Bringing K-pop to America
The readings for this weeks class assignment spoke of resisting pop culture messages that may not represent the best messages. But what about pop culture messages that may need more encouragement and persistence?
Back in 2023, Hybe, a popular producing company in music industry in Korea, launched a project for a new group that would not only be featured in Korea as the stereotypical K-pop group, but a group that would be based out of America. Hybe’s dream was to bring K-pop to America. Although there can be negative stereotypes surrounding K-pop in the American standard such as inappropriate/dangerous fan behavior, and sexualization of the idols, there are other messages being promoted with this new group that may need to be promoted more in the pop culture world.
It is not news that pop culture affects young women all around the world with beauty standards regarding weight, size and ethnicity. It seems that this group may have an underlying message that we should push.
With that being said, there are still body image ideals being pushed within the Katseye group because they are all athletic dancers and keep a slim and toned physique. But it has been noted that although they are slim, they do have different body types and it can be seen that their PR team is aware of those an promoting the different body types by highlighting them with different clothing based on each body type. It will be intriguing to see how their wide variety of ethnicities and body types will affect the rising generation and how that will affect future ideologies.
There are other norms that the Katseye group is breaking and creating in pop culture with their music, dancing and fashion choices which can also be studied and researched to see what artifacts are being used in pop culture but I believe that the ethnicity and body type aspect of their group is the most overlooked aspect that has the potential to create the biggest changes in the future.
Who are other popular musicians that you know that are bringing ethnicity & cultural differences to pop culture?
(Popular GAP ad that brought Katseye into the general public eye, not just the K-pop side of media)
I think it is interesting that Hybe is bringing a sense of familiarity as well as a sense of newness to America and Kpop with the group Katseye. As you mentioned it seems a girl group in Kpop has not been this diverse as well as relatable in many ways in possibly awhile. I do not know much about Kpop, but you seemed to have made good points about how their marketing and management is aware of how important it is that each member of the group shows their personality and individuality. Whether that be with clothes and makeup, as well as their voices of course. You made very interesting point.
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