K-Pop, 80's Vs Now
80's K-Pop
Is 80's music-making a comeback in Korea? Although it's not time to get out your leg warmers and hair crimpers yet, Korean Pop music is being influenced by the '80s.
How's this happening, and what happened in the '80s?
In the 1980s Korean Pop was being influenced by Ballad music.
Who is Ballad?
Not who, what. A ballad is a type of poem/story, but it transpires into a heartfelt, storytelling song in music. Romance, heartthrob, break ups, hookups, first times, last times, you name it, there has been a ballad song about it.
Popular
Kim Wan-Sun, Korean pop star had multiple hit songs in the 1980s and 1990s. Her song (translated into English) Puppy, sings about love, love lost and the heartache following it. She was one of many Korean and worldwide pop stars who sang about romance in the '80s. Although her singing contract almost had her in trouble with the law in 1992 because she faked her retirement, she is still popular today.
It's a tale as old as time when it comes to artists expressing themselves romantically through song, but fans in the 80's highly admired it. It was a selling feature of songs. Who doesn't remember dancing to a top 80's slow song? I think we all did.
K-Pop now
Yes, K-Pop music is once again being highly influenced by 80's romantic musical muses.
Today Baek Ye-rin sings about love in her pop hit, 'Our Love is Great.' Baek wasn't even born in the '80s; how could she be influenced to write songs similar to a time long ago? Amazing artists and music filled the '80s; classics if you will. Love and heartache are an easy sell to audiences of all ages.
But are K-Pop songs today like the classic ballads of the '80s? No, music has changed dramatically since the 1980s.
What has changed?
The first compact disc was released in the '80s, changing how we were able to listen to music forever. Except, now we can listen to music on our phones, tablets, computers, radio, tv, and more.
Music on this platform became readily available and transferable. Although this influenced the way music was produced and which audiences were targeted, it didn't change the fact that artists wanted to express their feelings and hearts through music.
Korea's democratisation in the '80s helped pop artists to really stretch their artistic abilities, and show the world what Korea can bring in pop culture. Today K-pop is known all over the world.
Check Out
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Kim Wan-Sun 80's artist and now artist
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Baek Ke-Win now artist
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Sulli now artist
In conclusion, K-pop is different now than the 80's but is still highly influenced by the artists' hearts. Make your own choice by comparing artists from then and now.
