Entry #6: Things you need to know about K-pop (part 2)
Hello everyone, I'm here again to bring some interesting things about K-pop.
In the previous part, we talked about some questions that you should not ask K-pop fan. I hope you guys enjoyed it. Today, let's talk about some problems and terms commonly used in K-pop
6/ Fandom
You may have heard that Kpop groups have their own fandom. Each group will have a fandom to distinguish from others, and the name of the fandom is often associated with the group name. For example, the BTS group has a powerful fandom called A.R.M.Y because BTS means Bulletproof Boyscouts in English, they are like soldiers and they need an army of supporters behind them. Or there is another group called TWICE and their fandom name is ONCE because they want to become close to their fans as friends. And it is interesting that sometimes even anti-fans have their own names. As in the case of the TWICE group, there is a small group of anti-fans, who like another band and do not like TWICE, named Thrice.
In K-pop, a Fandom is like a family of people who are common interests. They both love a group and support their favorite group so their idols can grow up strongly, receive many music awards and became famous. Like any person in the world, artists sometimes face difficult problems in their lives, and these are the moments when fandom expresses support and protection of their idols in many way. Trust me, you will feel very strange when you join a K-pop fandom. But it is really fun to be in.
7/ Music Videos & Short Films & Dance Practice Video
My friend, if you listen to K-pop, the simplest thing you have to do is watch music video. You will never see any kind of content like this in your life. Music Video is one of the most reason why K-pop is so popular. The style, the color, the CGI effects, and the meaning of every single things in K-pop music video is so freaking good. Once you watch a K-pop MV, your mind will be blown away because the quality of production is too good. Have you ever seen a music video where the singer not only singing/dancing but also ironing a man? Have you ever seen a music video where CGI effects are perfectly applied like a hollywood movie? Or have you ever seen a music video where all the music video are connected and create its own universe and stories?
Try this beautiful MV, feel the story, and the lyrics of the song. (Remember to turn on caption)
K-pop is not only about music, it is also about visuals, choreography, and the meaning behind it. It may sounds weird but in K-pop, where all the thing will blow you mind, you could relate it to your life completely somehow. Try to watch some videos below and feel it on your own, remember to turn on caption.
In addition to the music products, Kpop artists also have impressive short film productions, these short films are often related to their music products and it connects so strangely that you will be shocked to find out the connection and the mystery between them.
Not to mention that K-pop is known for its extremely high level choreography. Dance Practice Video of a song will be release for fan to learn how to dance it like their idols. These choreographies are extremely difficult to dance smoothly. Seeing is believing, let's see some videos below.
8/ Music Show & Live Performance
In K-pop, the groups often promote their songs at weekly music shows. Each week there are 10 different music shows for the group promoting their latest song. Here, they will also compete with other groups to win the trophy for their song. You may feel strange, but this is how the Korean music scene works. When a group wins a trophy for their new song, it means they have the potential to become a popular group and their songs will appear in the big charts. Usually, in every music show, they have different set up stages and costumes based on the concept of the song. This makes the show so diverse and interesting.
In addition, the groups also perform at music events or awards ceremonies. And these live performances are completely different from what you can imagine. It is completely different from western music. The songs were remixed with a completely new style, and each idol group plays three or four songs in their performances. In addition to singing and dancing, the live performance has a combination of images from the video and the projector is extremely impressive. Have you ever seen a live performance combined with a projector combined with a singer to create fanciful scenes? Have you ever watched a performance where the singer blindfolded and dance on live stage? Or have you ever seen a pop live performance that has dozens of back dancers alongside singers, in the midst of a red fire? If not, try the videos below.
9/ Lip-sync? AR and MR
This is a common problem for non-K-pop fans, or new fans. Sometimes, you may ask that "How can they sing perfectly while dancing?" Or "Are they lipsync?". Right?
Well, I would say, Yes and No. They are not completely lipsync. They just use a rather different way of performing from Western Music. Do not get it wrong when I said that they may lipsync because they are dancing so hard. They can sing while dancing, but they do not sing live in every performance. Why? Because of their busy schedule and continuous performances, they have exhausted their power to be able to do it. But they do not lipsync the whole song, they still sing over the songs; They forced to sing live more than half of the song. Watch this performance and Let me explain clearly.
Well, so at the time 1:10, did you see and hear that part? This K-pop rapper just put down his mic and another voice sounded, it sounded different a little bit but it's still his voice. Why? Because they use backtrack MR (explain below). Now, from 1:13 to 1:20, he continued rapping and once again, he drop his mic at 1:22. Did you hear anything at 1:22? Nothing. This absolutely proved that he was singing live. Why did he do that? He purposely missed his part as a response to anti-fans and to people who said that K-pop idols are all lip-syncing singer.
Note: This group is BTS, one of the most famous K-pop group in the world recently, and the rapper in that part was SUGA. After BTS live performing in American Music Awards in 2017, some people in the U.S, who are non-Kpop fan, and anti-fans started saying that they were lip-syncing. And this is his answer to the world.
