KPOP began in the late 19th century with the introduction of Western folk songs into Korean schools. During Japanese occupation, songs helped express national identity. The genre later incorporated American styles like rap and techno. In the 1990s, the band Seo Taiji & Boys brought hip hop influences and addressed social issues, transforming KPOP. Now a global phenomenon, KPOP groups like BTS and BLACKPINK fuse genres and emphasize visuals and dance. Major record labels like SM, YG, and JYP produce many new groups each year in a fast-paced competitive industry.

1. KPOP
By: Shermaine Santa Monica

2. History of KPOP
Korean was popular which is tracked back to 1885, when an American missionary, Henry
Appenzeller teaching American and British folk songs at a school. These songs were
called changga in Korean, and they were typically based on a popular Western melody
sung with Korean lyrics. The well-known song "Oh My Darling, Clementine" was for
example known as "Simcheongga". During the Japanese rule (1910–1945) popularity of
changga songs rose as Koreans tried to express their feelings against Japanese
oppression through music. One of the most popular songs was "Huimangga" ( 희망가 ,
The Song of Hope). The Japanese confiscated the existing changga collections and
published lyrics books of their own.
The first known Korean pop album was "Yi Pungjin Sewol" (This Tumultuous Time) by Park
Chae-seon and Lee Ryu-saek from 1925 and contained popular songs translated from
Japanese. The first pop song written by a Korean composer is thought to be
"Nakhwayusu" ( 낙화유수 , Fallen Blossoms on Running Water) sung by Lee Jeong-suk in
1929.[26] In the mid-1920s, Japanese composer Masao Koga mixed traditional Korean
music with Gospel music that American Evangelists introduced in the 1870s. This type of
music became known as Enka in Japan, and later in Korea as Trot (Korean: " 트로
트 ").These songs became extremely popular.
Later, in the 21st century K-pop singers rediscovered the genre of trot, for example singers
like Taeyang from Big Bang and several members of SuperJunior produced trot singles.

3. 1990s: Turning Point
In the 1990s, early Korean pop musicians incorporated popular American music styles like
rap , rock and techno in their music. In 1992 the emergence of Seo Taiji & Boys brought a true
turning point in the history of K-pop. The trio debuted on MBC's talent show with their song
"Nan Arayo" ( 난 알아요 , I Know) and got the lowest rating from the jury. However, the song
and the album with the same title became so successful that, according to MTV Iggy, "K-pop
music would never be the same" again: "Its New Jack Swing-inspired beats, catchy rap lyrics
and memorable choruses took Korean audiences by storm". The lyrics of Seo Taiji & Boys
dealt with the problems of Korean society, which other entertainers of the era failed to do.
Their sound paved the way for the "success format" of K-pop songs, and their footsteps were
followed by a wave of successful hip hop and R&B artists like Jinusean, Deux, 1TYMand
Drunken Tiger
In 1995 Korean entrepreneur Lee Soo Man founded South Korea's largest talent agency and
record label, SM Entertainment. By the late 1990s, YG Entertainment, DSP Entertainment, JYP
Entertainment, and FNC Music had burst onto the scene as well and were producing talent as
quickly as the public could consume it.
The success of Seo Taiji & Boys brought a new audience to K-pop: teenagers, which led to the
emergence of so-called idol bands: young boy and girl bands. H.O.T. is considered as the first
K-pop idol boy band, they debuted in 1995. They were followed by bands like Sechs Kies,
S.E.S., Fin.K.L, NRG, Taesaja, Shinhwa or g.o.d.The 1997 Asian financial crisis prompted
Korean entertainers to look for new markets: H.O.T. also released a Chinese language album.

