The quote: "An interview with a local newspaper will show what is really in their minds, because Park said that ‘although it sounds paradoxical, that is because we want to maintain the Asian market’ and added that ‘only after achieving success in the best [biggest] stage, that is, the American market, can Rain consolidate his position as Asia’s number one. It is essential to enter into the American market to conquer the Asian market with its huge population’ (Choi 2006)."
Currently, JYP can be seen as a media mogul in South Korea: first as a singer, then as a producer of some of the most popular idol groups today, and now even as a drama producer & actor. Most recently, as a producer he is trying to advance into the US market through a girl group called the Wonder Girls. In any case, the major reason why this quote stuck out to me, among other things, is because of how it characterizes the global hierarchy. In JYP's opinion, it is only when you achieve success in America can you consider yourself the best in Asia. When I read this, I thought to myself "says who?". I think this is a strong assertion to make. JYP is saying, or is alluding, that you need to be successful in the American market, read: Western market or Western world, to be successful in the Asian market. Why is this the case? This thought is based on the thought of global hierarchy, that to achieve anything you must achieve in the West. To achieve success as the #1 EVEN in Asia, you need success in the U.S. first. I just want to let that soak in, and see your thoughts. Do you think this is true? Must you make it in America to make it big anywhere else? Where can we see that this is the case? Where is this not the case?
Also, this struck me for several other reasons. Rain is not the only case to try to break into the US market. Around the same time as Rain, other idols like Se7en and Boa (who were extremely popular in South Korea and throughout Asia) left their popularity to try out success in the US. Rain was from JYP, Se7en from YG, and Boa from SM. They were different companies, same marketing strategy. Why is the West so important?
This has not just stopped here. More recently popular group Big Bang went to shoot their latest music video in the United States to get a "foreign influence" (read: Western or American) influence on their video. Additionally in GD & TOP's music video, you see a majority of foreigners in their music video (with the exception of some YG people, including their dancers). They specifically sought out foreigners (the club was in Itaewon, considered a Western heavy area of Seoul) to be in this music video. Also, I had a friend who went and took part. In any case, why is it necessary (or is it not) to add foreign faces into a music video? Why is it important to get foreign influence. Does it make the music more authentic? To logic of the global hierarchy, yes, because to include foreigners of higher status, then it looks more sophisticated. Now, I'm not saying "keep all foreigners out of m/v" or even that foreign influence is all bad. What I'm suggesting is ... is it necessary? Why is so much weight put on the foreigners? And what implications does it have?
The Hallyu wave implies that it is around the world. And it is difficult to measure, as mentioned in the article, because of copyright violations, aka downloading. Arists don't make profits from record sales, and variety shows and CFs are not the norm nor are the language skills there. American Celebrities do not endorse (with the exception of perhaps athletes and maybe on the red carpet) materials or cellphones or ect. But since when was Hallyu only important to America and also Japan (we won't talk about Japan too much, but keep in mind that Japan was the symbol of modernization and developed with West first in the Sinocentric world order). What does America signify? Why is bigger news if American acknowledges popular culture, not when a country like Thailand does? Does the focus need to be in America? .
Citation for Shin's article:
Shin, H. (2009). Have you ever seen the Rain? And who‘ll stop the Rain?: the globalizing project of Korean pop (K-pop). Inter-Asia Cultural Studies, 10(4), 507-523.
EDIT: here are two articles regarding this. I don't know if they speak the truth or if it is an exaggeration but just some things to keep on your radar. Teddy & Lady Gaga U-Kiss plus US?
EDIT: here are two articles regarding this. I don't know if they speak the truth or if it is an exaggeration but just some things to keep on your radar. Teddy & Lady Gaga U-Kiss plus US?
I do not agree with JYP's statement but i do understand why he says it. Even though, some Korean groups are famous in Asia, other parts of the world do not really know about them. If it was not for my Asian friend to introduce me to J-drama then K-pop music through youtube and mysoju.com, i would have never known anything about Asian artists and actors. That goes to show how much influence America has on everything. Another example to show that to be more successful in one's own country you have to try to get into the American market can be seen with other ethnicities as well. Take for instance, the artist K'naan is originally from Somalia and became huge at the end of 2008 and beginning of 2009. He rapped about his life in Somalia and growing up in general... he talked about real issues that helped him connect with a lot of people. If he did not come to the US from Canada, i do not think a lot of people would know who he is. A bigger impact he made in his music career is when his song, "Waving Flag" got picked to be the 2010 FIFA World Cup song. All in all, even though i don't believe in JYP's statement, we can not ignore the fact that there is a lot of truth behind it.
