Let KPK Introduce You To… Rob Base and Vanity 6 (A Mash-Up)

Kaetrena Davis Kendrick, M.S.L.S. University of South Carolina Lancaster A recent Rolling Stone article discusses the major thread of American R&B in Kpop music. A producer notes the attraction towards the genre, sharing, “Korean pop music likes differentiation and changes,..the average American song is four melodies, maybe five. The average K-pop song is eight to 10….

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The Creative Input of K-pop Artists

While many K-pop artists are managed to varying degrees by entertainment agencies, there have always been those who participate in the creative production of music. It is common for those who write about K-pop groups to bemoan the lack of creative input by K-pop artists, particularly those who are identified as “idols,” individuals who engage…

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New K-pop Stans, Here’s What You Missed: Fan Favorites, 2012-2015

The K-pop fandom landscape has changed in the past few years. Data suggests that the general K-pop “idol” fandom is more divided than it was less than 10 years ago and challenges some widely held notions about the preferences of global K-pop fans. With the expansion of K-pop globally has come increased division among the…

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For Your Reading Pleasure: A Hallyu Bibliography, Part 10: LANGUAGE

Kaetrena Davis Kendrick, M.S.L.S. University of South Carolina Lancaster Welcome to Part 10 of my ongoing series of bibliographic entries about Hallyu.   These entries are listed by year, not by author (TIP: If you know about a title or author and you want to see if it’s included in this listing, use the CTRL +…

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On The Passing of Jonghyun

Like many K-pop fans, the members of KPK: Kpop Kollective are extremely heavy at heart about the passing of Jonghyun. Both Kaetrena and I are Shawols, and just saw the group in Dallas.  We know that for many, SHINee was the group that introduced them to K-pop, and Jonghyun was not only an integral part…

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The Music of INFINITE

Crystal S. Anderson, PhD Longwood University Infinite consistently produces electronic pop. While they have their share of fans, their releases receive few reviews. However, “Amazing” and “The Chaser” have received a positive reception. Arnold notes: “This song is spot on when it comes to fusing Infinite’s voices and a flawless pop arrangement. It’s got a…

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