K-pop (Korean Pop Music) Personal Essay

I have an pastime in Korean pop because it is a product comprised of identities, meanings, and values which carry greater meaning than their perceived commercial value. Korean pop tune is built on principles which a number of modern societies in a rapidly altering world, such as an emphasis of dedication to quality.
Korean pop is a genre of music which was developed in South Korea and is defined by a vast range of visual and audio elements. Despite the reality that this term applies to all styles of song popular in South Korea, it is normally used in reference to a wonderful modern form of pop song unique to South Korea which combines various genres and patterns western music such as jazz, hip-hop, rock, techno, country, nu metal, electronic and reggae. A more recent form of this music rose to prominence with one on the first Korean pop music group known as Seo taiji and boys in the year 1992. Their imaginative combination of various forms of music changed the nature of the South Korean music industry. The combination of different elements of music has become a common phenomenon is Korean pop music. Korean pop was introduced into the Japanese market at the beginning of the twenty-first century and quickly developed into a subculture amongst the youth of east and south East Asia. The introduction of social networking has facilitated the spread of Korean pop music to various regions around the world such as the Middle East, Europe, India, Latin America and other regions across the world. Modern Korean pop music is defined by the utilization of English phrases, a trend which could be attributed to the fact that Koreans who studied in the United States and Korean Americans make full use of cultural resources and knowledge of the English language that Koreans who go to school in their home country cannot access. In the year 1995 8 percent of all Korean pop music song titles were English. This proportion rose to 30 percent in the year 2005 and 44 percent in the year 2010. Greater numbers of Korean artists are taking on English names as opposed to Korean ones. This has made it easier for the artists and them music to be marketed to a broader worldwide audience.
Gangnam style is a Korean pop song released by a musician of South Korean origin known as Psy. The song was made available to the public on the fifteenth of July, 2012 as the lead song for the musician’s sixth studio album known as six rules or Psy 6. The song started at the number one slot on the South Korean gaon music chart. By the end of the year in which the song was released, it had already been watched a billion times on youtube. The Gangnam style became the most watched video on youtube in November of the year 2012 after gathering a greater number of views than “baby”, a music video released by Justin Bieber. The phrase Gangnam style is a neologism of Korean origin used in reference to a lifestyle of the residents of the Gangnam district in Seoul. The residents of the Gangnam district are perceived to be hip, trendy and to exhibit an air of class. in an interview, Psy, the song’s composer compared the Gangnam region to Beverly hills in the north American state of California and also mentioned that he meant to convey a sense of humor by claiming to be Gangnam style even though all the aspects of the choreography, looks and the song itself did not reflect such a high social status the song and its video gained widespread popularity in august 2012 and has continued to influence the development of popular culture from that time. Gangnam style was received positively by most music critics and has been praised for its interesting beats and funny choreography. The song earned a place in the Guinness world book of records as the most liked music video on the video streaming service, YouTube. It was also chosen as the best video at the MTV Europe music awards that were held in the year of its release. The success of Gangnam style is widely viewed to be an extension of the Korean wave. A term developed by Chinese media to describe the dramatic increase in the popularity of south Korean culture and entertainment from the start of the twenty-first century.
By the end of the year 2012, the song was at the top of music charts in more than 30 countries such as Canada, Germany, Australia, Spain, the United Kingdom and Russia. As the popularity of the song increased, many prominent political leaders such as the Barrack Obama (president of the United States) and the British prime minister at the time attempted to copy its dance moves. The United Nations secretary general ban ki moon praised it as a ”force for world peace.” On a personal note, I think Korean pop music is a catchy and often humorous genre.
Arab music is a term which refers to a style of music which encompasses the cultures of the Arab people. Although this particular genre of music is unique and has been gaining popularity since the turn of the century, its development has been influenced by various styles of music in the region. As a result, it is a combination of the music of the Arab people living in the Arabian Peninsula and the music of all the people that constitute the Arab world in current times. Arab musicians made use of traditional instruments such as the violin, the oud and the rabab in their compositions. Composers later adopted western instruments such as the oboe, double bass, and electric guitar. Compared to Korean pop, Arab music is a more classical genre. Evidence of this can be observed in the fact that Korean pop makes use of instruments such as synthesizers and drum machines developed for more urban forms of music such as techno, and electronica. Another difference between the two genres is that Korean pop relies heavily on colorful and fashionable costumes combined with synchronized choreography. The popularity of Arab music is almost entirely built around the vocals of the singers. Also, despite the fact that Arab music has gained increasing popularity, its market remains rooted in the countries of the Middle East. In comparison, Korean pop is a genre of music that has gained worldwide popularity.
The growing popularity of Korean pop music in Saudi Arabia has had a profound effect on the country’s social and cultural structures. In October 2016, two female Saudi fans fled to South Korea without the consent of their male guardians, a move which did not please most Saudis because it is still illegal for women in Saudi Arabia to travel alone. This incident shows how Korea popular culture is changing the nature of social interaction in Saudi Arabia, a country characterized by gender imbalance and the oppression of women.