The Korean Wave

Sheri Matsuzaki

My To

pic • The Korean Wave, also

known as the Hallyu Wave• K-pop is increasing in

popularity

Research

Question and Thesis

• With its overall incline in

popularity, Korean pop

music will not be

sustainable in other

countries.

Will Korean pop music be

sustainable in other countries?

Meth

ods • News articles about k-

pop in other countries• Billboard, MTV, CNN,

Wallstreet Journal, Korea Times• K-pop in Japan• Previous attempts of Korean

artists debuting in the United

States

Japan and the

Hallyu Wave

• BoA and TVXQ

• Learned culture and

language

• Respected in industry

• Topped Oricon charts,

performed on Kouhaku Uta

Gassen

• TVXQ – 1st Korean group to

perform at Tokyo Dome

Japa

n an

d th

e Ha

llyu

Wav

e • Girls’ Generation – topped the Hot 100 chart• 100,000 in singles/download sales

• Internet survey – KARA was ahead of popular Japanese celebrities

Robe

rt M

icha

el P

oole

CEO

of S

omet

hing

Dra

stic

Inte

rnat

iona

l Mus

ic Pr

omot

ion

and

Toky

o Ed

itor o

f CNN

Go • General sound of J-pop

“has been all about cuteness, presenting boys with the ideal submissive girl…”• J-pop stuck in the late

‘90’s, reusing the same sound

Media overexaggerated

K-pop’s popularity• Oricon charts carry the most

prestige

• Billboard article highlighted

accomplishments on Hot 100,

not Oricon

• Girls’ Generation couldn’t beat

Japanese group KAT-TUN

• Media outlets fail to mention the

amount of units sold

• Hallyu concert with KARA was

postponed – poor ticket sales,

despite their popularity

AKB48• Japan isn’t tired of the cute

concept

• Google and Shiseido signed

to be associated with them

• Asahi’s line of canned

coffee – sales were boosted

nearly 7%

• Sold a million copies of 3

consecutive singles on the

first day of its release

Decli

ne o

f K-p

op

in Ja

pan

• Newer Korean groups believe they can easily enter the market without learning culture and language

• Re-use hits songs and sing, rely on success of Hallyu and previous groups• Quantity over quality

PSY and

Gangnam Style

Music video – over 886 million

views on YouTube

Guiness World Records – most

liked video

Consistently been #2 on Billboard,

#1 on charts in many countries

#39 of askmen.com’s Most

Influential Men of 2012

Appeared on many shows: CNN,

Today Show, Ellen, SNL, X-Factor,

etc.

MTV EMA’s – Best Video

Prev

ious

Atte

mpt

s of

Am

erica

n De

but

• 2008 - With intense popularity in Korea & Japan, BoA attempted to debut in America• Rain – acted in movies,

but not known for his music• 2009 – Wonder Girls only

charted at #76• 2012 – Girls’ Generation debuted with “The Boys”

K-pop in America

• No K-pop group has ever made it

big in the US

• Promotional methods are

ineffective

• “Boybands” were a fad in the

90’s and have long since died

out

• New generation of K-pop are

very common, repetitive

• Gangnam Style is popular, but

PSY’s success is solely because

of Gangnam Style

Wor

ks C

ited

"2012 MTV EMA Highlights - PSY Debuts "Gangnam Style" and

Wins Best Video." MTV News 12 Nov 2012, n. pag. Web. 13 Nov.

2012. <http://www.mtv.tv/news/2012-mtv-ema-highlights>.

Benjamin, Jeff. "Girls' Generation Push Japanese Domination

With 'Paparazzi,' 1 Million Albums Sold." Billboard.com. 12 July

2012, n. pag. Web. 13 Nov. 2012. <

http://www.billboard.com/news/girls-generation-push-japanese-

domination-1007539752.story#/news/girls-generation-push-

japanese-domination-1007539752.story>

Benjamin, Jeff. " Psy Signs to Scooter Braun's Label, Will Appear

at MTV VMAs." Billboard.com. 04 Sept 2012, n. pag. Web. 13

Nov. 2012. <http://www.billboard.com/news/psy-signs-to-

scooter-braun-s-label-will-1007922152.story#/news/psy-signs-

to-scooter-braun-s-label-will-1007922152.story>

"Counterpoint: K-pop In Japan: No Special Treatment."

