VCHA, a female-only hero group made up entirely of Canadian and American people who had passed North American auditions, was just launched by K-pop large JYP Entertainment. The band says its members ‘ backgrounds include Asian, light, Latino, dark, Vietnamese and Chinese ancestries.
The BBC and CNN‘s interest has now come to the fore, with the after novel concept of a K-pop group without Asian members.
Since 2023, I have been tracking world K-pop auditions in Canada in response to the changing nature of K-pop. Canada was the eighth-largest K-pop market in the world in the first quarter of 2023.
Between February and April 2024, I visited interview facilities: again in Vancouver in February, and half in Toronto in March and next April. I observed an increase in the diversity of people who wanted to join K-pop musicians like Toronto-born Keeho in the group P1Harmony, such as BLACKPINK and K-pop artists like BTS.
The lines between K-pop, which contributes billions of dollars to South Korea’s market each year and has attracted interest from all over the world, are blurring.
While BTS’s head RM defined K- pop as a social “premium label” in a 2023 interview, the term’ K’ may be losing its distinctiveness— prompting questions about what it does contain in the future.
Beyond language territories
I observed K-pop performers practicing their songs outside the place for the auditions. Although their lyrics included a sizable amount of English, they hummed with fluent Korean pronunciation.
Data from the Circle Chart, managed by the Korea Music Content Association, confirm this language mix. The use of English in K-pop girl group songs is increasing significantly, with 41.3 % of the lyrics from the top digital chart hits in English being used in the first half of 2023, an increase from 18.9 % in 2018. K-pop child bands ‘ songs have been written in English, but at a slower rate.
To improve communication in the North American market and beat language obstacles on the international stage, K-pop management made the wise decision to incorporate idols from Korean or Eastern backgrounds from English-speaking countries.
The obvious change to consider other than the conventional Korean lyrics associated with K-pop suggests that the language’s impact on K-pop’s sound is as much a result of its continued evolution and adaptability.
Exporting the K- music template
K-pop’s main focus is no longer only on upholding its primary purpose: producing and promoting individual artists. K-pop is more about evolving and diversifying by bringing back the pretty formula that has defined this style, with its masterfully crafted education and control, viral music, synchronized dancing, and strong supporter connections.
The North Korean global entertainment company HYBE held auditions for prospective K-pop stars last year that attracted 120, 000 people from all over the world. The last 10 respondents represented a wide variety of ethnicities including individuals from the Philippines, Australia, Brazil and Switzerland.
Bang Si-Hyuk, the chairperson of HYBE, also mentioned the desire to unite diverse talent into global organizations in the K-pop era.
However, such endeavours are not without their concerns. According to an insider in the industry, K-pop companies are simply copying South Korean or East Asian companies ‘ successful formulas and applying them to other nations. This approach might overlook the potential for creating novel narratives or distinctive writing styles that could evoke hybrid K-pop identities.
A K-pop expert points out that maintaining a balance between Korean and non-Korean fans is essential to strike a balance.
Looking abroad
Due to an aging population and a saturated domestic music scene, South Korea is currently dealing with talent shortages. Investors see significant investments in the future, especially given how sparsely the music industry manages venues for both new and established artists to get stage time. Given these factors, the appeal of traveling abroad seems to me even more compelling.
The South Korean government’s “K-culture training visa” initiative, which allows non-Koreas who enroll in local K-pop or performing arts academies to reside in South Korea for up to two years, shows how popular K-pop is internationally. This suggests that K-pop has great potential for internationalization and the potential arrival of more international talent.
Canada’s rising note in K- pop
The global K-pop auditions in Canada both highlighted the country’s young talent pool and provided a roadmap for the country’s young talent.
K- pop’s definition is dynamic and increasingly inclusive, reflecting the changing tastes and demographics of its global audience. It is integrating Canadian talent into its global narrative and expanding beyond its Korean roots.
Tae Yeon Eom is a sessional lecturer &, PhD candidate at tge East Asian Culture, University of British Columbia.
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