This is part 2 of a two part blog post. If this is your first time, please refer to Part 1 at the bottom.
Now I'm not someone that wants to bash anyone on the Internet and nor do I want to get comfortable doing so. This is not the intention at all. So yes, I'm caveating the hell out of this. I doubt that any of these artists have the time to read the organized word vomit of an invalidated American blogger. If they were to I don't want them to give them the wrong impression. I love kpop and I've gone hard in the paint for many years. So I'm really passionate. I'm not a stan and nor will I ever be for my own reasons. It's nonsensical for a woman my age to completely devote all time, effort, bias, and logic to people that I don't know. However, I can't say that my head doesn't shake from time to time when I see an act that can do better. It's also usually not their fault. I'm critiquing moreso the business model or faulty execution of the entertainment company pushing them than the artist themselves. So, caveat aside, I still want improvement.
Here's a break down of the acts that I felt need a pick-me-up in 2021 and some of the moves culturally in the industry that I'm hopeful to see in the upcoming years.
Which Acts Fell Short Last Year That Need a 2021 Pick-Me-Up?
Aespa: Let's talk about SM Entertainment. I've said before that SM is very much about powerful hits and impact. For instance, Girls Generation of "Gee" bubble-gum pop fame was at the top of the pedestal for girl groups in South Korea for almost a decade. No one can take that away from SM. However, when SM throws a miss there's a lot of money behind it. New girl group Aespa is definitely an example of that. Aespa's "Black Mamba" is probably one of the most expensive debuts that I've seen from a kpop group but the song itself, and the performances read just...a lot. Like too much. Shoved down my throat visually and sonically. There's clearly a play for the video game market mimicking KDA as well. I wish the cash grab and market this group is getting pushed for was slightly more subtle. I have no doubt that Aespa will settle into a groove, but for now, I just don't know what and who I'm seeing. The aesthetics and production drown out the talent and agency of the group which recalls one of the biggest early critiques of kpop transitioning to the American market. They need another shot altogether and I'm confident 2021 will provide them one.
NCT Resonance: Okay, so SM Entertainment is back on this list for me. I will give NCT credit. This 23 member group's individual songs and production were actually really good! They consisted of "Make a Wish (Birthday Song)", a curious experimental mishmash of hip hop hooks that is carried by leader Taeyong's swag, "90's Love" a note by note ode to 90s R&B notable for Mark's second verse rap, and "Work It", a pop synth plucky dance track highlighting two of my favorites Johnny and Jaemin. All of it (noted by the last two seconds of each video) was building to something big. It took the eve of the 2020 MAMAs (think of it as the South Korean Grammy's) to reveal what they were brewing all this time a mashup 23 member-skadoo with Rhythm Nation overtones. It just seemed like grandeur and flash without any substance or meaning. Like...what was the point of all this? So now you have all your members traipsed in mesh and/or leather, highlights on fleek, and loose chains and fingerless gloves to tell the world that they will resonate to do...what?
That's the biggest problem that I have with large SM Entertainment projects like this. Obviously with the views and the stans completely enamored by half-shirtless men (and there's 23 of them, do you remember there's 23 of them?), it carries some weight. For me, it just didn't hit the mark. Similar to Aespa, it's a lot of production and money backing this endeavor and there was no message other than "we stand aesthetically pleasing together shouting into boom mics and coordinating complex choreo in tight pants, abs on deck, because WE MUST". 2021 can help them out by breaking them back up again just so my eyes can focus and they can have a winning concept that's attainable.
Everglow: Everglow started out strong this year with "Dun Dun" and "Adios", but for some reason every entry afterwards didn't live up to the promise that came with them. Their latest venture, "La Di Da" (below), seems like some sort of The Weekend rip off who also took the 80s route. They just didn't hit the same stride. Maybe because all of the members were born in the 2000s and lost the frame of reference. But the track didn't feel authentic to their brand. Confident hair swings and enigmatic leaders aside, 2021 can yield some direction for Everglow and I'm excited to see what they come out with. Either way, I see ingredients of success and pop from this group, but I still don't really know who they are or what this group's point of view. I see stabs in the dark towards pop relevance that either needs a little more intention or time to bake in the proverbial kpop trainee oven.
