Salvador Leon |
Writing of Culture (EFE).- Simple electronic rhythms and dynamic choreographies performed by massive formations of uniformed young people, known as “idols”, are the ingredients of “k-pop”, the South Korean pop that is a worldwide phenomenon of fans, that today received with great expectation the first solo song of Jungkook (BTS).
Originating in the early 1990s from the fusion of Korean popular music with the influences of the American industry, this style of music that is growing in popularity among generation z has conquered the western charts with groups such as Blackpink, Seventeen or the worldwide idolized BTS.
Currently in a period of rest until 2025, this last formation has achieved international fame reflected in their visit to The White House in 2022 or in their comparison in numbers to the Beatles, with four number one albums in the US in less than two years, a record not achieved since the British did it between 1966 and 1968.
The inclusion of BTS together with Blackpink in the latest edition of the Californian Coachella festival shows a popularity also present in the solo careers of some members: this is the case of Jungkook, the youngest member, who released his first solo song this Friday , “Seven”.
Festival in the Metropolitan Stadium of Madrid
On July 22, Madrid’s Metropolitan Stadium will host KPop Lux, considered the “biggest k-pop festival in the world”, which is expected to attract some 45,000 people and will feature a minimum of six bands, including the most notable of the female sextet Ive, Enhyphen or Ateez, who have already visited the capital at the beginning of this year and in 2020.
The influence of k-pop has extended to the last Parisian Fashion Week last January, where, as in the past with Hollywood artists or “influencers”, stars from various backgrounds were seen. Thus, Enhypen, EXO, NCT, Seventeen or BTS could be photographed as attendees of fashion shows for brands such as Prada, Dior or Chanel.
However, the South Korean music industry also has its dark side: the commercial nature of these formations makes them products of demanding selection and training processes. The suicide of artists in their twenties such as Moonbin (of the Astro group), Jonghyun (Shynee) or Goo Hara (Kara) has alarmed fan clubs.
Likewise, the approach to thirty of some male “idols” has aroused concern about the advent of military service, mandatory in South Korea. This setback that could cut short the career of the main formations is a double-edged sword for the South Korean government.
On the one hand, he finds in these gangs a means to promote local culture and at the same time serve as an example for its citizens. However, the threat that the military service will cut short the career of the BTS members has generated a debate on whether they should be exempted from that obligation or at least allowed to postpone it until the thirtieth.
The current break and until 2025 of BTS and the thirtieth birthday on December 4 of Jin, its longest-lived member, has drawn the attention of fans, to which the band has not specifically explained the reason for the break.