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Asian music (Chinese, Japanese, Korean)
Jul 15, 2011 at 5:17 PM Post #78 of 2,994
12 Girls Band is pretty good, even if most of their stuff is basically covers.
 

 

 
Jul 15, 2011 at 6:19 PM Post #80 of 2,994
For those who like 12 Girls Band, I'd also like to recommend Rin'..
 



 
Jul 15, 2011 at 10:27 PM Post #82 of 2,994
I happen to be listening to this at the moment:
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-0Pr8TwUSk

 
Jul 16, 2011 at 11:54 AM Post #83 of 2,994
Kpop is ****, it's music that sells on an image. The shame is that there is real talent that is brushed aside by labels because they are not photogenic enough for the music videos that the industry parrots out on TV. It essentially centers on a few big girl/boy bands that serve as idols (sexed up) to a large youth fanbase which is essentially a huge cashcow.
 
However, the Korean music industry is still young, so I hope over time it will mature to encourage real talent to find its place. The Japanese music scene is mature in comparison and you will find a lot of variety and talent surfacing here and there. Some acts will be famous, others less so, but talent can always find its niche to survive in.
 
 
An example of talent is Younha. She writes her own music and really is an amazing musician. She was rejected by essentially every Korean record label because she is not 'photogenic' enough, and ended up signing with a Japanese label that saw her potential. Of course now the Korean labels signed her again, after she rocketed up Oricon charts.
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOZHK6AWH_E
 
Jul 16, 2011 at 12:37 PM Post #84 of 2,994

I don't really know how to reply to this. 

Because I am of Korean descent, I was indoctrinated to hate everything positive said about the Japanese. Of course, being born in Australia helped with my objectivity and this didn't really become a problem in my life. I am critical of Korea/Koreans when I am in Korea, and I am critical of Australia/Australians when I am in Australia.
 
Deep in my subconscious (not that deep really), actually not even in my subconscious, you're post kind of draws out the indoctrinated nature of my personality. You demean Korean culture, promote the Japanese culture under the facade of civility (by trying to balance out your statement with superlatives and 'hopeful' intentions).
 
I disagree with your statement "Kpop is ****, it's music that sells on an image". Something such as this can only lead me to assume that your upbringing was one that lacked refinement. There is a saying that if you don't have something nice to say, then don't say it at all.
 
You cannot, should not, voice your negative opinion like a fact.
I understand that you believe the Korean music industry to be lacking of substance. Because for you, substance is merely the transition of sound waves that sound pleasurable to the human brain.
 
Unfortunately, when I listen to music, I also like to relate it in my mind with some visual imagery. Much like how I listen to classical music. Perhaps you don't appreciate this, but I certainly do - When I can relate a visual aid (in this case the artists) to a certain piece of music, it benefits me. I believe this is why albums contain album art.
 
I know of 고윤하, and I indeed like a bit of her songs. However, just because you don't like them does not give you the right to judge them bad or inferior in any way to any other song. Who are you to dictate what music is bad and what is good on behalf of the human race?
 
You seem to have a big problem with the 'inner beauty' and 'outer beauty' of media. You should understand that some people (including me) are not this wise enough in our approach of the world.
Quote:
sodaboy said:
Kpop is ****, it's music that sells on an image. The shame is that there is real talent that is brushed aside by labels because they are not photogenic enough for the music videos that the industry parrots out on TV. It essentially centers on a few big girl/boy bands that serve as idols (sexed up) to a large youth fanbase which is essentially a huge cashcow.
 
However, the Korean music industry is still young, so I hope over time it will mature to encourage real talent to find its place. The Japanese music scene is mature in comparison and you will find a lot of variety and talent surfacing here and there. Some acts will be famous, others less so, but talent can always find its niche to survive in.
 
 
An example of talent is Younha. She writes her own music and really is an amazing musician. She was rejected by essentially every Korean record label because she is not 'photogenic' enough, and ended up signing with a Japanese label that saw her potential. Of course now the Korean labels signed her again, after she rocketed up Oricon charts.
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOZHK6AWH_E
Click to expand...



 
 
Jul 16, 2011 at 1:17 PM Post #86 of 2,994
And to be fair, Japan has it's own share of the same type of production as you are complaining about Korean music. Some of the Japanese stuff even gets fairly pedophile and disgusting. You can't seriously take the high ground as a Japanese music fan when you have their baggage behind you.

I will grant you that Japanese music tends to be more diverse, but only in the big stars. If Koreans love pop music and all their stars are pop artists, why should that surprise anyone?
 
Jul 16, 2011 at 3:18 PM Post #87 of 2,994
Japanese culture is quite disturbing and disgusting IMO.  KPOP is taking over Asia, and it's reaching out to European countries.  There is no comparison of Japanese and Korean entertainment industry.  Korean entertainment industry does everything better.  I think what I have stated is self-explanatory.  People buy records.  Therefore, image is actually molded by the people.  It is what sells.  Japanese music has it's so called boring repetitive glamor rock with cross-dressing.  Koreans prefer more hip-hop influenced music.  It could be called mainstream, but it works.  It's more original then anything Japanese can dish out.  Anime is played out(washed out, japanese gaming industry is struggling to keep up with American and European developers).  I believe Korean music has invaded Japan because of obvious reasons.  ORIGINALITY.
 
