The craze over K-POP and Korean idol groups is the most visible part of the ‘Korean Wave’ of the twenty-first century. Korean idol groups date back to the early 1990s, when Seotaiji Wa Aideul (Seotaiji and the Boys) came out, and then groups such as H.O.T, Sechs Kies, and G.O.D formed. The idols are not just singers, but they are entertainers that act in dramas and movies, attend events, perform in musicals, and so on. Thus, the idol production companies are not categorized as music production companies, but rather ‘complex entertainment companies’ or ‘total management companies.’ Because such integration of productions is much more profitable than simply singers producing albums, Korean popular music has been concentrated in the idol business and “a means for those seeking stardom (Siriyuvasak and Shin, 113).” Currently there are more than 1,000 active entertainment companies in Korea, with big labels such as SM Entertainment, YG Entertainment, and JYP Entertainment leading (Ahn, 2). As the business flourishes, there has been criticism that there exists overheated competition of idol groups, leading to marketing buzz through provocative lyrics, choreography, and fashion. Nonetheless, the Asian market of Korean idol industry is keep on growing, especially with SM Entertainment’s boy-group EXO having large success in China in the past few years. 

References

Siriyuvasak, Ubonrat and Hyunjoon Shin. Asianizing K-pop: production, consumption and identification patterns among Thai youth. 2007, 109-136. 

Ahn, JoongHo. Korean Pop Takes Off: Social Media Strategy of Korean Entertainment Industry. 2013, 1-4.