Super M: Okay, I don't have a vendetta against SM Entertainment, I promise. This super group is made up of the hottest stars in the catalog: NCT and WayV members (Ten, Lucas, Taeyong, Mark), Exos (Baekyun, Kai), and Shinee's OG (Taemin). They had some big moments in 2020 with "100" and also with "One (Monster and Infinity)". However, it's pretty clear that a lot of these members are actually doing a lot better solo rather than an orchestrated super group. Literally, the views for these videos don't even touch some of the views these members get on their solo endeavors in the first month. What's my problem? It's another cash grab with admittedly some of the best technology thrown at a music video that I've ever seen. However, let's break down the lyrics for 100.
"They all want, they all want what we got
It's the way that we make, make it hot
And we come, come in ready or not
We going straight to the top
We go hundred! We go hundred!(hey)
We go, we go, we go, we go"
And let's talk about the song orchestration of the majority of these 50/50 English/Korean songs. Cue a Lucas confident grunt, a Taemin honey voice intro, a Taeyong and Mark rap section about them being the best, a Ten vocal acrobatics number and let's hit it with a Baekyun high note. It's too predictable and self-important to make it believable to me. And I know! You can say the same thing about American Hip Hop at this point, but I'm also not having to try to learn a new language at the same time.
Okay let's round this out to the point. I actually believe in this group. They have star power but they need the right concept and vehicle that's unique and tailor made to these individuals' appeal to make it pop internationally. It can't be so obvious that they're trying to appeal to the West and honestly what would help is some originality (we're going to get into it a little later). But don't worry, 2021 is looking up for this group and I'm still going to double-click on the next SM attempt. They're too big and too charismatic to not be at least intriguing (pink mullets and all).
What Cultural Progression In Kpop Am I Expecting in the Future?
Appreciation of Older or Independent Acts: Kpop and American Pop music has a lot of parallels, but there are many ways that the kpop industry in promotion or appreciation of their artists are sometimes, 10 - 20 years behind. In the U.S., yes, we have a short attention span. However, we have artists like Cher, Madonna, Beyonce, Mariah Carey,Tina Turner that stand the test of time and have world-wide appeal. In Kpop (at least so far), it seems there is a definitive wind down past the age of 27 where most of these acts or members of larger acts pivot to tv shows and acting in K-dramas to stay in the entertainment industry. Older acts that still go for the same demographic, it often seems like they don't know who they're marketing to (Queue up Super Junior's "2YA2YAO"). It seems like entertainment companies don't know what to do with these musical acts. They end up trying to make them double-down on some Benjamin-Button time machine gimmick than giving them a vehicle that's relatable to the fans at that age-range and honest to where these artists are in their careers. It's like, sir! You are not rocking crop tops showing your abs at 35 or calling a grown woman "girl" or "baby" or "baby girl". It's NOT happening (don't you dare bring up Usher).
For those that struggle with their entertainment companies and make the move to independence, there is not as much of a buzz, cult following, or outlet supporting these individuals. We can take CL for instance. She was YG's "it"girl in powerhouse girl group 2NE1, before the current lineups. When the group disbanded, she high-tailed it to America to cut ties with her company and launch her solo career independent. Now that she's doing her own thing, it's clear that the struggle is real to gain a following. But with her performances on late night talk shows, it's not like she's in hiding or not being promoted. Her fanbase should move right over with her and support and it's a shame that it's not happening at the rate it should.
