K-pop
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South Korea's Corruption, Exposed by Burning Sun
The biggest news in South Korea remains the Burning Sun scandal. It has been sending shock waves through South Korean society for the past few weeks, exposing the culture of misogyny among young male celebrities, many of whom have been caught bragging about sexual conquests and sharing illegally made photos
The Seungri Scandal and South Korea's Gender Disparity
Over the last few weeks Seungri, former member of K-pop super group Big Bang, transformed from a beloved star into a toxic example of issues festering in South Korean society. The change began when a customer at the popular nightclub Burning Sun in Gangnam, Seoul, was assaulted in November 2018—
BTS: Generational Icons or Misogynists?
On Sep. 24, South Korean boy group BTS gave a speech on empowerment and love at the United Nations headquarters in New York City. The event marked the launch of “Generation Unlimited”—a partnership between the UN and UNICEF that aims to promote education and empowerment for young people.
The K-pop DNA
“I became a BTS fan on Jan. 6, 2017,” said Siti Mariam Sulaiman, a 38-year-old government official from Malaysia. That’s an oddly specific date, but she says every ARMY, an acronym for fans of the K-pop boy group, remembers the exact date of one’s induction into BTS fandom.
Who Is to Blame for the Ills of South Korea's Musical Industry?
At a quarter to ten on a Friday evening, the glass door of a theater in Hyehwa, Seoul, opened, letting out a group of young women. Instead of leaving, they slowly queued just beyond the stone path that led up to the building. They were fans of Mama, Don’t
K-pop 101: Why Do Artists Keep Singing "Niga"?
Don’t worry, it has nothing to do with the N-word. Niga (니가) in Korean literally means ‘you.’ More specifically, 니 (ni) means ‘you’; 가 (ga) is a particle that indicates the noun attached to it is the subject of the sentence. K-pop, which stands for Korean popular music, is
A K-pop Star for One Day
Going to a noraebang and belting out a tune or two is a favorite pastime for South Koreans. Some companies, though, see an opportunity in elevating this mundane experience to a new level: helping Chinese tourists feel like a K-pop star for one day. For more on this story, read:
K-Pop: Stream Like You Breathe
Every morning when Kim Eun-ji gets up, she looks at her desktop computer, iPad, and smartphone to see if they are streaming music without problems. Although all sounds are muted, there are six digital music platforms streaming music 24/7 on her gadgets. She checks to see whether any of
What It's Like to Love "B-list" K-pop Idols
On Oct. 19, 150 people, mostly young women, stood in the cold early autumn air since 6 a.m. for two hours to be ushered inside a building in the far western corner of Seoul. They waited so they could watch the same song-and-dance sequence performed three times by a
The Other Side of K-pop and Korean Music: Labor Abuse
Korean music is synonymous with glamorous K-pop stars like PSY, Big Bang, Girls’ Generation and Super Junior. But they are a lucky few that can earn tens of thousands of dollars or more with each performance. They are a very small part of the music industry in South Korea. Earlier
G-Dragon's "Album" is a USB: What's the Problem?
In the fifth track of his latest album, Big Bang’s leader G-Dragon raps, “Right, wrong, I don’t understand…. I’m not the problem, I’m the solution to the problem.” The 30-year-old rapper has long traversed a fine line between the so-called problems and solutions, simultaneously defining
Marijuana Taboo in the “Drug-Free” Nation
T.O.P, a member of a K-pop boy group Big Bang, has been lighting up local headlines for… well, lighting up. He is being charged by South Korean prosecutors for smoking marijuana. Many people want him punished for this “indecent” behavior — according to South Korean law, he could