So How Can K-Pop Make It In The US?

I've talked a lot about why artists from Korea and Japan don't seem to make it.  I've also discussed what the new Korean wave is doing wrong.  I've made 'what I would of done' comments.  Last weekend some of my friends and I discussed what it takes to make it in the US market.  I believe there are some key factors that would be helpful for K-Pop artists to make it.

The first thing we need to get into our heads as idol fans is this is the American market.  If you make it here, you'll make it anywhere.  Because of that, big acts after conquering their own market set their sights here.  While I do think these artists want to do it, I question whether they or their management are willing to go all in.


It Takes Time to Make a Hit:
There are those songs that hit hard and fast.  Britney Spears, I assume I don't actually remember when she debut, came out with instance success.  You'll also see that with artists that have already made a name for themselves.  But, if you are new on the scene, even if you have a hit-worthy track, might have to sit awhile and wait.

 

If you don't make it right out of the gate doesn't mean you don't have what it takes.  Touring helps create a buzz.  Pumped Up Kicks was on the New Moon Soundtrack, but it didn't become a sensation until 2011. This is a problem for Asian artists because in order to promote themselves they might need to sacrifice guaranteed success back home.  We know from Rain, BoA, Akanishi Jin, Utada, Wonder Girls' first attempt, and plenty other artists that just because you come in with good producers and a record label doesn't mean a thing.  Nicki Minj first couple of singles didn't catch my attention.  I discovered her when Super Bass' music video was trending on YouTube and my friends were sharing it on Facebook.  She has been in the music scene since 2007.

The Asian Thing:
I myself have pondered if this is a problem or not.  It is obvious that Asian Americans aren't as common as Anglo-Saxon, Black, and Hispanic artists.  The Far East Movement has done pretty well with a number one hit and touring with artists like Lady GaGa.  Then I considered one of my favorite artists: M.I.A.

It is not like there is a significant Sri Lankan Tamil population in the United States.  Heck, I bet you there are more people in the states who couldn't point to it on a map.  British artists, white or black, aren't successful here.  I think it is a possible barrier to be Asian or from a foreign country, but it doesn't mean it is impossible.

Covering the Basics:
Good things to have if you want to be a hit: cool concept, good music, and talent.  Adele isn't what is generally considered beautiful but she is a huge star.  Why?  She is an amazing singer and she shows it off.  She also has amazing songs.  Ke$ha isn't the best singer, but she writes her own music and has a clear and attention-grabbing concept.  If you are able to get a hit these are the things you need for people to stick around.  If they find out they don't like any of your other music they're aren't going to wait around for long.

The two things I'm not too worried about is abilities.  2NE1 also has a good concept, but beware of being called Asian Lady GaGas.  The thing is that Americans love to hear talent, so show it off!  Why was Whitney Houston so popular?  She could sing her butt off and even after all the scandals people still wanted her to succeed because she was talented.

The Industry Differences: 
Here is where I see the majority of the problems coming from, and I think I've mentioned them.  Lady GaGa writes her own music.  Ke$ha writes her own music.  Adele writes her own music.  Katy Perry writes her own music.  Superstars in the US market tend to contribute in a major way to their music.  They may not write all of it or come up with the instrumental, but they help.  It helps provide a genuine portrayal of the artist.  [It also means that they are talented which is why people will look past poor vocals.]  I'm not saying they need to play a hand, but the fact that they are just company puppets will be said and hurt their reputation.

Other aspects of the K-Pop Idol Industry which will promote that 'fake' image is the plastic surgery and how thin the girls are.  Both of those things are MAJOR turn offs for myself.  I prefer to see SNSD wearing more clothes to hide how skinny they are because I think it is not sexy and gross.  Rumors go flying around all the time about how one Hollywood star may be anorexic.  Personally, SNSD should gain some weight in order to not be scary thin or else here comes 'they aren't real women' claims.

Ever heard of Jennifer Grey?  She was a film star in the '80s; she was in films like Ferris Bueller's Day Off and Dirty Dancing.  What do you think killed her career?  One nose job.  I don't even like her anymore and I wasn't alive back then (I did love her movies before the nose incident).  There isn't much they can do now about past operations.  The best they can do is try to down play it or if it does come out be honest about what they did do to extinguish false rumors.


I think BoA had what it took to make it but her music was only okay and mostly just dance songs.  She also ran back to Japan when sales weren't that good.  Utada had a better shot talent wise.  I really liked her music video for her debut single, but a couple of the lyrics were suspect.  Utada at least tried harder.  She did see the most success in my opinion.  [I discovered Utada during her American stint.]  Akanishi is releasing the same type of music BoA tried, so he won't go anywhere.  However, like Utada, I feel he is more dedicated than BoA.

Let's Compare this to the top female artists at the moment:

Notice how all of the major female artists are solo acts.

