Navigating the K-pop industry is like looking inside a kaleidoscope. Its range is prismatic, so it’s not hard to come across contrasting designs and crossroads that lead to unparalleled destinations. It’s an eclecticism that generates excitement and intrigue at the same time.
The 9 K-pop Terms You Should Know
- All-kill: When a song simultaneously conquers the top of all of South Korea’s most notable charts — iChart, Melon, Genie, YouTube Music, FLO, VIBE, and Bugs — it is declared an All-kill.
- Bias: K-pop fans use the word bias to refer to their favorite idol.
- Fanchant: Many of the songs that artists share come with choruses and harmonies that are sung by fans to show their support. Fanchants inject life and emotion into K-pop performances.
- Idol: Artists who belong to the Korean pop music industry are known as idols.
- Lightstick: One of the keys to making the essence of a K-pop concert so radiant is the inclusion of lightsticks. These devices light up with the representative colors of each artist and create giant waves of light.
- Maknae: This is a Korean term for the youngest person in a social sphere. In this case, it can be applied to K-pop groups.
- Photocards: Each album contains a small photo (usually a selfie of the artist) called a photo card. This cardboard card is highly prized in fans’ collections.
- Rookie: The word rookie is used for idols who are just entering the industry. It is a label that lasts approximately two to three years.
- Trainee: Trainees are young people who are in the process of preparing to become idols. Not all trainees debut.
What are some characteristics of K-pop groups?
A debut isn’t something that happens overnight, and sometimes changes are deemed necessary to redefine a K-pop group’s vision. While many entertainment companies choose concepts that span across their artists’ discography, others opt for bolder routes by having groups adapt to any style of music. This decision is a double-edged sword, as it can lead to artistic inconsistency that ends up alienating fans.
Among casual observers, there is a tendency to believe that K-pop groups are comprised of a large number of members. And while this notion is not entirely incorrect, the reality is that the K-pop industry scheme enjoys a plurality that makes each group special. From duos to groups with an unlimited number of idols, it is easy to identify with those artists that connect with our personal experiences, and it would not be fair to try to spread a web of generalization.
As K-pop’s notoriety has gone beyond the horizons of South Korea, idols’ nationalities are not limited to this country. Cultural diversity has been growing gradually and even though there is some reluctance on the part of South Korean society, it is increasingly common for groups to add trainees from countries such as China, Japan, Thailand, the Philippines, and Vietnam, among others, to their ranks. An example of this is NCT, a multinational mega project of more than 20 members that is divided into several fixed and rotating subunits.
What are fandoms in K-pop?
We find ourselves in an era where K-pop fandoms have evolved into something so immense that their characteristics are difficult to replicate and one could even say that they are setting the tone within the music world. Their role is decisive, as they can influence – for better or worse – many of the decisions that revolve around artists.
Fan support is evident through activities such as album purchases, photocard trading and sales, in-person events to celebrate idols’ anniversaries and birthdays, dance groups, attending concerts, festivals, and more. Likewise, fans have taken on a more proactive role by becoming content creators to draw attention to their favorite artists and create bonds with like-minded people. What starts as a hobby can transform into a source of motivation and great memories.
But as with everything, there are also extremes. Some people develop an unhealthy obsession that leads to a constant invasion of idols’ privacy. These types of followers are known as sasaengs. The level of danger is alarming since they have caused near-fatal accidents or tried to hurt artists. Entertainment agencies generally take precautions, however, fandoms demand –with good reason– more protection for idols and more severe actions against sasaengs.
How important was technology for K-pop during the pandemic?
Even though the coronavirus brought about a new reality where most interactions took place through a screen, K-pop managed to pave new ways to keep moving forward. Apps like Weverse and Bubble emerged so that artists could share their daily lives with their fans, and dynamics like fan calls were created, where fans can win (depending on how many albums they buy) a short video call with their favorite idol. Beyond LIVE also appeared, a high-tech streaming service for concerts designed by SM Entertainment, in which artists perform live while the audience, regardless of their location, has the ease of enjoying the show from home. Beyond LIVE would later be adopted by other entertainment agencies such as JYP Entertainment and Starship Entertainment, and remains in force to this day.
Speaking from professional experience, when I interviewed K-pop idols, they all agreed that despite all the digital tools available, those two years of separation were challenging. Performing on empty stages had, to a certain extent, a negative emotional charge because their art is best appreciated in front of an audience. Fan energy is essential to artists’ professional and personal progress, so the idol-fan connection is more imperative than ever.
What is a comeback?
In Western entertainment industries, a comeback usually represents the return of a celebrity after a long absence, but in South Korea, the word takes on a different meaning. In the K-pop world, a comeback is any new musical project — whether from a group or a solo artist — that is presented to the public, and the frequency with which they occur is relatively high. It is common for artists to have comebacks every five or six months, although there are also cases (especially among older idols ) where fans have to wait several years.
Types of record releases
- A single album is a very short musical project consisting only of a lead single which is complemented by one or two B-sides.
- A mini-album is a medium-length project that includes less than six songs. This type of release is the most commonly used for every comeback.
- An album is a collection of more than six songs and is less commonly produced than a mini-album. There is also a repackaged album, which is an extended version of a previously released album and is promoted with a new single.
What are South Korean music shows?
The cycle that accompanies each comeback includes different promotional strategies such as interviews and participation in variety shows, but the most significant are the appearances on weekly music programs. Television networks in South Korea have programs that serve as platforms for artists to promote their most recent album releases. In this way, idols obtain first-place trophies (or wins) that crown the success of their comeback. Currently, the groups with the most wins are BTS, TWICE, and EXO .