ReplyDeleteI really liked reading this entry, as you've raised some interesting points I had been thinking about recently.
ReplyDeleteJust yesterday I read the official official announcement that Big Bang will be debuting in the U.S. When I try and think about the last time I listened to an American boyband I can only think of elementary school. Americans don't listen to boybands unless they play alternative, rock or indie music. The only pop exception being the Jonas Brothers, but they're completely different from Korean or other Asian boybands, and they certainly don't dance like kpop boybands.
As we discussed briefly in class on Thursday, the relationship between the Korean and American pop music industries seem to be one sided. Wonder Girls, for instance, are working with a famous American producer right now, but considering their lackluster results so far it's hard to imagine their success changing at all. In fact, the only reason WG gathered any attention in the U.S. was because they opened for the Jonas Brother's tour.
Koreans are proud people. We've talked about this in class, we've seen it in the Kim Yuna documentary. And now that America represents this modern interpretation of what is popular and, especially, who is popular, it is no wonder that Koreans consider America a signifier of "making it big". America's influence in Korea post-Korean War was so deep that they somewhat managed to convince Koreans that spam is a popular food in the U.S., and to this day spam remains a high quality food in Korea (this statement is coming from a documentary I saw once as well as friends of mine who are teaching ESL in Korea). The previous example just goes to show that Korean consider what Americans do as a signifier to what is popular to do.
Finally, I don't think the focus should be America. I think it's silly that all these groups "make it big in the U.S." but in reality suffer loses because the only audience they really have in the U.S. mostly already knew them before they debuted in America.
Korean-Americans are a model minority, and, unfortunately, this makes them a forgotten minority. Americans want to see Americans succeed, and not foreigners; even if those foreigners were American born (like Japan's Utada Hikaru's failed U.S. career).
Claire: You mention yourself as an example of how you got introduced to K-pop (and also Japanese popular culture as well). However, JYP's quote does not have to necessarily do with people like yourself. Let me explain. Read the quote again, and JYP is talking about KEEPING the Asian market by entering the U.S. market. Advancing in the U.S., therefore, keeps the Asian market, not the promotion and furthering in Asia. You stated "That goes to show how much influence America has on everything." can you clarify this for me because I was a little confused in reading your post.
ReplyDeleteEven further, your example of K'naan is interesting. Did people in Somalia know about him before he "made it" in the U.S.? And considering the popularity of the K-pop industry in Korea, do you think that this applies to K-pop? For example, if SNSD or Big Bang or 2pm tried to advance into the American market, do you think more people in Korea would know their names? Or do you think that perhaps they already have a strong and solid fan base in Korea? Yes absolutely, more Americans might know their name or even hear it for the first time.
As well, I'm curious to know your thoughts and why you say you disagree with JYP's statement.
Anat: I am interested to see if a group like Big Bang will make it in America, if they indeed try. However, how much of it is a language factor (or even, as you mentioned, the boy band factor) and how much is the issue overall of Asians in the U.S. music industry? For example, how many well-known Asian American artists can you name in the industry. Far East Movement, more recently, and maybe some youtube stars but they certainly aren't mainstream. Does mainstream America even allow Asian Americans that are not boy bands or have a language barrier? Could this even play a factor as to why Korean Americans going to Korea to try and make it in the music industry.
Also, you mention the attitude that Korea has towards the U.S. Ever since the end of the Cold War, there has been a rise of anti-American sentiment in the U.S., peaking at the Bush-Roh administration. Anti-American sentiment is still strong, with the largest numbers in the youth. And are Americans not a proud people? Ethnocentrism runs deep in American society, also something as simple as not seeing the need to learn other languages, other cultures, ect. you mentioned "Americans want to see Americans succeed"... is this pride or just selfish? Or maybe both? And Utada Hikaru is someone you call a "foreigner" even though he was born in the United States. Is he a foreigner then? And what exactly is an "American"? Someone who was born in the U.S.? Then Utada certainly qualifies. Or do you mean American as in "white American", whereas all other ____ Americans need to add their racial status prior to their name.
just some things to think about. thanks guys :)