Ranting on K-Pop While Listening to Supercell

This is a long rant. I just need it off of my chest, thanks.

I am sure if you are reading this, you will be quite familiar with this band. If you are not, let me explain quickly. Supercell is comprised of visual illustrators (that create beautiful artworks for releasing albums) revolving around a composer named Ryo. Ryo is merely a composer, and so the band does not officially have a vocalist. Supercell scouts for vocalists to sing for their albums and because they are not permanent, they can switch from album to album. Supercell released a single a few days ago called, Kokuhaku/Bokura no Ashiato. I was looking forward to its release and I was not disappointed with it.

The best song from this album (which is an ending theme for an anime): Bokura no Ashiato



I love this band. Listening to their beautiful art made me reflect on K-pop.
I am a South Korean and due to this, I am very exposed to K-pop. My teenage sister is completely obsessed with K-pop to the point that it is unhealthy. I think it's normal however, for an Asian girl her age.

Forgive me for my opinion if you do not agree with it. I oppose K-pop.
"K-Pop" is actually a very broad term. I am not against music. That is ridiculous. I am just against the whole Idol "music" Industry. This cancer is taking over Korea and it is actually doing more harm to Korea than good.

Real music is slowly fading away from mainstream media in Korea. All air-time is becoming infested with naked dancers singing these auto-tuned jingles called, Hook Songs. It is becoming more and more difficult for real musicians to actually get attention in Korea. They are forced to remain underground. Korea's traditional and national music showcases are also a victim of this cancer. There is no more diversity in mainstream music. All songs showcased are these Idol groups, singing their individual 9 second bits on stage. It's becoming harder and harder for me to find new music in Korea.

That's not all, K-pop is one of the contributing factors to why Korea is socially superficial. When I heard that Korea is infested with plastic surgery, I thought it was just nonsense. I thought it was just exaggerated bullshit. I thought to myself, maybe it was just a rumour that jealous teenagers with low self esteem spread after looking at pretty Korean idols. Well, my aunt from Korea arrives here in Canada and she tells me about my home country. They weren't rumours. Apparently, these double eye-lid surgeries are common now, and teenagers can ask their parents for them as graduation presents. Some mothers refuse though, because they need to save the money for the surgeries that they will get for themselves, over their daughters. Oh, and Korean males probably use more cosmetic products than an average teenage girl here in Canada. In addition, K-pop idols were ranked as one of the most discussed topics amongst Korean citizens in Korea, next to cars and fashion, in this variety show that I watched where they surveyed the Korean public. I mean what the fuck? All this to fit in to the mould that the media in Korea created. Surgeries are no longer a taboo. You can reshape your face whenever you want with a knife, as long as you have the pocket money. It is sickening, and it has becoming a social norm too. If you do not look 'beautiful' in Korea, apparently you get second hand treatment from others. I am going to Korea this Summer, I pray that I will return home safely.

On a funny note:
I got to see a live K-pop performance at school. Our school held a talent show, and these group of smart girls thought that dancing to K-pop half-naked would win it. Oh, none of them were Korean by the way. They danced to a few songs. One of them was Change by HyunA, where they would pelvic thrust to the crowd wearing really short shorts. Long story short, cultural difference. The stage executives were pissed. The teachers were shocked. One of them left the auditorium in the middle of their performance. I heard two teachers sitting right in front of me talking garbage about the students. I couldn't blame them. It was awful, and as a Korean I was embarrassed by these non-Koreans dancing to music they couldn't even understand. After the show, they realized the stupidity of their actions and fell into depression. I felt bad for them, but they should have seen it coming.

Now these idols themselves are not bad. A few of them can legitimately sing. But in interviews, they often say things like how they wish to succeed in music, regardless of success or fame. Come on, they are nothing but tools used by their respective media corporations. There are so many Korean artists struggling because they decide not to be tools, but create real music.

I respect the Japanese band I was talking about earlier, Supercell, for many reasons. One is obviously Ryo, their talented composer for creating such beautiful lyrics. Second is their vocalists. Their voices are so unique and expressive, and their vocals fit perfectly to the emotions that the song is trying to convey. Furthermore, they don't show their faces to the media. Right, their music is judged for MUSIC only, not appearance.

I wish I can find good music in Korea. That is all I ask.