K-pop and girl groups review

Two years ago, I blogged about the various K-pop girl groups and gave them ratings (http://tinyurl.com/lgqzmej). Two years later, it is time for a review where I discuss about the ongoing Hallyu wave and which groups have improved, are on a decline or have remained the same.

The demand for Korean popular music has spread beyond Asia to include America, Europe and even the Middle East. Korean singers have released songs of different languages to cater to a global audience. At the same time, K-pop concerts were also held in the most unexpected places like Chile and Peru.

There has been much debate about when did the Hallyu wave really start. Some say it was in the early 2000s when television dramas like Winter Sonata became a must-watch for thousands of Asian women. Others think that it all began in the late 2000s which is led by K-pop groups and singers.

In fact, there are two waves. The first Hallyu wave at the start of the new millennium was fundamentally driven by television dramas and movies publicized by traditional media. The second one which became a major economic contribution to South Korea is fronted by pop music. And interestingly, the stronger second wave is spurred by active participation of the fans.

The reasons why the second wave was able to spread across the globe are the emergence of the Internet and people making use of social media to share content. It is also justified to say that the second wave was the more successful one given the economic effects it has on the country.

Unlike the accidental Psy who became an overnight star with one MV, the glitter of K-pop covers up the sweat and tears artistes have to put in during their trainee days. Girls' Generation's Jessica joined S.M. Entertainment at the age of 11 but the public only got to see and hear her when she was 18. A seven-year long wait for an  unpredictable future in the entertainment industry.

What makes Korean singers edge out their Japanese counterparts are systematic production, rich content and precise execution. It is only fair for the Koreans to have the spotlight shone on them after decades of being second fiddle to the icon of Asian culture, Japan. The Japanese are still going strong in their own country but the soaring amount of Korean activities there coupled with the enthusiasm of Japanese fans makes one wonder is there still a future for Japanese entertainers.

The systematic production which has churned out the likes of Wonder Girls, G-Dragon and BoA includes casting, training and branding. Korean labels hold overseas auditions on a regular basis so as not to miss out on an unpolished non-Korean diamond. This is evident in some groups which have non-Koreans as part of their ensemble.

Miss A is made up of two Koreans and two Chinese. Super Junior used to have Han Geng when it was still made up of thirteen members. 2PM boasts a Thai-Chinese in Nickhun. And of course, there is Skarf which consists of two Koreans, two Singaporeans and a Japanese.

The training period represents the long journey towards stardom. Trainees are made to attend singing, dancing and acting classes. On top of that, they are also made to learn foreign languages and are monitored by experts on their personal development. Fellow trainees being separated due to groupings and eliminations are also part and parcel these future stars have to experience.

Many argue that life as a K-pop trainee is worse than leading one in the military. Unlike trainees, soldiers are guaranteed a certain amount of rest every night. Would-be singers do not have a go-to-bed time and their punishing regimen includes physical training and a strict diet. I shall not talk about which is better (or worse) but I still believe that it is always better being a civilian.

The branding portion of systematic production can be linked with the rich content of K-pop. Take Big Bang and 2NE1 of YG Entertainment for example. They will always spot a completely new look whenever they return to the music scene with a new album. The concepts which they adopt are also very avant-garde to the extent that you will never see such fashion on the street.

Making use of fashion proves to be a crucial factor in gaining and sustaining popularity for these Korean celebrities. Rather than the songs he composed, people remember G-Dragon because of his ever-changing hairstyles. Similarly, being in uniform is also equally effective at garnering attention.

T-ara broke into the music scene with their debut single "Bo Peep Bo Peep. The song's choreography sees members of the group donning cat paws while performing on stage. T-ara has since being associated to that song even after four years in the industry.

Dance also played an important role to making K-pop so successful. Super Junior's Sorry Sorry and Kara's Mister are just two songs which have easy-to-learn but hard-to-master moves. The fact that fans see their favourite singers executing these moves to military precision makes idolism levels rise to new heights.

Lastly, it is precise execution. In this era of Facebook, Twitter and Youtube, companies do not even require newspapers or magazines to publicize their singers. K-pop's main followers are young people who have no problems using social media sites. Regular participation and voluntary evangelism of fans are what drives the second Hallyu wave.

People organize and participate in flash mobs in their respective countries to request their idols to hold concerts there. S.M Entertainment has been holding S.M. Town concerts, where its artistes stage performances during a single concert, around the world for three times. The highlight was the one in Zenith de Paris in June 2011.

K-pop groups also venture out of Asia, where the majority of the fans hail from, to hold fan meetings and concerts. Girls' Generation appeared on The Late Show with David Letterman in America while JYJ's World Tour stops include Barcelona and Berlin. They also visit Korean-crazy countries like Thailand a number of times every year.

K-pop should be able to sustain for another five years but how many groups will still be surviving when we enter year 2018? Will there be any newcomers that are capable of providing strong competition? Who will be dominating the entertainment industry then? I shall only focus on girl groups since the competition among females is fiercer than the boys.

The traditional Big Four of Wonder Girls, Girls' Generation, Kara and 2NE1 looks to be heading for a change. Kara are like the English Premier League's Liverpool, both were once a force to be reckoned with but have since turned into fallen giants. The lawsuit controversy in 2011 was perhaps the start of Kara's humbling.

Then who is a worthy candidate to fill the void left by Park Gyuri and her group mates? Enter f(x). They have just released their second full-length album less than ten days ago. Previously, I never really gave f(x) any attention. My perception of them, like many others, was that it was just another group churned out by S.M. Entertainment riding on the coattails of Super Junior and Girls' Generation.

The time of their debut was unfortunate. It was 2009, the period where girl groups kept popping out and label mate Girls' Generation has just started to become genuinely popular. One of their members, Krystal, happened to be the sister of Girls' Generation's Jessica. Is f(x) really independent on its own?

