Sunday, December 19, 2010

SNSD, TVXQ, and more make the decade memorable



After a long ten years, it’s time for us to look back at everything  that’s happened in the music industry. Change has been slow, but evident  throughout the entire process, from political, social and aspects  surrounding the issues. Kyung Hyang Newspaper decided to analyze the  last ten years of Korean culture in detail.



First and foremost, the vocabulary we’ve never used in the past have   become a part of everyday language. Words used vary from, "Digital  singles", "bell sounds", "BGM", "sound source", and many others have  become the terminology we’ve come to know today.

Not too long ago, when selling physical CD albums were at the top of its  game, it was natural to see about 10 to 12 songs on an album. But due  to the existence of online music sites where people are able to pay and  download their favorite songs right to their computer, the number of  songs on an album or single no longer had a huge effect. It became more  of an issue of whether a song could persuade and catch the attention of  the general public instead of an album itself.

Along with the change of online music sites, came the change of  technology. Music players no longer required CD’s and people quickly  upgraded to MP3 players and many other audio devices to listen. It  allowed the general public to listen to their favorite tunes anywhere  and everywhere. This turned into something more when sites would allow  you to download background music for ringtones, web pages, bell sounds,  online games and advertisements. The change of marketing technique was  shown and described by composer Kim Hyun Suk.

“The point is to take advantage of online music sites through one minute  previews of songs. If you can’t draw in the consumer’s attention within  that minute, you’ve lost the potential buyer and listener. If you were  able to recognize and value the song through physical albums, then the  current era must make the value of music look worthless or cheap.”

The creation of the digital music market also had an effect on the  content produced. In 2004, SG Wannabe debuted and became one of the most  notorious ballad groups of the year. Their vibratos and emotional  appeal brought in many fans. However, becoming the iconic image to  follow for the following ballad groups afterward, many got tired of the  excessive emotional sadness.

Idol groups never exactly have a successful ending either. Despite H.O.T  and G.O.D during the beginning of the decade, TVXQ was the first to  lead the way successfully for the idol world. Entertainment companies  then eyed the international market. K-pop since then has become a hot  trend in South East Asia, China and Japan.

Music experts evaluated idol groups and their agencies to declare that  some have secured their spot as globally popular. The demand for popular  music has changed the entertainment media as well. It’s rare to see TV  show programs with singers who aren’t idols. “As time goes on, music  genre’s become more biased and the diversity for popular music is  shrinking at a remarkable rate”, said Im Jin Mo.

Who was most loved amongst them all? Many music critics, specialists,  producers, and workers at entertainment companies were asked to choose  which three idol groups they felt were best. Out of the eight who  responded, seven chose Girls' Generation and TVXQ.

The president of Fluxus Music, Kim Byung Chan, expressed that Girls'  Generation is “the girl group with the greatest commercial maturity.”  Another, a composer named Kim, firmly believes that, “All nine members  have established their own individual character and have made their mark  in the history of Korean girl groups.”

With TVXQ, many said their “musical talents and charming looks were  enough to go against Japanese idol groups and easily seize the Oricon  charts. They’re an idol group that led the way for the K-pop trend in  Japanese entertainment. They set the bar for idol groups and are a prime  example of Korean idols promoting overseas.”

Another question they asked were which past leaders of trends are still  remembered to this day? Four of eight said Lee Seung Chul. Park Jin, the  managing director of Universal Records gave his opinion and expressed,  “Despite debuting in the 1980’s, Lee Seung Chul is still known for his  vocal talents and understanding the changing generation throughout the  years.”

Three of eight respondents felt that Big Bang’s G-Dragon was one of  three singers and idol groups that would grab the most attention and  interest within the next decade.

Check out the rankings below.

Best Idol Groups
1. SNSD (7 Votes)
2. TVXQ (7 Votes)
3. Big Bang (5 Votes)

Previous leaders who've changed most with the time
1. Lee Seung Chul (4 Votes)
2. Lee Juk (3 Votes)
3. Kim Dong Ryul (2 Votes)
4. Crying Nut (2 Votes)

Singers to draw the most attention in the next decade:
1. G-Dragon (3 Votes)
2. Jang Kiha (2 Votes)
3. IU (2 Votes)
4. SNSD (2 Votes)

Do you think this list and analysis from Kyung Hyang Newspaper was dead on or far off?

Source: Naver
Taken From: Koreaboo.com