Mina's K-Pop Hottie Picks (Girls Edition)

Since I'm still a noob when it comes to K-Pop I've yet to find a variety show to watch with English subtitles so that I can get to know the personalities of the various idols.  Therefore, what I'm going to do is  pick out who I find the most attractive of each group.  I will also provide a runner-up.  I'll remind you guys, like my wifey/BFF post this is based on my personal preferences.  I'm not saying any one member is definitely better than the rest because beauty is in the eye of the beholder.  I thought I would do something fun in between my serious posts, plus I don't have too much time to spare today.  I'm not including explanations because this is based on looks.

Girls Generation (SNSD) - Sunny
Runner Up: Taeyeon

KARA - Jung Nicole
Runner Up: Han Seung Yeon

F(x) - Sulli
Runner Up: Amber

4Minute - Jihyun
Runner Up: Jiyoon

Chocolat - Melanie
Runner Up: Juliane

2NE1 - Minzy
Runner Up: CL

Wonder Girls - Sohee
Runner Up: Yubin

T-ara - Jiyeon
Runner Up: Boram

Brown Eyed Girls - Narsha
Runner Up: Gain

Miss A - Suzy
Runner Up: Min

Nine Muses - Hyemi
Runner Up: Kyungri

SunnyHill - Seung Ah
Runner Up: Ju Bi

Favorites of 2011!!!

My favorite/most listened to songs of 2011! I know this was kind of late but ah wellz!

10) Piggy Dolls - Hakuna Matata

These girls really need more attention because they're soooo talented! I hated the fact that when they debuted they sort of used the concept of their weight. This usually then made people think of the awesome girl group Big Mama who also had great vocals and a heavier set weight. But back to the song. This is a catchy song and I really enjoyed it. However, the rest of the album except for the title track A Girl Who Knew was pretty mediocre. 

Some of the songs reminded me of songs that could have been placed in dramas. Which is not a bad thing but with a more unique producer and a better concept these girls can do so much better. I know a lot of people are going to expect them to do epic ballads, which is not bad cause it'll show off their awesome vocals, but I kinda want to see a big set idol group make it in idol fashion. They're not typical beauties in Korea and like in the words of Fat Cat, "IS being pretty everything?" -_-'

9) B1A4 - Ok

These guys have got to be one of my FAVORITE rookie group of last year. Their whole debut ep was just great! I liked all the songs on the ep and I expect great things from these guys in the future. They sort of remind me of a more fun Beast. I'm not comparing the two but just the feeling of their music. Great on both sids of course :)

8) Sunny Hill - Marionette

Sunny Hill - The Grasshopper Song

I'm really digging this group and was really loving this album. But besides the title track Midnight Circus, this was by far my favorite off the album. The random rapping spazzes were kirky and you can tell they wanted that certain twang to it compared to other kpop groups where the rapper just don't have any style to them except the style of not being able to rap. smh* This groups a great turn around for kpop in the long run. Pure talent and originality in this group! <3

7) F.T Island - Hello Hello

Though F.T Island is a relatively popular group I wish they were more popular! I guess the reason is because I come from a rock background and would just like to see them do better! It's hard to get your hands on the names of some good rock groups in Korea because most of them are so overshadowed by the idol concept. Know a good site? please tell me....v.v" The song itself was done well and had this jazzy feel to it that made it so fun to listen to. It was also on the borderline of feeling like trot. love! <3

6) G.Na - Nice to meet you [ft. Wheesung]

G.NA - Black and White (I'm a Jinwoon fangirl!)

G.NA for sure is one of the most underrated kpop idol solo female singers out there, and honestly the most underrated kpop idol in general. She's a talent with the body. I've talked with one of my Korean friends about her and she said that G.NA was actually ugly in Korean standards but has a awesome body. I personally find her beautiful and even if she wasn't her voice is the bomb! Though this song wasn't promoted it's cuteness and especially with Wheesung's feature, it for sure is going to be a 2012 repeat!

5) Beast - The Fact

Kikwang being a loner to the left and Junhyun reading a
book like a boss....

When Beast debuted with Bad Girl I didn't think much of this boy group at all. However, after their song Mystery I was hooked. I listened to The Fact more than their title track Fiction during the course of 2011. I personally just like the whole feeling of the song more than Fiction and wish they would have promote more. Though Fiction was also a great song, The Fact takes it!

4)Park Bom - Don't Cry

This is Bom-unnie's second solo song and this girl just needs to release a ep or album or something! I'm sure all of us had tried to sing You and I before and just couldn't do it as well as Bom, of course! Her voice is unique and really stands out in the whole kpop scene.

 But I really liked this song this year and hope to hear more from her in the future. 

3) JYJ - Heaven

JYJ LOVE! This was their title track of their album and I immediately clung to it! The melodies were just wonderful and their voices couldn't have been highlighted any better. Plus Junsu as the lead in the MV was just the icing on the cake!

2) 2NE1 - Ugly

I'm sure people always hear how 2NE1 is the 'ugly' group with 'individual talent' and 'charm.' I just find this statement funny. I guess it all goes with the idol concept of not really HAVING to know how to sing to be an idol but still! 2NE1 with this certain type of talent and charm could they still be considered idols?

