Along with genres including J-pop and J-rock, K-pop is a music genre which has found a place in the western market over the last decade. In 2014, the genre even benefitted from a prestigious showcase at the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas. But what is it, what does it sound like and what makes it so distinctive?
K-pop stands for Korean Pop, and is a genre which takes all of the norms of what is ‘cool’ in musical culture, and turns them upside down. Bright colours, pyrotechnic displays and synchronised dance moves remain au fait in this world. Whilst there has been a solid western K-pop fanbase for many years, it’s only over the last decade or so that it has edged into the mainstream and become popular with music agents.
Unlike in the west, where a band with five members is considered to be on the large side, K-pop bands often top ten members. For instance, the band EXO is huge in Korea and is formed of twelve members. However, six members perform in Korean and six in Mandarin, allowing the band to tap into the lucrative Chinese markets.
And indeed, the whole K-pop business is a lucrative one, so labels take the utmost care in creating well trained and marketable groups. Groups are often put together before their members have even hit their teens, then trained up and presented to the public after as much as six or seven years of practice.
This budding genre is a fascinating way to introduce your guests to something completely different, and music agent MN2S has one of Korea’s biggest acts on the books. Super Junior was formed of 13 members at its peak, although some have now parted ways with the band to pursue other interests.
If you’re looking for a music act with a real difference, consider the energetic and affable Super Junior, guaranteed to get any audience up on their feet. To find out more, contact music agents MN2S.