4. The KPOP global wave
In the 2000s K-pop, as part of the global Korean wave, started expanding rapidly, mostly in
Asia but also reaching the shores of the Americas and Europe. The first Korean singer to top
the Oricon in Japan was BoA, whose albums were sold in the million. This was also the time
when Rain started to gain popularity and China, he held a concert with 40,000 people in
attendance in 2005 in Beijing. The decade saw the emergence of new generation idol bands
like TVXQ, SS501, Big Bang, Super Junior, Girls’ Generation, Shinee, 2PM, Wonder Girls,2NE1,
KARA and MBLAQ. These bands often collaborate with American and European producers,
JYJ for example worked with Kanye West, Wonder Girls worked with Akon, 2NE1 worked with
will.i.am, Girls' Generation worked with Snoop Dogg while Big Bang's 2012 Alive Tour was
directed by Laurieann Gibson.
In the 21st century the expansion of K-pop is driven by the Internet. As traditional media
records are losing popularity among consumers, the significance of digital records have risen.
K-pop performers prefer the shorter EP or single formats released more often to full length
albums. Artists therefore are forced to capture the audience in a shorter time period, which led
to the widespread use of so-called 'hooks'. Hook usually means the easy to memorize, catchy
chorus.
In 2012 K-pop made a breakthrough in Western mainstream media through Psy's "Gangnam
Style" that went viral on the Internet and within a couple of months became the most viewed
video of all time on YouTube.

5. KPOP Magazines
According to a Rolling Stone author, "K-Pop... embraces genre fusion with both singing and
rap, and emphasizes performance and strong visuals." It is a mix of genres like pop, rock, hip
hop, R&B and electronic music.
The BBC describes the K-pop bands Super Junior and the Wonder Girls as "highly produced,
sugary boy- and girl-bands with slick dance routines and catchy tunes." Dance is an integral
part of K-pop. When combining multiple singers, the singers often switch their positions while
singing and dancing by making prompt movements in synchrony. K-pop is also recognized for
pretty-boys and girl groups that are young and considered attractive.
More than 60 boy and girl bands are produced each year in Korea, making way of labeling K-
pop as a "star factory". Many of these bands disappear after a few hits. K-pop is a fast paced
and high-competition industry, according to the Korea Times it produces easily consumable
and disposable one-time hit songs that the audience downloads and then deletes. The majority
of K-pop songs spend only a short time on music charts and it is rare for a hit to lead the
charts for several weeks. The basic format is usually built upon a catchy chorus part and a
spectacular, easy to master dance to accompany the song - like "Sorry, Sorry" from Super
Junior, "Gee" from Girls’ Generation or "Abracadabra" from Brown Eyed Girls.

6. Comeback!!!!
The promotional activities of a K-pop artist involve the so-called "comeback", called as such
even when the musician or group in question did not go on hiatus.
In order to make their new albums known to the public, K-pop artists participate in various
promotional activities, such as appearing and performing on national television. Popular
television programs in which bands and musicians usually make their comeback include the
Music Bank TV series by the Korean Broadcasting System and The Music Trend by the Seoul
Broadcasting System. The first performance by a K-Pop artist on a music program specifically
for the promotion of their new album or single is also known as the "comeback" stage. In
addition to stage performances, Teaser images and video clips are commonly released to the
public as part of a "comeback". These are released one after another, often within the space of
a few days before the full release.
Rookie artists start out with a "debut stage" and their second promotional cycle will be called
a "comeback".

7. Agencies
The three biggest agencies in terms of revenue are S.M. Entertainment, YG Entertainment and
JYP Entertainment, often referred to as the "Big Three", whose stocks are traded at the Korea
Exchange. In K-pop these record labels also function as agencies for the artists. They started
operating as such at the beginning of the 2000s. They are responsible for recruiting, financing,
training, marketing and publishing new artists as well as managing their activities and public
relations. In terms of market share the biggest agency is S.M. Entertainment. Their artists
started the Hallyu wave in K-pop and managed to break into Japan.
The "Big Three" occasionally cooperate, for example Se7en, managed by YG Entertainment
received a song from JYP Entertainment founder Park Jin-young in 2012 and the
representatives of the three agencies judged at the SBS reality talent show "K-pop Star".
The "Big Three", together with Star J Entertainment, AM Entertainment and Key East founded
the United Asia Management (UAM), which aims to spread K-pop globally as well as facilitate
the development of better artist recruitment and management processes. UAM auditions are
global and not restricted to Korean talents. Besides musicians, UAM also manages actors,
directors, stylists, hair and make-up artists. The merge was highly criticised as it might put
pressure on content providers as well as further pressurize other Asian countries, like the
Chinese market, which is unable to respond to and compete with the mass production of
Korean entertainment companies.