k-pop is winning listeners over because it actively uses social media as the primary tool for their music promotion. K-pop artists are incredibly active on social media. They use it not only for personal updates but also for their regular engagement with their fans.
Blackpink show appreciation to their fans on Instagram.
Korean and international producers.
K-pop is about not only singers but also about people who are behind the scenes. No k-pop song was created by a single person. Each song is a hard work of multiple songwriters and producers. That is the secret that allows the music to be of a quality k-pop is famous for.
It is also worth breaking down the myth that k-pop is made by Korean producers only. For example, many songs of EXO, Red Velvet, BoA, NCT 127, SHINee were produced by hip-hop production team The Stereotypes. They have also worked with Bruno Mars, Chris Brown, Cardi B, and won three Grammy Awards.
The practice of working together with foreign producers aims to bring fresh sounds to k-pop. That is why most of the top-rated songs were created jointly with famous overseas producers like Teddy Riley and Warren G.
Even though it might look like all the producers’ spots are reserved for world-famous producers only, this is not entirely true. Many Korean agencies collaborate with less famous but no less talented professionals. So if you decide to join the world of k-pop music production, you certainly have an excellent chance to collaborate on everyone’s next favorite k-pop song.
