If anyone knows me they know that I listen to a lot of K-Pop. K-POP or KPOP, is a music genre in South Korea that usually consists of large boy groups, girl groups and solo artists. What is great about these artists in my opinion is that they look like they work really hard, every time I listen to something from an artist it is always totally different from their previous album, the choreography in their videos makes me wish I could dance, and just their style and swag just shows in everything they do. KPOP is starting to become more mainstream in America now since PSY's song Gangnam Style that came out in 2012. Since then there has been KCON. Its a convention that is usually in the summer in California and New Jersey where there are booths all about Korean culture like food, makeup, tv shows and there is a concert at the end to see with more then 5 artists or groups. KPOP is more well known now because recently the boy band BTS won the Top Social Artist in 2017 at the Billboard Music Awards.
Now here are some examples of Korean artist that you should be listening to and some of their top songs.
1. BTS
BTS, also known as Bangtan Boys or Beyond The Scene, is a seven-member South Korean boy band formed by Big Hit Entertainment. They are one of my favorite bands and they have the most songs of the KPOP genre on my iTunes. Majority of their songs are catchy dance beats, love ballads, and rap. I like how diverse they are and when I add subtitles to the videos it makes me enjoy them more because of the meaning behind the words.
2. BIGBANG
Big Bang (Korean: 빅뱅) is a South Korean boy band formed by YG Entertainment.With members G-Dragon, T.O.P, Taeyang, Daesung, and Seungri. Of the music I have heard from them consist mostly of rap. They even look like rappers with tattoos, crazy hair and bling. They are mostly know as the "Kings of K-Pop" and have expanded their reach to Japan and are the first Korean act to land on Forbes Celebrity 100 list at #54 in 2016. What I think is cool about them is that each member of the group also have their own solo careers, but still make music together. Usually groups like One Direction or NSYNC once the break up they do their own thing and maybe a reunion album, but Korean groups will do both without breaking up. You can still listen to them as a whole and or separate.
3. Taeyeon
She is a solo artists that was originally from the girl group Girls' Generation. I like her because her voice is so soft and because I am really not one for girl groups mostly boy groups. She's cute and poppy like maybe Ariana Grande and fun like Taylor Swift before the Look What you Made Me Do phase.
4. TWICE
Twice is a South Korean girl group formed by JYP Entertainment through the 2015 reality show Sixteen. The group is composed of nine members: Nayeon, Jeongyeon, Momo, Sana, Jihyo, Mina, Dahyun, Chaeyoung, and Tzuyu. They remind of a preppier female version of I guess One Direction if they danced when they first started. They have sex appeal but its done in such a cute way.
5. GOT7
Got7 is a South Korean boy group formed by JYP Entertainment. The group is composed of seven members: JB, Mark, Jackson, Jinyoung, Youngjae, BamBam, and Yugyeom. I like them a lot as well just because every song I've heard from them are so catchy and I am ready to break out in dance or go crazy. They are also great dancers in my opinion. I feel like Koreans are better dancers than Americans just because they have the whole package you want sometimes in a concert. They have good songs you can sing along to, entertaining with their dances, and seem so into what they are doing.
6. CL
Lee Chae-rin, better known by her stage name CL, is a South Korean singer-songwriter and rapper. She was originally in the group 2ne1 who were active until this year. You probably know their song I am the Best from Microsoft Surface Pro 3 compared to Mac and I think some car commercials as well. CL guest starred on James Corden show singing Lifted. She is mostly know for the song Hello Bitches. I like her because she is different than the KPOP I usually listen to and the women in the industry who are more cute and sweet rather outgoing or wild and because in the music videos I have seen of her she has diversity in her dancers.
These are just some examples of artists you should be listening to! A lot of their music you can buy off of iTunes, I know if you follow the facebook page SubKulture Entertaint they let you know about concerts that you can see some of these artists in america. I hope I got people interested in KPOP because it is a great music genre that everyone deserves to listen to.
