Even NPR knows everybody wants to be a k-pop star

[skittles.livejournal.com]

In December, Claudine Ebeid talked about the explosion in popularity of Korean pop groups in the United States. We can't stop watching Girls' Generation and 2NE1 videos on YouTube, and we're not the only ones. Reporter Doualy Xaykaothao says that K-Pop is also spreading like wildfire in China. These groups are often huge — Girls' Generation includes nine members, Nine Muses confusingly includes eight — and to stoke the flames, South Korea's suddenly in-demand pop factories are looking to the country's youth.


Inside a nondescript building on Seoul's Rodeo Drive sit dozens of teenagers, some with their parents. They're taking part in open auditions held by entertainment giant SM. "The Boys," a giant hit by SM's own Girls' Generation — recent veterans of The Late Show with David Letterman — is playing over loudspeakers.

Girls' Generation is idolized by the assembled hopefuls. "When I see Girls' Generation, I think they are so pretty and so cool," says Young-eun Park through a translator. "I am going to be just like them."

She has zero formal training, but she's hoping to wow the judges by singing "Ballerino,' by Leessang, another K-Pop group. It's her third audition, and she's hopeful that this time she'll get a callback.

"I live only to sing and dance," she says. "If I don't become a singer I won't be happy in my life. I want it so bad." She's almost tearful, but looks up in determination and says she's going to give it her all.

A few famous K-Pop stars are actually from China, Thailand and the United States. And more hopefuls, like 19-year-old Rebecca Chiu, from Taiwan, are here to try out. She especially likes the dance moves that go along with just about every K-Pop hit.

The fact that she doesn't understand the words in the songs — "I can read and I can pronounce, but I don't know the meaning," she says in broken English — isn't necessarily a cause for worry. If the top entertainment companies like her, they'll invest in her study of the Korean language and will spend up to $3 million or $4 million on years of rigorous training in song, dance, acting and more. If she makes it through that, then she might have a shot at contracts worth millions.

Hong Ki-sung, the CEO of BORN Startraining Center, a company in Seoul that trains people to become K-Pop stars, says it's worth the investment.

"There are so many young, talented people in Korea," he says through a translator. "So many that I can't even count them, and they're better singers than a lot of the stars out there now."

Some K-Pop groups have even more members than Girls' Generation, but Hong says not all the performers have good singing voices. "Appearance is important too," he says. "That's why there are so many pretty girls and stylish boys in K-Pop bands."

There may be slots for aspiring K-Pop stars with different talents, but most won't make it. The young people at these tryouts are well aware that thousands and thousands of South Korean kids are trying to get into the K-Pop business, and most will fail.

Only on her third day at the training center, teenager Lim Ji-hey is still optimistic. "I'm going to do my best and train hard to become a great performer," she says through a translator. Even if she doesn't succeed in the music world, she says, she'd love to be an actress. Then she can play any role she wants, including being a K-Pop singer.

Now I want NRP to go behind the scenes so we can see just how much crap trainees have to go through in order to debut.

NPR, IdolXfactor2@YT

Comments

[blkjck.livejournal.com]

letterman performance<3

[cettefemme90.livejournal.com]

Ikr? So many people were critical, but I thought they did a great job :)

[jeugd1.livejournal.com]

Doualy Xaykaothao nice name

[love-keiko.livejournal.com]

i second that sentiment, OP. they'd do an AMAZING job blowing up the darkside of kpop

[cettefemme90.livejournal.com]

Didn't the BBC do a short would-be exposé of K-Pop late last year?

But yeah, do want an NCR behind-the-scenes!

[cettefemme90.livejournal.com]

Lol, *NPR


I've been playing Fallout: New Vegas today ;)

[the-erotomanic.livejournal.com]

wasn't this posted already?

http://omonatheydidnt.livejournal.com/8929651.html

[asnindie.livejournal.com]

"If I don't become a singer I won't be happy in my life. I want it so bad."

She sounds abit spoiled tbh, like those people on AI that claim they're entitled to fame. Girl you can become a singer, anyone can, say you want to be famous.

[nyappnyappcafe.livejournal.com]

I don't think she sound spoiled, just that her goals and expectations are set too high.
She seems like she just doesn't have any self-worth unless she obtains them.

[doovlynsidhe.livejournal.com]

I heard this when I was driving home from work yesterday! I almost drifted onto the shoulder because I thought I was hallucinating all the KPOP that was suddenly on my NPR radio station, lol.

[bishieaddict.livejournal.com]

Maybe it's cuz I don't listen to the radio that often...but I'm pretty sure I'd notice if there is an "explosion in popularity of Korean pop groups in the United States."

[windygables.livejournal.com]

lol that's because there isn't.

[uniqlos.livejournal.com]

there could've been one but then 1d went and stole everyone's wigs lol idt the us has more room in their hearts for non-american groups now, especially for the teen-25ish demographic. what will happen is that kpop will have a niche market with a few explosive booms (like the wg on nick, snsd on letterman, etc) but it's never going to be mainstream popular.

[fallingstarryuu.livejournal.com]

imo, 1d & the wanted making it in the us after establishing their careers in the uk is proof that if k-pop wants to break america, they need to break the uk first. the uk doesn't really have much girl groups that are active anymore, I think one or two girl groups could actually take a shot there. the us market just tends to respond well to something that has done well in the uk before even if it's a year behind (Taio Cruz's Break Your Heart lol, Jay Sean, Adele, Jessie J, etc.)

[cettefemme90.livejournal.com]

As a Brit, I would very much be down with K-Pop artists coming over here to promote, and I feel like we're pretty liberal music-wise (especially in London; you can usually find a gig or club night of any genre going on there) and would give anything a chance. Also, found out a few months ago when I came out as a K-Popper that a lot of my irl friends love it too. We would go crazy if more K-artists came over here.

I hope it happens XD

Bonus points if they come to Cambridge so I don't have to get the train to London (a whole one hour :p).

Although obviously a lot of people would mock it and hate it...could still do passably well though, and it'd be a good stepping stone between mainland Europe and the US, a good entry point for the English-speaking music world.

Sorry if this makes little sense, very stressed rn >_

[bishieaddict.livejournal.com]

Ah... well I think one direction is opening back the idea of Boybands. I think the culture/ language barrier might be an issue... I think the an Asian group might have better chance if they are Americans than Koreans planted in the US. But then... if that could have worked, then talented Asian like ailee probably wouldn't have left the States.

[spassbremse123.livejournal.com]

I don't wanna be a k-pop star.. I'm quite happy just banging one :|

[lyto.livejournal.com]

HAHAHAH THIS AMERICAN LIFE SHOULD COVER THIS. Ira Glass would be so awesome.

[cettefemme90.livejournal.com]

I would absolutely HATE being famous, criticised over everything, having haters that make their presence known (like bullying but with hundreds if not thousands of tormenters, what with the 'antis' in K-Pop), always watched, being controlled by my record company, slave-labouring...it wouldn't be worth the upsides imo.

But then again, they wouldn't take me anyway ;)