It is notoriously difficult to find in-depth information about 015B in English. What Wikipedia and some other sites seem to agree on is that the group started out with four members and later became a duo, brothers Jeong Seok-won and Jang Ho-il. However, listening to several of their albums reveals that they are keen to…
Author: Crystal S. Anderson
The Multiple Meanings of Manufacturing in K-pop
Media coverage and scholarly writing about K-pop often negatively characterizes it as a manufactured mode of music. However, there are other connotations of this term that more comprehensively address the process by which K-pop is made. It is common for stories about “idol”-based K-pop (singers and groups who sing and dance, appear on television shows…
Why Is K-pop Coverage So Negative?
Much like the current tone of the Internet, wholly negative criticism threatens to skew our perceptions of K-pop. On any given day, one can wander out on social media and witness what has become the all-too-common negative critique of K-pop. A recent Twitter thread began by Yim Hyun-su pointed out how media tends to write…
Decennium: #TenYearsWithKPK
KPK: Kpop Kollective, the oldest aca-fansite for K-pop, celebrates its 10-year anniversary on these K-pop streets! BRIDES says that the traditional anniversary gift for the 10th anniversary is tin or aluminum, symbolizing flexibility and resiliency. It seems appropriate for KPK, because no matter if we are many or few, we are still here using our…
Labor from Below: What Neoliberal Capitalism Overlooks in K-pop
Crystal S. Anderson, PhD Director, KPK: Kpop Kollective Scholars frequently use the neoliberal capitalism frame to contextualize K-pop within the Korean wave, but the over-reliance on critiquing capitalist forces further silences the creative personnel of K-pop. If we approach K-pop using the “history from below” framework, we can reveal the perspectives of the individuals in…
Who’s Better, Who’s Best: Competition and Manipulation in K-pop
Crystal S. Anderson, PhD Director, KPK: Kpop Kollective Recent developments involving award and competition shows reveal the impact of mainstreaming on K-pop. As stakes increase for industry and media, accolades and competition are perceived as metrics for quality. However, they largely measure popularity, which is subject to manipulation. While many K-pop acts are managed by…
The Return to #KCON19LA!
Dr. Crystal S. Anderson is honored once again to be a special guest at #KCONLA! She will be part of two panels: Black American Music and K-pop (Friday, August 16 @ 12:00 p.m.) We Study Hallyu and You Can Too! (Saturday, August 17 @12:00 p.m.) See you there!
This Week In K-pop: July 20-26, 2019
Finding All Kinds of K-pop Stuff So You Don’t Have To Crystal S. Anderson, PhD Director, KPK: Kpop Kollective New pop releases in K-pop this week include three title tracks from the new EXO sub-unit, EXO-SC, including “What A Life.” Woosung (of the band The Rose) released “Face,” while Kang Daniel finally debuts as…
#WheeWednesday: “매력쟁이 (Charisma) ft. MC Mong,” LYn
This #WheeWednesday is actually related to the previous #WheeWednesday with Dynamic Duo. Dynamic Duo started with the hip-hop trio CB Mass. Interestingly, CB Mass was also featured on two songs on Korean R&B songstress LYn‘s 2002 album, Have You Ever Had Heart Broken? So LYn is no stranger to blending her vocals with hip-hop aesthetics. Which…
#WheeWednesday: “Art of Love (Primary Remix),” Dynamic Duo
Since I dropped the ball on #WheeWednesday, I have to double down with some Dynamic Duo. The Korean hip-hop duo made up of Choiza and Gaeko, began as members of the hip-hop group CB Mass in 2000. They later left and formed Dynamic Duo, and founded their own label, Amoeba Culture, in 2006. Some…
KPK: Kpop Kollective 