MR (Music Recorded)
Basically, MR means instrumental accompaniment. Have you been to karaoke? MR is like karaoke music which doesn’t contain the sound of singer’s voice. However, there is no k-pop idol who uses such a clear MR, while all the k-pop idols’ MR contains sounds of their voices. Before performing their songs on k-pop chart shows, k-pop idols should make their MR, and the way how they make MR is to decrease the sound volume of their voices in original music, while keeping the sound volume of instrumental accompaniment as it is. So, to k-pop idols, singing to MR doesn’t just mean they sing live to instrumental accompaniment. It means they add their voices to volumed down original music. Why do they do this kind of thing? Because it can make their live singing sound better.
In short, K-pop idol seemed to be lip-syncing, but, actually, they don't. They just use a backtrack with their voice singing over their part. Sometimes they lip-sync because of their health, but don't get it wrong. They totally have great voice. (I will have another blog about this)
10/ Comeback.
A comeback means they come back and release a new song after taking a break from promoting the previous song. This may sound weird, but this is a normal term for K-pop fan. Singers usually have a promotion schedule for their new song from 1 to 2 months in length. Then, they will have a long break to prepare for the next album, or maybe they will have schedules for other areas such as modeling, filming, etc. This break may last a few months or several years, and when they release a new song and new album, fans often call it their comeback.
11/ Fan meeting
Finally, last but not least. Unlike western entertainment, K-pop usually have fan meetings. Here, the idols and fans will talk, play and sign autographs. This is the reason that K-pop idol is so close to the fans. They often have fan meetings to get closer and better understand the fans, knowing what the fans want in their next comeback. For fans, this is an opportunity for them to meet their idol in real life, eye contact, and maybe even high-five with them.
Fan meetings usually take place in large hallways of buildings, but sometimes it can take place at big stadium where can accommodate thousands of people.
Well, this is the end of "Things you need to know about K-pop Part 2". If you have any question or anything you want to know about K-pop, feel free to ask me. I will try my best to answer it. Trust me, K-pop is an amzing world, when you get into it, you will never find way out.
Next time, I will talk about some specific K-pop groups or Best moments of K-pop.
Thanks for reading
In the previous part, we talked about some questions that you should not ask K-pop fan. I hope you guys enjoyed it. Today, let's talk about some problems and terms commonly used in K-pop
Let's get into the world of K-pop
"K-pop is not just music, it's a lifestyle!"
You may have heard that Kpop groups have their own fandom. Each group will have a fandom to distinguish from others, and the name of the fandom is often associated with the group name. For example, the BTS group has a powerful fandom called A.R.M.Y because BTS means Bulletproof Boyscouts in English, they are like soldiers and they need an army of supporters behind them. Or there is another group called TWICE and their fandom name is ONCE because they want to become close to their fans as friends. And it is interesting that sometimes even anti-fans have their own names. As in the case of the TWICE group, there is a small group of anti-fans, who like another band and do not like TWICE, named Thrice.
In K-pop, a Fandom is like a family of people who are common interests. They both love a group and support their favorite group so their idols can grow up strongly, receive many music awards and became famous. Like any person in the world, artists sometimes face difficult problems in their lives, and these are the moments when fandom expresses support and protection of their idols in many way. Trust me, you will feel very strange when you join a K-pop fandom. But it is really fun to be in.
Well, I almost forgot about this, each K-pop group and their fandom has their own logo. In addition, they also have specific items that show the character of the group. These features are reflected in the sparkling Lightstick, it is extremely eye-catching. Whenever Idol holds a concert, or attends music events, fans often bring lightsticks with the group's logo to cheer for their idols on the show. Fans even use light from the lightstick to create messages, pictures, for example a heart, and send them to the idol during the show. I'm pretty sure that if you are not a K-pop fan, you will be amazed to see a sparkling brilliant lightstick ocean in a big stadium.
7/ Music Videos & Short Films & Dance Practice Video
My friend, if you listen to K-pop, the simplest thing you have to do is watch music video. You will never see any kind of content like this in your life. Music Video is one of the most reason why K-pop is so popular. The style, the color, the CGI effects, and the meaning of every single things in K-pop music video is so freaking good. Once you watch a K-pop MV, your mind will be blown away because the quality of production is too good. Have you ever seen a music video where the singer not only singing/dancing but also ironing a man? Have you ever seen a music video where CGI effects are perfectly applied like a hollywood movie? Or have you ever seen a music video where all the music video are connected and create its own universe and stories?
Try this beautiful MV, feel the story, and the lyrics of the song. (Remember to turn on caption)
Beautiful - Wanna One
K-pop is not only about music, it is also about visuals, choreography, and the meaning behind it. It may sounds weird but in K-pop, where all the thing will blow you mind, you could relate it to your life completely somehow. Try to watch some videos below and feel it on your own, remember to turn on caption.
