Image is very important

Girls Generation At MTV Video Music Aid 2015, Japan

The way that we see things has a very important influence on the way that we perceive something. The clothes that I wear and the way that I look can have a big difference in the way that society will identify me. This is especially evident within the music industry, where self-image and the image of the group is so important that people will go to great lengths to have their image perfect. K-Pop is well known for the way that groups are styled. Groups are always seen to have such a perfect look with them and their clothes are matching but are individually suited for each of the members. Girls Generation is an example of this concept of perfection.

Many of the members of Girls Generation have had many different cosmetic surgeries done to their face which include eyelid surgery, nose jobs and with some members having forehead implants. I find this very surprising that the members of Girls Generation have to go through surgery to feel like they can be successful. I know that many of the musical icons that I like to listen to have gone through surgery to get the look that they desire but within K-Pop it is just the normal thing to do. Getting eyelid surgery in Korea is seen as a very normal thing girls request to their parents to have it done to them after graduating school. This is because of the notion that looking western brings success. Many teenagers in Korea also purchase skin-whitener to make their skin lighter. This to be is very confronting that people may age will go to great lengths to look like a particular race.

The K-Pop Fans

A factor that can make a musical group popular is their music but one of the most important factors is the fans. As long a musical group has fans, they will be able to continue in making music and touring around the country or even the world. There are many different types of fans that are found within ‘fandoms’, these types range from people who know a couple of songs to those that know all the details of the members and sing each and every song that the band has ever sang. Personally I have been part of each of those groups and at the time being a part of that ‘fandom’ was the most important thing in my life. The fans that are found within K-Pop are no exception to ‘fandom’ groups that are found in Australia, United States or Europe. Fans of K-Pop are very committed to particular groups and will do anything to see groups such as Girls Generation and Big Bang. A K-Pop group that has adoring fans is EXO, which had their, ‘The Lost Planet in Seoul’ concert sold out in a number of minutes. These fans are not only from Korea and surrounding countries but fans are coming from all areas of the world. In September 2015 Big Bang came to Sydney and performed in front of a sold out crowd. That concert was the first of the 17 concerts that were going to be performed around the world. This is an example that for people to be a fan of K-Pop they don’t have to necessarily have to be from Korea. Since hearing more of a range of K-Pop I have become more of a fan of this genre of music.

Introduction to K-Pop

When I first hear the term K-pop, Gangman Style automatically comes to mind and I'm sure that is the same for many people around my age that live in Australia. Gangman style became a world-wide sensation in 2012 with reaching millions of views on YouTube. This was for me was my first ever introduction to K-pop and I wasn't sure how I should react to this new type of music. At the time One Directions album 'Take Me Home' was my favourite CD to listen to which is totally different Gangman Style. It amazed me that I was interested in both these types of music because they are so diverse. For example during PSY's music video there are a lot of scenes that I would call 'unusual' to be had in a music video but this is what drew me to this song. It is something that I wasn’t used to; it was different but it was a good different. K-Pop is something that is very unique within the music industry. It gives an altered spin on what I know to be ‘pop’ music. From clothes and costumes that are worn by groups to the K-Pop fans, there seems to always be a unique spin on things. K-Pop it is not only just a genre of music but it is a way that people can express their thoughts and feelings in a way that is acceptable in society.