Of course it is. f(x) distinguishes itself from all the other girl groups by having including a tomboy, Amber. The leader of their group, Victoria, is a Chinese. Although she significantly increases the mean age of the group (she is already 26), Victoria still fits well into the team as the mother.

Because of Amber's presence, f(x) can never opt for bubblegum pop as their music genre. Well, unless Amber transforms herself which I would rather not imagine. Amber, despite the lack of femininity, never fails to receive the highest number of cheers when performing with her group. So, f(x) should just carry on with electro-pop and the "real rapping" Amber has to offer.

f(x) is probably the only K-pop group to date that doesn't have a hit song that they will always be associated with. That is because all of their songs are of equally high standard. Alright, "high standard" may sound debatable so I shall say all their songs fit them perfectly.

Sometimes when established singers venture out of their comfort zone to try something fresh, they end up turning some the applause they usually receive into jeers. Girls' Generation's "I Got a Boy" was a fashion disaster while 2NE1 with their new single "Falling In Love" have negatively softened their image.

From the debut single "LA chA TA" to "NU ABO" and the newly released "Rum Pum Pum Pum", f(x) kept things refreshing yet familiar for its fans. The electronic style never fails to be absent in all of their lead singles. Plus, there is the necessary rapping which Amber does to make it sound like an f(x) song.

So how did the various girl groups fare after two years? Let's start of 

with the "new Big Four".

Wonder Girls: B+

They have yet to shrug off the tag of "Nobody" girls. People still remember them as the original singers of one of K-pop's most popular song.

Their collaboration with Akon for the single "Like Money" last year was the second high of their career but was still not strong enough to get rid of the shadow of "Nobody".

After Sunye's marriage at the start of this year, the group has entered hibernation mode. The other four members have since embarked on individual projects.

It appears unclear when will Wonder Girls be back as a group. By then, their popularity would have dropped despite being backed by the powerful JYP Entertainment. Therefore, it is justified to drop their rating.

On a side note, one of its former members Sunmi will be returning to the entertainment line as a solo artist this month. Will she make a U-turn and become a Wonder Girls member again? I am not betting on it

Girls' Generation: B+

When they released their new single "I Got a Boy" at the start of this year, I smelled trouble. After years of maintaining their trademark uniformed girly look, GG decided that it was time for a breakthrough. They probably broke a few fans' hearts with the hip-hop style they spotted.

They deserve a nothing more than a B+ for failing to improve on their success. To make matters worse, the girls tried rapping but Eminem will probably tell them that they were trying too hard.

GG should just play it safe and stick to the styles which they are comfortable with in order to continue their dominance.

2NE1: B+

The group only released one song "I Love You" in 2012 due to concerts. This year, they are back with a new album and a new look. After all the female empowerment and dance-pop, "Falling In Love" has changed the stereotype. Blackjacks will be happy at anything their idols have produced but neutrals will rather they stick to the heck care image that distinguishes themselves from the rest.

Still remain as the main rival of Girls' Generation but dependent on label mate Big Bang. B+ is the best it should be awarded at the moment.

f(x): B+

As mentioned earlier, f(x) has the potential to be part of the Big Four. A Chinese, a tomboy, good vocals, cutesy image and great rapping are the ingredients to the group's success. S.M. Entertainment's management also played an important part in the grooming process.

Kara: B

Since 2011, Kara is getting from bad to worse. They released a number of songs after their "reconciliation". However, I always have a feeling that there is still a tinge of awkwardness among the members. Kara supporters are probably raging now but you guys really have to admit that the group has been on a low for two years.

Sistar: B

Sistar deserves to be mentioned. They are the only post-2009 group which managed to survive in the industry. Making their debut in 2010, it faced the daunting task of battling with many established names.

The powerful vocals of their leader Hyolyn are what saved them from being just another girl group. Having only four members was also crucial as it means less competition and more camera time among the members. Neat and clean. That's what makes Sistar beat the other mid-tier groups.

After School, 4Minute, T-ara: B-

After School and T-ara have been constantly changing their members. This is never a good thing. The most successful groups are usually those whose members remain intact since debut. After School never really had a big song while T-ara has been hit by controversies over the past two years.

4Minute used to be on par with f(x). Both are into electropop, have funky styles and boast five members. Both also possess addictive songs peppered with random English words. Two years later, things have changed.

As the group does not have an official rapper or dancer, people see all five girls as one. Too much attention has been given to HyunA, the girl who starred in Gangnam Style, who has arguably been more successful as a solo artist. If the group still plans to be alive, HyunA has to be away from the group less often.

Miss A: C

The only bright spark of Miss A is Suzy. When people see Suzy, they think of Miss A and vice versa. The 19 year-old is likely to feel the burden of carrying her group after three years since their debut. 2013 has been a "solo activity" year so far but Suzy is still the most prominent having landed a role in a drama alongside Lee Seung Gi.

Miss A never looked like they can stay together for long. Suzy should be independent if she intends to build on the success of her career. Being tied to a mid-tier group will only hinder her progress.

Any groups not mentioned including Brown Eyed Girls have failed to achieve a C grade. 

Lastly, from my observations, this is what a typical K-pop girl group must have.

1. Has at least four members

2. Can speak simple Japanese

3. Have songs with meaningless English lyrics

4. Have songs with catchy tunes which make use of sounds produced by the mouth. "La la la la la la", "Huh Huh Huh Huh", "Bam Ratatata Tatatatata"

5. At least one member with blonde hair

This post is merely the opinion of the blogger. Fans should refrain from launching any attacks if they are in the right state of mind. And if you are in the right state of mind, maybe it's time to start changing your idol?