 I remember an article going around of how some well known producers in Korea didn't even think Big Bang could have been considered an idol group because their 'talent' exceeded idol expectations. But either way I'm digging 2NE1 and for sure they are one of my favorite kpoppers. Dogging on these girls just because they aren't typical beauties don't mean they don't deserve their place. This song was a great song for listeners to relate to and a song to  really exert the emotions of what 2NE1 must always get bombarded with through social media.

1) Phantom - Burn a hole in your face

This group! THIS! THIS!!!!! They haven't even performed live on a major broadcasting show and yet they already have so much love! At first when I read the translations for this I was a bit creeped out but it eventually grew on me in a Stockholm kind of way (was that a bad joke 0.o) 

This trio is what 2012 should really look out for especially since they had such a powerful debut track. And the big thing for me is that they wrote the song themselves! Other groups such as Sunny Hill and Big Bang either write or produce their own stuff and that's what I really respect. I hope more groups in the future participate in the making of their music. Love this group and they have defiantly set the bar for 2012 for me.

One of the members actually speaks fluent English because he studied abroad in Europe for a while. I just love it when official videos give you English subs with it AND they even posted when it was the individual member's part in the song. Now THAT is fans service right there!

2NE1 - Best New Artist in the World (MTV)

Forgive me the poor screenshot the program I use didn't care for the live stream.

2NE1, a popular, female Korean-Pop group, just finished their first concert in New York City and received their crowns for Best New Artist from MTV.  It was my first time watching 2NE1 perform.  I was familiar with some of their singles due to K-Pop Music Mondays by Eat Your Kimchi.  (I'm going to skip over all my comments on the entire show because they had a number of other artists perform that were nominated.  Well, except with how much I adore Yuna as a person and I would totally go out with her.  Sorry, I have a thing for Muslim women.)  

My favorite, who is the best dancer of the group,
 Minzy.

Their performance was short and only consisted of singles.  They had some short interview and Q+A sections.  For big fans of 2NE1 I bet they were disappointed because the show seemed to focus more on introducing a ton of new artists, not on the winning group.  I thought their performances were solid and well organized.  I'm surprised they didn't go completely live with the vocals considering American's hypersensitivity to anything lip-synced.  My reaction to 2NE1 was what I expected for the most part.  I came into this knowing that they weren't going to be my favorite thing.  However, what I didn't expect coming in was how I would react to the members.  Overall, I liked them.  CL gave good answers during the talk-portion.  Minzy tried to show off some cool moves.  Their outfits were lively and funky as usual.  Dara was wearing her hair in that ridiculous style.  (I don't care if you are Korean, during the clips where you were running around the town you looked so much better.)  

I never knew that Bom had gotten plastic surgery before
watching this.

The one thing that I couldn't stop obsessing over was Bom.  Oh how plastic does she look.  (Sorry killa, I know you hate when people mention that.)  Here is a fact of life:  East Asian noses look weird on Caucasian faces, and vice versa.  You reminded me of Michael Jackson, which isn't a good thing!  

TANGENT WARNING: My parents listened to the Beatles, my Dad would use MC Hammer to help me fall asleep, and I listened to Shaggy, Britney Spears, Aaron Carter, and boy bands.  My exposure to Michael Jackson was the pedo trials and after ALL OF THE PLASTIC SURGERY.  Let's say I didn't have the best opinion of the guy.  I didn't start listening to his music until after he died and all of the tributes ensued.     

Anyway, I couldn't stop focusing on her.  This was combined with her uber-short dress which would show her butt or crotch if she opened her legs a bit, bent over, or if the camera was a lower angle (which it was).  Not to mention I did not understand her facial expression during Lonely.  It might of been due to too much plastic surgery so her face couldn't move?  [I do not know how much work she has gotten done, but I checked with my 2NE1 friend and she confirmed that she did get stuff done.]  I am aware that it isn't uncommon for Koreans to get work done.  However, considering their edgy image and presenting themselves as a different kind of K-Pop girl group I did not think they would find it necessary.  It just makes me doubt them from being different from the mainstream, manufactured groups.  

There is a reason 2NE1 was nominated over all the other Korean acts, and we all know there is a boat-load of 'em.  They would be easily marketable in the United States.  Europe is a different matter, they are far more accepting of East Asian acts.  They are original and have perfect timing, plus they can speak English.  The United States may be opening up to Asian artists.  Far East Movement had a huge hit, and Jin Akanishi's first single is doing well on the charts.  However, that doesn't mean it will last or reach the same level as their Korean success.  BoA and Utada had mild results.  Far East Movement has had only one number-one hit, and another in the top ten.  Their other singles have not done nearly as well.  

Image is important in America.  Acts like Lady GaGa and Ke$ha would not be where they are without it.  2NE1 has the image.  But will the fact that Asians do not have a hold of major portion of the US entertainment industry prevent them.  (What causes that I am not sure.)  If I could see a Japanese group make it it would be Perfume.  They have a stylistic appeal.  The problem is that they have no interest in leaving the Japanese market.  Japan has the second largest music industry in the world.  Why lose their pretty much guaranteed continued success in Japan for an uphill battle?  Perfume does not have that ambition.  The other problem is that they don't tend to sing live, which is extremely important in the States.  So, yep.