Plus Magazine

| Written by Han Seong Hyun (Editor for the music webzine IZM)

K-pop has become the first word that comes to mind when people around the world think of Korea today. Fans from various social media platforms such as YouTube, X (formerly Twitter), TikTok, and others are drawn to Korea as tourists because of the captivating idol groups, and some even learn Korean to understand the meaning of the song lyrics. In short, K-pop has become an ambassador for Korea. In line with this, cases of actively promoting Korea's unique culture are gradually increasing. The most recent example is IVE, one of the leading girl groups of the fourth generation.

IVE's 2nd EP [IVE SWITCH], released on April 29, features its title track ‘HEYA,’ literally as a beautiful representation of Korean traditional culture. First, let's take a look at the music video. As a group that has always fascinated the K-pop fandom with their visually spectacular performances, 'HEYA' also presents a unique concept. Based on the basic plot of ‘a tiger that loves the sun,’ classic elements are scattered throughout the video.

AN YUJIN's props in the opening immediately capture our attention. The 'gombangdae,' a Korean smoking pipe, in her hand, connects to the familiar opening sentence of a traditional folk tale, 'Back when tigers used to smoke,' inviting us into the world of traditional folklore. This mythical feel is reinforced by various decorations, including a fan held by REI and traditional Korean accessories that members have used for various purposes, such as earrings and hair ties.
 

Another point worth appreciating is the collaboration with non-music artists. The modified hanbok adorned with mother-of-pearl patterns, featured in several scenes, was specially created by the renowned designer MINJUKIM. The ink-wash style illustrations, inserted throughout, were crafted by Park Jieun, known for her oriental painting works. This project captures both classic beauty and freshness by reviving elements seen in old textbooks with a modern perspective.

The significantly increased percentage of Korean lyrics is also notable. Previously, IVE's song choruses were mostly filled with English words to cater to the international fans, who have become the main consumers of K-pop. However, 'HEYA' is distinctly different. From the pre-chorus, where JANG WONYOUNG and LIZ take turns leading into the main chorus, the lyrics are filled with Korean words. “We rise up above / Shouting as if to reach the sky, waking you up / Raise it up, aim for it, because you’re mine / Every time I see you, my desire grows.” The same goes for the main chorus. “HEYA HEYA HEYA / It’s time to swallow you in a bite / (I want it and want it) / HEYA HEYA HEYA / It’s already my victory / (When I see you, I can’t resist)”

Even when considering the lyrics as a whole, the disparity between Korean and English is evident. AN YUJIN's intro, GAEUL's interlude after the first chorus, and JANG WONYOUNG's bridge are the only moments where full English sentences are sung, and even then, the sparse English expressions are limited to short word units. This contrasts with the trend in 2020s K-pop, where artists often released songs with English lyrics only, surpassing simply increasing the ratio.
 
 

K-pop captures Korea’s yesterday and today
 

Besides IVE, which other idols have used the 'Korean' concepts? The first group that comes to mind is Red Velvet, who released their 3rd album [Chill Kill – The 3rd Album], at the end of last year. As part of the album promotion, Red Velvet unveiled teaser photos featuring folding screens and traditional Korean interiors, creating an old-fashioned and eerie image reminiscent of movies like ＜The Handmaiden＞ (2016) or ＜A Tale of Two Sisters＞(2003).

The group's logo, combining English letters to resemble Chinese characters, and the album cover, reminiscent of traditional Korean najeonchilgi, heavily drew from Eastern Korean aesthetics. [Chill Kill] also posted content on Instagram called 'Characters Spoiler' to heighten suspense. The music video for the title track 'Chill Kill' evokes Korean thrillers like the movie "The Wailing" (2016), with its remote rural scenery. It was an intriguing attempt to incorporate uniquely Korean elements in a trend where the characteristics of various Asian countries, such as China and Japan, are often grouped together as 'oriental'.
 

Another notable example is the five-member boy group ONEUS. Following their title track 'LIT' from their 3rd EP [FLY WITH US] released in 2019, which incorporated oriental sounds, pansori chuimsae, and Korean themes such as the legendary warrior Jeon Woo-chi and martial arts, they continued their unique approach in their 2021 release [BLOOD MOON]. In this album, they presented 'LUNA,' adopting the style of traditional Korean poetry and utilizing traditional instruments in the title track. Wearing hanbok on various stages, including music shows and ＜Road to Kingdom＞, demonstrates the team’s unique attempts to combine the past and present.

Another standout aspect is the attempt to depict contemporary Korea without being confined to tradition. Perhaps the best example of this is Stray Kids. Following their unique style in 'Thunderous' with a touch of gugak, their 2023 title track 'S-Class' captures the real life of Seoul in its music video. Another example is the 24-member group, tripleS. Under the motto 'Seoul Sonyo Sound', they focus on portraying the vibrant youth of Seoul. The most distinctive feature of the video is that it foregrounds scenes that any Korean can relate to, such as apartment complexes, subway platforms, convenience stores, and academies.

As K-pop has become a culture that has penetrated far beyond Korea, defining its characteristics has become increasingly challenging. In this process, uniting the universality of ‘Pop’ with the ‘K’ for Korea seems even more difficult, but ongoing attempts are being made to combine these two concepts. Now is the time for new ideas to be presented to explore the endless possibilities of K-pop.
 

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