TVING’s original documentary “K-pop Generation” pointed out the current status of K-pop, which has become Korea’s representative icon.
The production team of “K-pop Generation” sheds light on various aspects of K-pop in each episode. In episode 1, they focused on the so-called fan culture. In episode 2, they delivered stories of various creators such as artists and producers who make K-pop. In this process, it is noteworthy that Mamamoo Hwasa defined K-pop as a “beautiful hybrid created by countless people”.
“When it comes to K-pop, there are prejudices such as ‘Everyone is the same’ and ‘It’s too much’. (K-pop makers) deserve more respect.” (PD Kim Sun Young)
Executive producer Lim Hong Jae did not view Kpop simply as music. Instead, he analyzed Kpop as a culture that encompasses music, fashion, and food. “Kpop is a huge house, and there are many open doors. There are various paths to approach and accept not only music, but also dramas, food, fashion, music videos, performances, and other huge cultural fields. It’s not a matter of whether the Kpop heat will cool down if the artist succeeds and disappears”, he said.
Cultural experiences vary from generation to generation. Jung Hyung Jin, general planning producer and CEO of Patchworks, predicted that Kpop is emerging as mainstream music in the current generation.
“If fans of old-generation idols are like consumers in the music industry, fans nowadays are not only spending money on what they like but also creating. That’s the industrial part. Fandoms created the word ‘deokjil (to become a fan)’. As a result, both the artists and fans have grown. I think their existences are like those who help each other grow.” (CEO Jung Hyung Jin)
“Fans of idols in the current generation have a sense of ownership. Entertainment agencies are accepting many opinions from fans. Without fans, there wouldn’t be such a beautiful combination in the K-pop scene right now.” (PD Lee Ye Ji)
K-pop, which has gained cultural influences in many ways, is still expanding around the world. This is why “K-pop Generation” paid especially attention to the reactions of overseas music fans. Pop music critic Cha Woo Jin, said, “K-pop originated in Korea, but while making documentaries about K-pop, I realized that it’s not important whether it is from Korea or anywhere”, adding “Isn’t this the era of diversity? I wonder if it’s a phenomenon that shows K-pop more dynamically.”
“Many K-pop groups are multinational and K-pop is also consumed by lots of foreign fans. Even during the production stage, it’s not that few music producers mix various genres to make songs, but songs are created by teams of multinational producers. They also collaborate with creators from many different countries. I was impressed to see that K-pop is becoming a focal point for not only artists but also creators to unite.” (Critic Cha Woo Jin)
How Kpop culture is consumed and produced in the global pop culture is becoming a reference for various countries. For instance, the “birthday cafe culture”, which was created in Korea, is now being carried out overseas as well, and goods and merchandise exchanges can now be seen in front of any trading market or concert hall.
“We will also show how Kpop influences the mainstream culture by doing things that the mainstream culture has overlooked, and not just as a cultural product of our country. Rather, it’s a step in global culture. We named it ‘Kpop Generation’ because we saw Kpop as a generational phenomenon”, said critic Cha Woo Jin.
Source: daum
