K-Pop Groups

[Guest fountainhall]

As the subject of K-Pop has already come up on a couple of threads, I notice that the BBC has been running a documentary about this phenomenon. It focused on a new group called “9MUSES” which was filmed getting ready for its debut in August 2010 .

Had the show been about a cute K Boy band rather than some quite cute, but generally clueless girls, it would have been more interesting. Not surprisingly, talent is not a requirement. Of the nine in this group, the producer, song-writer and choreographer agreed that most could not sing, and that only four could dance – so these four had always to be at the front of the stage. All agreed that the key ingredient above all was looks. Hence the plastic surgery that seems to be an essential ingredient with all K Pop groups.

The time taken to getting the group from formation stage to debut was around 2 years and cost at least US$1 million! Some investment! And the group, though still around, was never particularly successful.

 

The programme is aired again tonight at 22:10 on BBC World in Thailand.

[Guest]

Firstly lets disregard the music, as that's not an important part of the marketing concept.

 

These K-pop bands tend to have absolutely gorgeous boys, but they tend to go around over dressed. After picking guys who looks so good, that's a wasted opportunity. 

A quick piece of google research shows k-pop girl bands frequently dress  in very short skirts, yet the boy bands cover up.
What's the problem? Would an "Aqux K-Boys" band be too hot for Korean TV?

 

If so, they could at least try some sleeveless T-shirts and lycra shorts to show off the best talent in their band.  

 

Here's a You Tube video showing a cunning mix of an overdressed band with some unrelated photos and sketches showing how they should be spicing it up.

 

I figure we should set up our own company to start & promote Asian boys bands. Shouldn't be difficult to do a better job.

[Guest fountainhall]

That's a pretty homo-erotic vdo. Wonder what the words mean? Seems like they are saying "Suck! "Suck!" near the end.

 

Clearly one of the comments in the You Tube page with that vdo gets to the heart of K Pop - "This is so hot and easy to masturbate to." 

[TotallyOz]

Great video. Were these meant for men or women or both?

[Guest]

Great video. Were these meant for men or women or both?

I don't think the author declared his target market.  However I estimate this would probably appeal to gay male and straight female audiences. 

[Guest fountainhall]

I think z909 is right. They aim for a mass market. Not sure who these groups are. But there does seem to be some move towards the more macho-type -

 

 

 

- in addition to the twink bands.

 

 

[Guest]

Another observation:

 

Macho males frequently get photographed topless. The cute twinky types tend to keep all their clothes on, at least in the arty publicity shots.

[fedssocr]

They seem to put a lot of make up on those boys too.

 

But honestly how "macho" can those pretty boys really be?

 

My FiOS TV recently added a new channel called M-Net which is all Korean stuff all the time. Mostly K-pop videos and shows plus some anime and soap operas. They seem to focus too much on the girl groups though. 

[Guest honey9]

thanks for the post,,...

[Guest]

I'd still like to see the twinky boy bands at least show off their torsos with the same pride as the muscle boy bands.

[fedssocr]

Obviously this is an old thread... But I've been getting more and more into this subject lately. I am now totally obsessed with Korean rock band CNBlue. In addition to being in the band they all act in various Korean dramas. And they seem like really sweet guys. I get a real gay vibe off a couple of them based on how they interact. But that could just be projection. But they write (most) of their own songs in Korean, Japanese and English and they're pretty talented musicians which puts them a cut above the pop groups who are grown in a lab and launched with arena shows in my opinion. They basically started out busking in Japan. I am endlessly fascinated. There may be a trip to S. Korea in my future.

[fedssocr]

Watch this program and tell me that these guys don't come across as totally G-A-Y

 

This group is called U-KISS. Their difference is that they have a couple of Korean-American members.