Korea exports culture because there is demand for it globally, including Japan.
eek.gif
  Why Japanese culture do not export well?... look at it. It's disturbing and discusting.
 
Quote:
sodaboy said:
Kpop is ****, it's music that sells on an image. The shame is that there is real talent that is brushed aside by labels because they are not photogenic enough for the music videos that the industry parrots out on TV. It essentially centers on a few big girl/boy bands that serve as idols (sexed up) to a large youth fanbase which is essentially a huge cashcow.
 
However, the Korean music industry is still young, so I hope over time it will mature to encourage real talent to find its place. The Japanese music scene is mature in comparison and you will find a lot of variety and talent surfacing here and there. Some acts will be famous, others less so, but talent can always find its niche to survive in.
 
 
An example of talent is Younha. She writes her own music and really is an amazing musician. She was rejected by essentially every Korean record label because she is not 'photogenic' enough, and ended up signing with a Japanese label that saw her potential. Of course now the Korean labels signed her again, after she rocketed up Oricon charts.
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOZHK6AWH_E
Click to expand...



 
 
Jul 16, 2011 at 3:32 PM Post #89 of 2,994
Bah, I'm just being unusually hotheaded today.
 
@LegendaryLvl1
 
You assume that I have an upbringing "that is lacking in refinement", and then you mentioned that there is a saying that if one had nothing good to say then one might as well not mention it at all. I think we all have our assumptions and opinions. You made an assumption on my upbringing based on my post, and I made an assumption about Kpop based on what I've seen and heard. You said I am demeaning Korean culture under the facade of civility, but are you not demeaning my character under the facade of civility as well? An opinion is an opinion. and the only one who can determine whether or not it is fact is the reader. I never did or intended dictate anything to anybody, I merely stated my opinions, albeit in an insensitive manner which I now intend to apologize for.
 
And, I do like Younha's songs, which is why I mentioned her. While my post seemed to be demeaning of Korean culture (I understand why), I want to clear it up now and say that it was not my intention. I wanted to say that Korea has lots of talent that its labels should be more keen to promote, regardless of their physical looks. Of course, the Japanese music industry has its share of flaws, but I merely wanted to state that it is more mature in that it simply had more time to develop. I also wished to confine the discussion to music and its industry, since its the Music section of Head-Fi. I would like to state again that I do not intend to construe this as a wider condemnation of Korean culture as I do appreciate many aspects of Korean culture such as food :)
 
I feel that your point on the inner and outer beauty of media is enlightening and now that we have discussed, I could see things from your view as well. My view is that music should be regarded for its own merits, independent of things such as image and physical beauty. I feel that over-emphasizing the image aspect of music media would unfairly hold back artists that do not meet these standards, despite having great musical talent. I hope we can both appreciate our mutual views on the topic.
 
I would like to conclude by apologizing for stating my opinions in such an insensitive manner. I wanted to share my views on the kpop scene and the music industry, but in hindsight, my remarks were inappropriate. If anything I would like to see this thread move on, as it had been productive up to this point, and leave this behind us.
 
@deadlylover
 
I agree, there are certain acts that I have taken a liking to in Korea such as in the underground hiphop scene. However, I am not a fan of mainstream kpop (just musical taste I guess), but I have also taken issue with aspects of promotion, such as choosing artists almost exclusively on the basis of physical looks. Physical attractiveness plays a role in success in any music industry, just that I feel it is particularly severe in Korea.
 
@Maxvla
 
I agree that the Japanese music industry has its share of flaws. But I do believe it has had more time to develop and proliferate, to the degree that it has embraced more variety in the process. Korean music is really taking off (at an astronomical rate), but I feel that the gains have been consolidated into a few but very powerful labels that are not very interested in promoting certain artists based on their marketing model.
 
 
 
Jul 16, 2011 at 3:44 PM Post #90 of 2,994
^What you say is not all true.  The potential artists are picked up at a young age based on auditions.  The companies invest quite a bit of money on these so called trainees. And these trainees work very hard, spend hours and hours practicing dance or singing.  And that's at a young age, way before adult age.  They are attending school while they are learning to become artists.  Also, there are stricts rules they have to abide by when they sign to a record companies.  They are required to exercise regularly, eat right, and other requirements.  They have to have good time management skills. They also have to learn various languages.  So, these artists must be bright and physically fit, and sing well.  That's years of training before they debut as artists.  
 
Before forming an opinion, do some research.  Of course sometimes artists are picked up based on look like any music industry, and how well they fare depends on the how the fans react.  Typically fans notice looks and no talent. 
 
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