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omonatheydidThe latest fad: Korean Pop
They are pretty, singing, dancing and want to conquer the world: Korean boygroup Beast in Berlin.
When names like Lena or Britney Spears appeared at the MTV Europe Music Awards, it seemed clear that one of those two performers would be awarded as "World Wide Act".
Only few people expected a South Korean band.
Big Bang, so their name, brought attention to the Korean-wave, which - after the Japanese culture- is forging ahead to the European and American music market.
Uninformed people call it bizarre or weird, fans describe it as the Hallyu-wave. Bandnames like 2NE1 (spoken: to anyone), Super Junior or TVXQ are part of the daily language use and make outsiders ponder.
For German parents it again means worrying about their daughters, who are brim over with enthusiasm for these androgyne men from the Far East. In contrast to the here-known Japanese bands, there are no depressed lyrics from the hallyu-wave which exasperate listeners, nor are there any mosphits or headbanging at the concerts, which can be considered as a health threat.
Similarities seem to be the audience's sound level, the tents in front of the concert halls as well as the fainting girls in the first rows. Idols, as these musicians call themselves, mostly do a mix of Hip-Hop, Electro-Pop and Rock. They usually dance and only in a few cases you can see more than two instrument-playing idols on stage.
This brings us to the question, what is so different about these Asian boygroups or girlgroups in their sparkling costums in contrast to European or American ones. In the eyes of some fans it is of course the music. It costs quite an effort to turn to songs where one cannot understand the lyrics. You have to rely solely on the feelings, which are brought forward by music and singing. And idols mostly know how to deliver. Their training often begins in childhood: Vocals, dance, acting.
A crucial part of a career in this business is certainly also the appearance. Where adolescence might let the androgyn model-face disappear, it is not uncommon to help along. Everything for a perfect way into the fans' hearts.
In Europe the Hallyu-wave currently paves its way. Last November JYJ as leadoff dared to give a concert in Berlin at the Tempodrom. And now, the much-awarded group Beast also made their way into the Columiahall.
They are definitely aware that their country's culture is far from having the same level of recognition the Japanese culture has, but they understand themselves as pioneers for those who will follow them. A small stage was everything they had at their disposal in Germany, therefore a part of their show's glamour certainly got lost. But videoscreen, lighting effects and several costume changes gives us an idea how a concert in front of thousands of fans would look like.
No matter if it is Beast, JYJ, Big Bang or other groups: newspapers and TV stations started to pay attention to them. The fan base is increasing steadily. Now it should be only a question of time, until those idols' CDs and DVDs are available in store. On the internet, this business is already booming.
Source: Focus.de
translations by me
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Date: 2012-02-18 05:36 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-02-18 06:15 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-02-18 05:36 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-02-18 05:37 pm (UTC)Pretty wasn't the word but....
Date: 2012-02-18 05:38 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-02-18 05:44 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-02-18 05:53 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-02-18 05:53 pm (UTC)oh, sorry but that superlative still goes to japan...
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Date: 2012-02-18 05:57 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-02-18 09:25 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-02-19 10:53 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-02-18 06:00 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-02-18 08:41 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-02-18 06:07 pm (UTC)What the hell is this article???
For German parents it again means worrying about their daughters, who are brim over with enthusiasm for these androgyne men from the Far East
Bill is so masculine.... Oh wait
In contrast to the here-known Japanese bands, there are no depressed lyrics from the hallyu-wave which exasperate listeners
Clearly they don't know about K8
It costs quite an effort to turn to songs where one cannot understand the lyrics
Same goes for people who listen to english band without understanding english yet no shaming there. I just love double standard.
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Date: 2012-02-18 06:50 pm (UTC)That's what I'm waiting for since I got into KPOP...
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Date: 2012-02-18 07:06 pm (UTC)LOL
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Date: 2012-02-19 01:08 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-02-18 07:16 pm (UTC)"androgyne men from the Far East"
okthen
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Date: 2012-02-18 07:51 pm (UTC)Simply getting into the concert hall at B2ST's concert was more of a "health threat" that most jrock concerts I attended. Though that was mostly the venue's fault.
All in all another article that I can't really take seriously.
The communication-and-media-science minor in me is silently weeping in a corner...no subject
Date: 2012-02-18 08:33 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-02-18 08:53 pm (UTC)I think this "hallyu wave" is exaggerated in non-Asian countries.
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Date: 2012-02-18 08:57 pm (UTC)I think the guy from Tokio Hotel still wins hands down in the androgyne department tbh. I'm always jealous of how he applies black eyeshadow tbh!
Every time someone reffers to Asia as the 'Far East' or 'Orient' I feel like we are back in time 100 years.
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Date: 2012-02-18 09:40 pm (UTC)while a bit more researched than other cheap articles, this one screams even more racism~
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Date: 2012-02-19 02:16 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-02-19 10:44 am (UTC)However, I'm amused. Parts of the article are a bit questionable, but generally this gives a more mature and less hyped look on K-pop in Germany. The middle part was definitely the best written and most accurate, as for the rest... well, could have been written better.
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Date: 2012-02-19 09:17 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-02-20 12:50 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-02-19 01:41 pm (UTC)still spreading across the world baybay ;) <3
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Date: 2012-02-19 09:16 pm (UTC)von focus hätte ich ehrlich gesagt was besseres erwartet
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Date: 2012-02-21 12:42 am (UTC)