Clap - Seventeen
Loser - BigBang
In addition to the music products, Kpop artists also have impressive short film productions, these short films are often related to their music products and it connects so strangely that you will be shocked to find out the connection and the mystery between them.
(remember to turn on caption)
Love Yourself Highlight Reel - BTS
Not to mention that K-pop is known for its extremely high level choreography. Dance Practice Video of a song will be release for fan to learn how to dance it like their idols. These choreographies are extremely difficult to dance smoothly. Seeing is believing, let's see some videos below.
Danger - BTS
As if it's your last - BLACKPINK
In K-pop, the groups often promote their songs at weekly music shows. Each week there are 10 different music shows for the group promoting their latest song. Here, they will also compete with other groups to win the trophy for their song. You may feel strange, but this is how the Korean music scene works. When a group wins a trophy for their new song, it means they have the potential to become a popular group and their songs will appear in the big charts. Usually, in every music show, they have different set up stages and costumes based on the concept of the song. This makes the show so diverse and interesting.
In addition, the groups also perform at music events or awards ceremonies. And these live performances are completely different from what you can imagine. It is completely different from western music. The songs were remixed with a completely new style, and each idol group plays three or four songs in their performances. In addition to singing and dancing, the live performance has a combination of images from the video and the projector is extremely impressive. Have you ever seen a live performance combined with a projector combined with a singer to create fanciful scenes? Have you ever watched a performance where the singer blindfolded and dance on live stage? Or have you ever seen a pop live performance that has dozens of back dancers alongside singers, in the midst of a red fire? If not, try the videos below.
BTS - Intro Perf & Not Today
BTS - Boys Meet Evil Part 1
BTS - FIRE (Boys Meet Evil Part 2)
9/ Lip-sync? AR and MR
This is a common problem for non-K-pop fans, or new fans. Sometimes, you may ask that "How can they sing perfectly while dancing?" Or "Are they lipsync?". Right?
Well, so at the time 1:10, did you see and hear that part? This K-pop rapper just put down his mic and another voice sounded, it sounded different a little bit but it's still his voice. Why? Because they use backtrack MR (explain below). Now, from 1:13 to 1:20, he continued rapping and once again, he drop his mic at 1:22. Did you hear anything at 1:22? Nothing. This absolutely proved that he was singing live. Why did he do that? He purposely missed his part as a response to anti-fans and to people who said that K-pop idols are all lip-syncing singer.
Note: This group is BTS, one of the most famous K-pop group in the world recently, and the rapper in that part was SUGA. After BTS live performing in American Music Awards in 2017, some people in the U.S, who are non-Kpop fan, and anti-fans started saying that they were lip-syncing. And this is his answer to the world.
MR (Music Recorded)
Basically, MR means instrumental accompaniment. Have you been to karaoke? MR is like karaoke music which doesn’t contain the sound of singer’s voice. However, there is no k-pop idol who uses such a clear MR, while all the k-pop idols’ MR contains sounds of their voices. Before performing their songs on k-pop chart shows, k-pop idols should make their MR, and the way how they make MR is to decrease the sound volume of their voices in original music, while keeping the sound volume of instrumental accompaniment as it is. So, to k-pop idols, singing to MR doesn’t just mean they sing live to instrumental accompaniment. It means they add their voices to volumed down original music. Why do they do this kind of thing? Because it can make their live singing sound better.
In short, K-pop idol seemed to be lip-syncing, but, actually, they don't. They just use a backtrack with their voice singing over their part. Sometimes they lip-sync because of their health, but don't get it wrong. They totally have great voice. (I will have another blog about this)
10/ Comeback.
A comeback means they come back and release a new song after taking a break from promoting the previous song. This may sound weird, but this is a normal term for K-pop fan. Singers usually have a promotion schedule for their new song from 1 to 2 months in length. Then, they will have a long break to prepare for the next album, or maybe they will have schedules for other areas such as modeling, filming, etc. This break may last a few months or several years, and when they release a new song and new album, fans often call it their comeback.
11/ Fan meeting
Finally, last but not least. Unlike western entertainment, K-pop usually have fan meetings. Here, the idols and fans will talk, play and sign autographs. This is the reason that K-pop idol is so close to the fans. They often have fan meetings to get closer and better understand the fans, knowing what the fans want in their next comeback. For fans, this is an opportunity for them to meet their idol in real life, eye contact, and maybe even high-five with them.
Fan meetings usually take place in large hallways of buildings, but sometimes it can take place at big stadium where can accommodate thousands of people.
Well, this is the end of "Things you need to know about K-pop Part 2". If you have any question or anything you want to know about K-pop, feel free to ask me. I will try my best to answer it. Trust me, K-pop is an amzing world, when you get into it, you will never find way out.
Next time, I will talk about some specific K-pop groups or Best moments of K-pop.
Thanks for reading
Comments
Post a Comment