An unscientific look at K-Pop through album covers

While this Singapore nerd only started listening to Korean pop music (K-Pop) in the last five years, it is also the period where there's a huge explosion in the music scene with new acts mushrooming every other day and each one trying to drown out (pun intended) the competition.

Hence I thought it would be a fun exercise to look at the different styles used on the covers for albums, mini-albums, repackaged albums and singles through the years. I know there are rabid K-Pop fans out there who will tear me to pieces for writing anything remotely negative about their idols. Therefore my unbiased analysis revolves strictly on the merits of the covers and not on the popularity of the songs/singers/music labels.

Fans may argue that album/single cover art matters little since they will lap up whatever their idols release, regardless of how the cover looks. But one should also note that the cover visuals represent the act's branding and how their music labels are marketing them to cement their image.

It is ironic that in the digital era where legal/illegal downloads far surpass physical CD album sales, album covers play an even more critical role than before. You may chuck your CD cases aside after you pop the CD into your hi-fi, but for listeners on computers or mobile devices, the album cover will always be there on your playlist.

I don't claim to be an expert in K-Pop and I don't expect everyone to agree with my analysis. I'm just someone who enjoys listening and following the Korean music scene.  Read my full analysis below.

Musings on Korean Wave & K-Pop

 

APink showcase in Singapore 2013

 1. K-Pop idol

Don't be too happy if a female colleague said you look like a K-Pop idol - she could mean you look like Psy. 

2. Girl band

Only in the twisted world of K-Pop would the ugliest girl in a girl band be accused of pursuing her stardom dream by nepotism and not by the honest hard work through cosmetic surgery, anorexia and bulimia.

3. Cosmetic surgery

I'm 99% sure the British Royal Baby will inherit the dashing good looks from his photogenic parents, just as I'm 100% sure I belonged to the same factory as my sister looking at the shape and size of the product manufacturers. But the scions of the Korean Pop princes and princesses born with button nose and single eyelids would need to verify their hereditary with their showbiz parents by looking at the 'Before' photo prior to them going under the knife.

4. Song lyrics

IF you find English songs too vulgar and in-your-face with Flo Rida hoping that you will blow his Whistle and Katy Perry wanting to see your Peacock, evergreen Chinese songs like 明明白白我的心 (Understand How I Feel) and 月亮代表我的心 (The Moon Represents My Heart) could be too mushy and coy for your taste. Then K-Pop might provide the solution with Sweet-Yound-Things cooing common refrains like 어떻게 (eotteoke) - 'how', and 몰라 (molla) - 'I don’t know'. But it is a fine line separating youthful innocence and blatant acting blur.

5. Similarities between K-Pop bands and Samsung devices

1. All come in different shapes and sizes, there's bound to be one you like.
2. In a rush to market, each phone has only half as many features as you would hope for, much like the sea of singles and EPs with very few full albums.
3. How it looks on the outside has no bearing on the inside.
4. Building on foundation of western styles.
5. On the path to world domination!

6. Only a K-Pop fan will understand this

The father was planning a birthday party for his son.
He said:"son, tell you a Secret. After School at 2PM, I,U, your teacher Miss A and her Sistar will throw a Shinee Big Bang party for you and paint the whole SM Town red, A Pink, Orange Caramel, CNBlue or any colours of the Rainbow you like! We can have Kara-oke singing your favourite Girls' Generation tunes,till 4Minute to 2AM! " The son was elated."Super!" Junior shouted like a Beast.

Please read my other K-Pop post 'An unscientific look at K-Pop through album covers' here
http://winstonchongsingapore.blogspot.sg/2014/01/an-unscientific-look-at-k-pop-through.html#more