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The Globalization of K-pop: Korea's Place in the Global Music Industry

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Abstract
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The rise of K-pop represents a significant shift in the global music industry, challenging the Anglo-American and European hegemony. K-pop's burgeoning popularity, highlighted by viral successes like Psy's "Gangnam Style," showcases a new wave of Korean artists capturing global audiences through a unique blend of production, cultural adaptation, and extensive media engagement. This paper explores the structural dynamics of the global music industry, the K-pop value chain, and the mechanisms driving its international appeal, while addressing the implications for cultural globalization and the future of music distribution.

Key takeaways
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  1. K-pop's global success stems from a hybridization of cultures, but it's not merely an Asian phenomenon.
  2. SM Entertainment's dual focus on creativity and export management fuels K-pop's international reach.
  3. YouTube revolutionized access, enabling K-pop to thrive despite traditional barriers in the music industry.
  4. K-pop's unique staging, choreography, and aesthetic appeal differentiate it from J-Pop and other music genres.
  5. The globalization of K-pop signals a shift in cultural production dynamics, positioning Korea as a key player.
Figures (3)
Chinese, Japanese, Southeast Asian, and other talents) occupy the lowest value bracket on the value chain, whereas MNEs, producers, and distributors (YouTube) take the largest cut in the global music indus- try. As exemplified from this value chain, Korean music producers have adopted a new globalization strategy that can be referred to as a “G-L-G” strategy, to which this paper now turns.
Chinese, Japanese, Southeast Asian, and other talents) occupy the lowest value bracket on the value chain, whereas MNEs, producers, and distributors (YouTube) take the largest cut in the global music indus- try. As exemplified from this value chain, Korean music producers have adopted a new globalization strategy that can be referred to as a “G-L-G” strategy, to which this paper now turns.
Table 1. K-pop’s Globalization Drive
Table 1. K-pop’s Globalization Drive
Table 2. K-pop’s G-L-G’ Process This is why some critics call the learning process very abusive of the trainees, although K-pop managers defend their programs by arguing that the K-pop cram school is no different from college prep schools, exam cram schools, golf school, and other similar institutions. K-pop managers emphasize the fact that they pay for all the K-pop education and training, unlike other cram schools in Korea.” After the entire period of training, K-pop idols possess very different skills of singing, dancing, speaking foreign languages, and acting from their competing singers from China or Japan. They also look much sexier and trimmed than their competitors from other countries.
Table 2. K-pop’s G-L-G’ Process This is why some critics call the learning process very abusive of the trainees, although K-pop managers defend their programs by arguing that the K-pop cram school is no different from college prep schools, exam cram schools, golf school, and other similar institutions. K-pop managers emphasize the fact that they pay for all the K-pop education and training, unlike other cram schools in Korea.” After the entire period of training, K-pop idols possess very different skills of singing, dancing, speaking foreign languages, and acting from their competing singers from China or Japan. They also look much sexier and trimmed than their competitors from other countries.

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FAQs

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What explains K-pop's global success compared to J-pop and C-pop?add

The paper shows that K-pop's success is attributable to its significant investment in creative training and marketing strategies, which utilize global digital platforms like YouTube more effectively than J-pop and C-pop, leading to higher visibility and audience engagement.

How does K-pop's production process differ from traditional music industries?add

The study reveals that K-pop employs a unique production model characterized by a combination of venture capitalism and a rigorous trainee system, diverging from the conventional structures of 'high culture' music industries such as classical music.

When did the global interest in K-pop notably increase?add

K-pop's global ascendance accelerated in the 2010s, exemplified by Psy's 'Gangnam Style' viral success in 2012, which marked a significant turning point for Korean popular music's reach beyond Asia.

What role does digital technology play in K-pop's globalization strategy?add

The research indicates that advancements in digital technologies, particularly real-time streaming and social media, have facilitated K-pop's global outreach, allowing artists to connect with an international audience instantaneously.

Why do K-pop idols typically have higher perceived attractiveness compared to other groups?add

The paper notes that K-pop training programs emphasize aesthetics, with idols often undergoing extensive beauty regimens, leading to a standardized image that is culturally crafted to appeal to international fans, particularly women.

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Designation: MSt (Musicology) Student Institution: University of Oxford Word Count: 3002 Words (excluding footnotes) resulting in the creation of a more vibrant, inclusive, and primarily export-oriented popular culture that non--Koreans can also relate to.

The Social Mediascape of Transnational Korean Pop Culture: Hallyu 2.0 as Spreadable Media Practice

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While it has been more than 15 years since the Korean pop culture phenomenon known as the Korean wave or hallyu emerged, academic analyses have not sufficiently addressed its dimension as a media environment from a global perspective. In this regard, drawing on qualitative interviews with North American fans of the recent Korean wave, this study explores how the hallyu phenomenon is integrated into a social media-driven cultural landscape, which will be referred to as the social mediascape. The social mediascape of hallyu reveals that the technological affordances of social media platforms and fans' sociality interplay with each other, resulting in the rapid spread of hallyu as a set of impure cultural forms.

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Related topics

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