Music has no boundaries when it comes to languages and cultures. It's here to make our days better, no matter who creates it and where it's coming from. There's something about the K-pop wave taking over the world and good reasons behind that massive obsession. If you've never given K-pop a chance, you will indeed reconsider that after you read these top ten facts!
10. They Produce High-Quality Music
Pre-debut BLACKPINK videos just show how talented they are and how hard they worked
In the eastern cultures, the work ethic is the number one priority – no one is lazy in the K-pop world, and no one gets their position quickly. All of the idols you're listening to had to train for years to debut in a group, and the conditions are usually ruthless and exhausting. The music production there definitely isn't a joke!
Moreover, every group has a contract, with SM, YG, and JYP Entertainment being the "big three" companies. Every moment is under control, and their producers work 24/7 to create high-quality concepts and music that follows them. The ideas in the studio are flourishing in K-pop!
9. The Choreographies
The 4th generation k-pop group Stray Kids are the real dance kings, just like many JYP groups
Besides giving you only high-quality songs and concepts, K-pop artists always make sure you have something exciting to see! The stage is a dance floor to them, and they train for ages to make perfect choreography for every title track and some b-sides. It's a whole package when they perform live!
Even though groups have the "main dancer," you can tell that every member equally puts effort and stage presence into the whole story. TWICE's Momo, BLACKPINK's Lisa, and the soloist Chungha might be the absolute slayers in the industry. Still, there isn't a K-pop idol that doesn't amaze you by their stage attitude!
8. The Music Videos Are on a Next Level
aespa's futuristic concept worked so well in this breathtaking music video debut
With a title like this, aespa's "Next Level" is already playing in our heads. When it comes to that music video, it really reminded us how K-pop is so insanely suitable for making the best videos you've ever seen. The companies make sure their music clips are high budget, so the industry never spares money when it comes to the visual part of the project.
Like every group has a "visual" member, the music videos have to be used for aesthetics. They should resemble a concept the group is following. It's well-known that their artists look flawless in every video, paying attention to every detail, and the locations where they film the videos usually have nothing to do with the green screen!
7. Stanning a Group Is Something Else
If you stan BTS, you'll have plenty of music, mainly because they're a group that will last!
We're so used to groups falling apart and the artists going solo because they're dreaming of having all the eyes on themselves alone. However, no one is selfish in the eastern cultures – they know they're the strongest when their forces are united. Hence, the groups usually stay together without scandals and hating each other. The idols are friends!
If you miss those exciting moments when you used to stan Little Mix and Fifth Harmony, you'll find various groups in K-pop that you'll love even more. Most of the time, you don't have to worry about disbandment - at least until the last year of their seven-year contract. Still, even then, the groups might continue!
6. Solo Content Is a Natural Thing for Them, Too
"SOLO" is arguably the most popular solo song in K-pop ever
Another reason why K-pop seems to be too good to be true is that you actually get solo songs from your favorite artist. Even after that, the groups still don't disband. We guess that they have no idea why their western counterparts call it quits as soon as an artist wants to do something creative on their own. That's literally pointless, and K-pop keeps proving it!
Of course, every group is focused on the albums as projects they do together. Still, we get a solo song or even a whole mini-album by some artists every now and then! For example, Red Velvet took a little break from their group projects in 2021, but both Wendy and Joy released their outstanding solo records!
5. Sub-Units, Single Albums, Mini Albums…
"Monster" is a song by Irene and Seulgi, which is basically a sub-unit from Red Velvet
Can you imagine a group consisting of more than 20 members? Us neither, but NCT exists, and they keep going even though they're so numerous! Of course, you can't really put 23 singers in one song because there would be no space, and everyone would get one second per track… That's why we have sub-units in K-pop!
This sub-unit rule showcases K-pop music's freedom when it builds the concepts, teams, and albums in general. There isn't any pressure about making an entire album consisting of 12-13 tracks – actually, that's a rare phenomenon, and they usually release EPs.
4. They're Good Role Models
This girl went through hell and still wanted to go on
...And they are tremendous professionals before anything else. Besides training for years and staying strong and consistent because they have a dream, K-pop idols really know how to behave. They indeed care about their public image, and it's often forbidden for them to drink or smoke, or they drink moderately for fun.
Sometimes these restrictions go so far that the idols can't even date anyone, and the scandals can occur, but their interviews are a pleasure to watch at the end of the day. They're all naturally funny, charming, with their themes keeping you interested. There are many clever things you'll hear from these guys, so if they're your role models, you're not doing anything wrong!
3. Their Album Packaging Is Something Else, Too
This is a BLACKPINK photobook that's even prettier than an album – it's gorgeous!
If you're a collector, finding out about K-pop album packaging is something you'll be obsessed with even more than the quality of the actual music! If you're buying albums by Taylor Swift, Rihanna, Eminem, or any other artist from the "rest of the world," you'll be so shocked. See, K-pop albums are literal books!
All those "books'' are packed with surprise photocards and postcards to make it even more exciting. Furthermore, the content you get is usually random. The way fans trade and sell their goods is enough to make you become a part of the whole story since it's so intriguing and addictive. K-pop fans have the prettiest shelves in their rooms!
2. Their Happy Concepts Make You Literally Happy
You'll get all the feels, and your day will be instantly so good when you play this track!
Actually, those happy concepts are named "cute" in K-pop, and all the most beloved girl groups tried it at least once! Even BLACKPINK that prefer their "black" side, tried being cute for "As If It's Your Last" and some other works. However, you'll find the most joy in Red Velvet, Girls' Generation, and TWICE's cute tracks.
Many groups reached all the major charts and gained the most prestigious awards. This is thanks to their songs that instantly make you happy, so people obviously react positively to this wave of joy. We all need music to cheer us up in life, so K-pop doesn't waste the chance to put the biggest smile on your face!
1. You'll Feel Like a Better Person Every Day
TWICE's purest song is the best way to show love and make someone's day
Since we already mentioned how happy you can get when you listen to K-pop, it's natural that this amount of satisfaction changes your life permanently. We basically know people who feel better since they switched to music that brings you joy and positive energy. The impact music has on our lives is massive!
In conclusion, if you listen to depressive and slow music with lyrics that make you cry often, maybe that's the reason why you're feeling so blue. Leave the sadness for someone else – we'd instead bop to TWICE's "Fancy," feel all the butterflies and get into their love bubble. You should do it, too, so thank us later!
We guess you're now already tempted to get an insight into the world of K-pop. If you are, we can definitely relate – it's a universe that you enter and never leave. You'll be so obsessed with the sense of professionalism and everything you get because when you listen to K-pop, the happiness you feel is priceless!
Do you already wish to check out some groups after all the reasons we mentioned on our top ten list? Do you stan a group already? If the answer is no, go and give them a listen!
Photo: Instagram/ITZY