SeoulBeats 23 Jan 2012, n. pag. Web. 23 Oct. 2012.

<http://seoulbeats.com/2012/01/counterpoint-k-pop-in-japan-

no-special-treatment/>.“DBSK the First Korean Group to Perform at the Tokyo Dome."

sharingyoochun. Wordpress, 2 Jul. 2009. Web. 22 Oct. 2012.

<http://sharingyoochun.net/2009/07/02/news-dbsk-the-first-

korean-artistes-to-perform-at-the-tokyo-dome/>.

"Japanese Hallyu Concert Featuring Kara and Rainbow

Cancelled Due to Bankruptcy." Soompi 22 June 2012, n. pag.

Web. 13 Nov. 2012. <http://www.soompi.com/2012/06/22/japanese-hallyu-concert-

featuring-kara-and-rainbow-cancelled-due-to-bankruptcy/>.

Wor

ks C

ited

Joyce, Andrew, and Kenneth Maxwell. "Japan Goes Gaga Over a 92-

Member Girl Group .” Wallstreet Journal 28 Dec 2011, n. pag. Web.

13 Nov. 2012. <http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203733304577101

733547361496.html>."Kara's Name Appears As the Only Foreigner for a Japanese

Popularity Poll." Soompi 9 May 2012, n. pag. Web. 13 Nov. 2012.

<http://www.soompi.com/2012/05/09/karas-name-appears-as-the-

only-foreigner-for-a-japanese-popularity-poll/>.

Kim, Susan Se-jeong. "“Hallyu,” Korean Wave, Will Not Last 5 Years."

Korea Times 18 May 2012, n. pag. Web. 13 Nov. 2012.

<http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/art/2012/05/135_111241.ht

ml>.Kwak, Donnie. "PSY's 'Gangnam Style': The Billboard Cover Story."

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http://www.billboard.com/features/psy-s-gangnam-style-the-billboard-

cover-1007992382.story#/features/psy-s-gangnam-style-the-

billboard-cover-1007992382.story?page=2>

Nakagawa, Ulara. "K-Pop Versus J-Pop." Diplomat 1 Mar 2011, n. pag.

Web. 13 Nov. 2012. <http://thediplomat.com/new-emissary/2011/03/01/k-pop-versus-j-

pop/>.Oh, Esther. "K-Pop Taking OVer the World? Don't Make Me Laugh."

CNN Travel 26 May 2011, n. pag. Web. 13 Nov. 2012.

<http://travel.cnn.com/seoul/life/tell-me-about-it/k-pop-taking-over-

world-dont-make-me-laugh--476482>.

"Oricon Reveals Weekly Charts for the Week of July 9th." Tokyohive 4

July 2012, n. pag. Web. 13 Nov. 2012.

<http://www.tokyohive.com/2012/07/oricon-reveals-weekly-charts-

for-the-week-of-july-9th/>.

Wor

ks C

ited

Park, Madison. “Gangnam Style Dominates Uk Chart.”

CNN.com. 2 Oct. 2012. Web. 23 Oct. 2012.

<http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/01/world/asia/psy-

gangnam-style-charts/index.html>.

PSY. “PSY - Gangnam Style (강남스타일) M/V.” YouTube.

N.p. 15 July 2012. Web. 13 Nov. 2012. <

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bZkp7q19f0>.

Seth, Radhika. "Is K-Pop in Trouble with Japan?." Japan

Daily Press 4 Sept 2012, n. pag. Web. 13 Nov. 2012.

<http://www.soompi.com/2012/06/22/japanese-hallyu-

concert-featuring-kara-and-rainbow-cancelled-due-to-

bankruptcy/>. South Korea. Korean Culture and Information Service.

Korean Wave. Seoul: KOCIS, 2012. Web. 22 Oct. 2012. <

http://www.korea.net/Government/Current-Affairs/Korean-

Wave?affairId=209>. St. Michel, Patrick. "Does Korean Pop Actually Have a

Shot at Success in the U.S.?." Atlantic 30 Jan 2012, n.

pag. Web. 13 Nov. 2012. <http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/201

2/01/does-korean-pop-actually-have-a-shot-at-success-in-

the-us/252057/>. "Top 49 Men 2012 Edition." Askmen.com. n.d. n. page.

Web. 23 Oct. 2012. <http://www.askmen.com/specials/2012_top_49/39-

psy.html>.