Why K-pop? (Tai)

Why K-pop?

Have You Heard Of: ATEEZ (KQ Fellaz) | SBS PopAsia

By Tai

I’ve done my best to address this on so many occasions. Badly, I feel. Truth be known, although K-pop certainly dominates my playlist, I’m not exclusive to K-pop. I have Chinese, Japanese, a smattering of Arabic, and several other languages, some of which I can’t even identify. Admittedly, Korean and Chinese (only because many K-pop artists also sing in Chinese and a lot of C-pop is modeled on the Korean industry) remain my predominant favorites. Why? It really isn’t all that complicated.

I don’t like Western music. I don’t like being distracted by the words. I don’t like the themes. I don’t like the culture associated with Western music (perhaps why I don’t favor BTS, even though this apparently makes me an anomaly in the world of K-pop fans) and I don’t like the lyrics. What I love is K-pop.

I love the unceasing pursuit of perfection, in performance and execution. I love the vocals, the visuals, the choreography, the sheer artistry. No, I’m not attracted to the performers, even though I prefer almost exclusively male artists. To me, it’s no different from appreciating a Rodin or a Picasso in a museum. You don’t want to own it or take it home; you merely want to appreciate it for what it is. Art. I love horses, too. I don’t want every beautiful horse I see to be standing in my paddock!

What began as an interest in K-pop gradually expanded into a fascination with many things Asian, again predominantly Korean: history, culture, language. I watch subtitled Asian dramas (mainly Korean, Chinese, and Thai). I’m learning (haphazardly) the Korean language, both written and spoken. I’m fascinated by Asian beliefs and philosophies, specifically concepts involving the Red Threads of Destiny, Qi, Yin and Yang… It stands to reason that these fascinations will bleed into my work.

I am not ashamed of my passion. I revel in it.

This isn’t a phase. It’s not going to simply pass. No, I have no desire to move to Korea, though I’d dearly love to visit someday. If I’m alone in my passion, that’s ok, too, although I share what I love. Who wouldn’t? Music has always been a part of me and of who I am. Music is the rhythm of the Universe and I believe in rhythm in all things, my writing included. I have discovered the perfect rhythms to accompany my life and my own personal pursuit of happiness. If it’s K-pop, so be it.

I don’t care if I’m judged on account of my passions. As it so happens, I know I’m not alone. K-pop is taking over the music of the world, in many respects. It isn’t perfect. Many aspects of the culture of the industry would benefit from change, which is part of my inspiration for writing PR15M, even if it is couched in great part in my own personal style and inspiration.

I love K-pop. So shoot me.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLuQzuvvzX3UOTXlA2Vafy9O5yE_6O0I6w

 


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