K – Pop is one of the world’s most vibrant and dominant pop music industries. Since modern Korean pop music took shape in the early 90’sHistory of K – Pop, today it increases radically every single day. Many North American music fans, if they think of South Korean music at all, think of “Gangnam Style,” and that’s about it. Today, the word K-Pop is well known all over the world, as the music and songs has become popular to people from age 12 to 35.
When Korean music is mentioned in Western outlets, it’s often in judgment of the South Korean and Japanese systems of training their idols intensely from a young age.
In the modern era, the manufacture and direction of Korea popular culture is more tightly controlled than ever: the current K-pop landscape is dominated by pop groups that periodically emerge from incubation under the training, management, and absolute total control of the record labels. The major labels are really more like colossal artist management and image consulting conglomerates, and they maintain absolute legal control over their charges – a widely-criticized practice which has come to be known as “slave contracts.” Contracts from the Big Three record labels (SM, YG, and JYP Entertainment) are notoriously one-sided and long-running, with a vanishingly small percentage of an act’s total earnings actually going to the artists.
The massive K-pop industry, which is supported by the South Korean government as a a valuable part of the Korean Wave and a soft power apparatus towards youth around the world, isn’t going away any time soon.
I chose only three Korean music videos, that have parts and shots that not only interesting to watch, but also will be very helpful for me to use in the future. Furthermore, I have noticed a pattern in every music video not only in videos that I have watched, but in general in the K – Pop world. Mostly each music Korean video has numerous points that they have to include, such as:
- Dancing – dancing is the main part of every solo artist or the groups. It is necessary to represent their dancing skills in the music videos because it represents them as very different sided talented artists. Furthermore, the idea of dancing has come from long time, therefore in my opinion it can called as a “traditional” move from every new started signer.
- Live signing – While dancing both in the music video or on the stage, it is necessary to sing along with the moves. This will show how well trained the signers as they represent their ruling companies. In my opinion, this highlights Korean signers and artists because others many use the background.
- High budget – Mostly every music video is very high budget. We can see it from the background, decoration and effects. The ruling companies give a lot of money in order to highlight their groups in others’s background because the competition of good artists in Korea is very high.
I decided to take a music video from each well known companies that own boys and girl groups. In my opinion, it is better to look at groups rather than solo artists, because thats what Korea is more focusing on.
BLACKPINK
First is a girl’s group that has five members. They debuted themselves earlier this year and already has began well known in their country.
BTS
have 7 members where every ingle artists has his own character, persona, history and hair colour. From the very first seconds of the music video, we can see the logo of the company “Big Hit” that has been creating, producing, owning the group from the very beginning.
The music video starts with a long shot of the big museum room where the group enters. They start looking around and observe everything that surrounds them. Good to add – Korean music videos are also highlighted with very good use of camera angles. Usually the audience would see the same setting and acting but from different angles, which makes it look like we didn’t see it before. It helps to make the video longer by using different shots with different angles and also it makes more interesting for audience to watch.
As I said before, every member of the boy’s band has his character. This can be done because all Asian people naturally have dark hair. This makes them more being simple and similar to each other, therefore it is necessary for the companies to make sure that every member has his own persona that he needs to show. In this music video, we can see how they are reading books – implies of how smart they are and how somebody rides the bicycle – shows that they are still kids and like games. This also highlights how many different personas are in the group and how it perfectly combines all together.
Next shot represents the group as being mature, serious and artistic . The chosen colours create a specific atmosphere which again emphasises their artistic side.
In the background there is a neon sign with English writing. Only part of it shows, but I believe it says: “The Tempter” which would tie in with the quote from ‘Demian’ that Rap Monster recites in the MV.
Behind the Neon lights is the painting of ‘The lament for Icarus’ by H. J. Draper.
In this shot we can see how the group is dancing. As I said before, in K- Pop world, it is important for every artist to be able to dance, therefore they dance in their music video.
They all assemble for a supper. This seems likely to be a reference to The Last Supper, which took place before Jesus’ crucifixion.
They are as follows:
At this supper Jesus predicts that he will be betrayed by someone seated at the table (this turns out to be Judas) and also predicts that Apostle Peter will deny knowing him in the morning.
Jin sits at the head of the table and hence represents Jesus. It is also Jin who raises his silver chalice to give a toast. If Jin is Jesus then V seems likely to be Judas, the one who will betray Jin.
There is nothing to eat on the table apart from one apple on each of their plates. Apples often represent wisdom.
In reference to Christianity they are often said to be fruits that Eve bites into in Paradise. To eat a fruit from the tree in Paradise is said to give knowledge, both of good and evil.
At the supper the boys are all presented with the opportunity to get knowledge of both good and evil, but no one is shown taking a bite.
Elton John Best hits 