The moment the school bell rings for lunch, the dance studio transforms into a stage for senior William Tu, as the rest of the students of the K-pop club gather to dance. The room buzzes with anticipation as the beat of the latest K-pop hit fills the room, prompting the dancing.
Over the past few years, K-pop and South Korean culture have skyrocketed in popularity on social media, especially since the pandemic, which saw an exponential increase in screen use. As people spend more time online, many are discovering K-pop’s vibrant and eye-catching music videos, as well as K-dramas with their unique approach to universal topics and charming characters.
Tu, president of the K-pop club, said the genre has become his favorite since he was first introduced to K-pop by his friends, who eventually encouraged him to join Paly’s K-pop club.
“I really like to dance, so when I first heard about the K-pop club, I really wanted to try (it) out,” Tu said. “I see a lot of choreography videos of these K-pop idols on YouTube, and I really like the way that the dance positions work and play out, and (I also like) being able to be a part of that with other people who have shared interests.”
Tu said significant differences exist between Western pop music and K-pop, some of which make K-pop more appealing to them.
“(Most K-pop idols are) in groups (while) most Western artists are soloists,” Tu said. “In (K-pop) choreographies, it doesn’t revolve around one person. Everyone gets their turn to be in the center, and there’s a lot of variation to what these songs sound like. They’re not all love songs, which is something that is really repetitive in Western music.”
Senior Aether Yun, who is also a member of the K-pop club, said they became interested in K-pop in seventh grade, attracted by the cohesiveness of the music.
“I really like the consistency,” Yun said. “Sometimes Western artists will have each album sound a little bit different whereas for K-pop, they have a feel for at least a good couple of albums in a row.”
History teacher Katya Villalobos said she was introduced to K-pop through her nieces, with the unique, catchy rhythm grabbing her attention.
“I really like the beats and K-dramas,” Villalobos said. “I thought they were much more interesting. (They had) really good storytelling and really good acting. The stories have very universal themes, but are presented from a Korean perspective.”
Villalobos said immersing herself in K-pop and K-dramas pushed her to dive deeper into South Korea’s history and culture.
“They allowed me just to see things that I had never seen before,” Villalobos said. “(I) became much more aware because I was doing my own research. It’s opened people to more different perspectives.”
Villalobos also said she is fascinated by the growth in South Korean soft power — the use of a country’s cultural and economic influence to persuade other countries — specifically due to the rise of South Korean culture on social media.
“What’s amazing to me is how Korean culture really spread all over the world,” Villalobos said. “And I think that has made people more interested in Korean culture. Tourism has increased, and I just think it’s amazing how it exploded.”
Villalobos said she looks forward to the future of the K-pop and K-drama industry, especially in Western settings.
“People were so surprised when ‘Parasite’ won the Best Picture award,” Villalobos said. “It opened the world to what kind of movies and television Korea is producing. I think that it’s great because Hollywood is not the only one that can (make movies and television) — it can be done elsewhere.”