Work-Life Balance of Kpop Artists: Speaking as a consumer of American pop music, I might be a hypocrite for this one. It's been widely known that kpop artists are subjected to some extreme rules and hectic schedules. Though this is a normal aspect of any pop star's life the timing is unfortunate for artists that may be just breaking into the mainstream and are experiencing exhaustion after enduring several years of aggressive local travel and engagements. This is the time to step it up and with news such as Twice's Jeongyeon taking a step back from promotional activities, it seems that the pressure is definitely taking a toll on kpop artists at the wrong time in South Korea's cultural momentum. There are obviously other related issues including restrictions of dating (why does this exist? I really want more kpop artists dating each other in some Britney Spears/Justin Timberlake drama), mental health concerns resulting in unfortunate suicides, and obsessive stan-dom. Factory Time's article goes into additional detail if you have the time. Ultimately, it's time that the industry starts pacing these artists to achieve longevity and extend this moment in the sun rather than capitalizing on every waking moment of these artists too soon.
Focus on Originality and Artist Creativity: As mentioned above with some entertainment companies, artists come out the training factor almost like clones of each other. This used to be the case in the 90s for America when we had boy bands and girl groups galore, but when the 2010s hit, we moreso appreciate the "come-up" story and the differentiators of an artist even though the lyrics are basic. There are a lot of great kpop artists that have their own labels that make it big or where artists have a lot of creative control, such as Jay Park, G-idle's Soyeon or Stray Kid's Bang Chan. An artist of note is definitely Suga, a member of BTS, who has 50 credits to his name of writing and producing for other artists along with being in one of the largest boy bands in the world. He even has a rap alter-ego, Agust D (please see below). However, these examples are fewer and farther between when compared to the artists that larger entertainment companies promote. In the future, I would like to see this more often and I would like to see more different and creative artists in the forefront.
Diversity of Beauty Standards: Now I know that we are currently fighting this battle here in America, but I'm going to spread the love on this topic. Beauty is not just in the eye of the beholder, it's a deliberate mechanism for marketing and groupthink in our environment that leads to a perpetuating cycle. "This is beautiful because the media said so because the media polled the public and they said it is because they saw it in the media and the media said so because they polled..." You get my gist. I'm always confused, however, when a new beauty standard steps in and shocks the system. It's always about time. Let's shake it up! It's like when Beyonce was the first non-model on Swimsuit Illustrated and hailed as the new beauty standard due to her body shape. I was like "About time! She's been our queen for ages, mainstream is just figuring it out!". What's not always talked about is the very seemingly innocuous fact that for as long as we were waiting for a Beyonce or even a Kim Kardashian to break the mode, how long were those body types ridiculed or people made to feel ashamed for something they couldn't change?
Korea is well known for it's focus on a particular type of aesthetics, but I'm seeing hope as they are starting to embrace new beauty standards as well. Hwasa is definitely a more full figured woman with comparably darker skin and I love that she's having her time right now. Of course, she's also an insanely talented singer-songwriter of Mamamoo in her own right. Her solo efforts, including her song "Twit" below, definitely have a large following and she is achieving some notable success. But seeing her blossom and be celebrated worldwide at this point makes me happy. I definitely want to see more of that.
Collaboration with Western Artists, specifically Hip Hop and R&B: Yes! I saw BlackPink's collaboration with Selena Gomez with "Ice Cream" and Lady Gaga with "Sour Candy" (still waiting on that video). Yes, I was living with Psy's collab with MC Hammer at the American Music Awards. I saw, I acknowledged and gave my views to help the metrics. What I really want to see is more of what I saw at the 2020 Grammy's with BTS and Lil Nas X. Kpop artists have been openly claiming affinity and direct love for hip hop artists and R&B artists from the States and I've been eagerly awaiting more collabs and cultural connections. We're not at the cusp of Roddy Rich working with J Park, but every year I see kpop getting closer and closer to black subculture. I know my black nerds at BlerdCon have hosted panels on this topic for many years, but there's a whole demographic that is waiting for this.
Alright, that's it for my January 2021 look ahead. I'm really excited for what this year will offer especially in the kpop arena. Besides manifesting my hopes and dreams by writing it down, I hope this could be leveraged for people that are curious about kpop but need a useful starter guide.
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