Hip-Hop, K-pop and Social Issues
- enarciso23
- Jun 20, 2019
- 3 min read
While K-pop videos can be seen merely as a ‘marketing tactic concocted by managers to sell a cultural product’ (Epstein 2014:317), there may still be a lot more to unpack beyond the surface of these videos. For example, Korean artist Psy’s worldwide phenomenon “Gangnam Style” found international fame for having a silly dance move, a catchy hook and an addictively entertaining video. All the while, the song serves as a parody, providing subversive commentary on Korea’s wealthiest district.
This type of commentary wasn’t too prevalent in the Korean pop landscape. However, in the West, it is common in genres such as hip-hop. As discussed throughout the duration of this course, the musical and visual stylings of Korea’s pop music landscape has drawn influence from a number of different sources. In recent years, the influence of hip-hop, a deeply American genre, on K-pop is clear. Kim Kyung-Hyun breaks down the recent resurgence of hip-hop influence on K-pop as an ethnic community “engaged in producing its own local rap culture, recreating its own version of the “black man”’ (Kim 2019:24). By this, he means that Korean artists are channeling the oppression and angst that brought (and continues to bring) hip-hop to life and translating it into their own language and pop culture. From Seo Tae-ji to Woo Won-jae, a common theme in Korean rap is that of criticizing Korea’s obsession with education and the grade-based social hierarchies that form from it.
While hip-hop in America largely focuses on race issues, Korea, a historically racially homogeneous society focuses often on other prevalent issues such as class disparity (Saeji, 2016:267). Commentary on social issues in the lyrics isn’t the only part of K-pop that borrows from hip-hop’s origins. Saeji argues that ‘the hip-hop that reached the mainstream, becoming just another facet of pop music, [is] focused on imagery’. Facets such as style, fashion and even race are utilized in videos to more closely resemble hip-hop’s roots. K-pop videos use non-Korean people in music videos to achieve a more authentic hip-hop look, among other things.
This approach can be problematic for a number of reasons. K-pop’s growing interest in hip-hop can be seen as appropriating a sub-culture that is deeply rooted in historic oppression and utilizing it for commercial gain. Furthermore, Epstein’s criticism of K-pop videos being a marketing tactic to sell a product still stands. Is it justified to use social commentary (particularly in a problematic form) to sell this cultural product that the masses will eat up?
It’s important that the social topics that hip-hop acts as a vehicle for are being brought to light, but who exactly are the masses that are consuming this product? In Korea, hip-hop has become music for the middle and upper class youth. This resembles the commodification of the genre that America has faced, almost completely reversing the role it was supposed to play for marginalized people at its inception.
References
Epstein, Stephen (with James Turnbull), ‘Girls’ Generation? Gender, (Dis)Empowerment, and K-pop’, in Kyung Hyun Kim and Youngmin, Chloe, eds, The Korean Popular Culture Reader (Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 2014), 314-336
Kim, Kyung Hun. “Becoming-Black: Exploring Korean Hip-hop in the Age of Hallyu.” Situations: Cultural Studies in the Asian Context 12, no. 1 (2019): 23-46.
Saeji, Cedarbough T. “Cosmopolitan Strivings and Racialisation: The Foreign Dancing Body in Korean Popular Music Videos.” In Korean Screen Cultures: Interrogating CInema, TV, Music and Online Games, edited by Andrew David Jackson and Collette Balmain. 257-92. Bern: Peter Lang, 2016
Strong essay by Mari and nice responses. I agree with Daniel C. people need to EMPATHIZE with each other. It's such an important thing. Understand the motivation. FYI: biblio styles do not match. Be careful about that on the exam
In response to Monica’s questions about how we define the line between cultural appreciation and appropriation, I agree that it’s a tricky topic, but I think it ultimately comes down to intent of the artist and the effect of the artist’s work.
If an artist borrows aesthetics of another culture (we’ll use examples of hair styles and apparel) with the intention of appreciation and exploration due to fascination, in contrast to mocking and ridicule, this will partially put their work on the appreciation side of the spectrum. We live in an era where the effects of cultures clashing are constantly brought to light whether it’s on the internet or in immigrant-concentrated communities. Therefore, borrowing elements in visual art is a…
Hi Mari,
I really appreciate how you discussed how western hip-hop significantly impacts the ways in which Korean popular music is being produced. I would therefore perhaps agree with how Korean artists may use that as a form of medium to communicate their opinions on certain political matter in society. Hip hop has the ability to act as a voice for various artists to address existing social/political issues that may be considered ill-suited when not put into a song. Hip-hop therefore has been inherently political infused with criticisms. When looking at Korea, lingering issues such as corruption, poor governance, the violation of public opinion can all be addressed in a rap verse. This not only signifies the power attached to…
Hi Mari!
I like how you mentioned the transnational hit by Psy in his song “Gangnam Style” as it was definitely exposed Korean culture around regions. Further, I believe that the style, and silly dances was used as a form of engagement and Psy’s image is the antithesis of what typical Korean pop music male aesthetic should look like ( he is much older, and uses his appearance in a comical sense).
Additionally, you mentioned how the hop-hop culture in Korea is a way of expressing the oppressive state that individuals feel. This notion of being heavily influenced by a grade based system depicts social hierarchy; leading to those who are marginalized to venture in the hip-hop culture. Now, the…