Is a song kpop if it wasn't made in South Korea?

[pinkieolivia]

This is something I've been pondering over since the release of Lisa's Rockstar MV. I never really thought about it because I just always assumed the music had to be made in South Korea to be considered kpop. I assumed this because, in the anime community, it's pretty clearly defined what is anime and what is not. It's become a bit murky these days with netflix, but it is generally agreed that it's only anime if it was produced in Japan.


After doing some googling, I see no clear definition like this for kpop. So im just wondering what others think on this. Do you think the song needs to be produced in SK to be kpop? think it doesn't matter? Personally I dont care, I was just curious if anyone felt strongly towards one way or the other.

 

[Bchip]

It depends. But i agree that, mainly, it needs to come from South Korea to be considered K-pop.

What Lisa is doing is definitely not K-pop. It's an english song, her company is not korean, she's not targeting the korean market, etc.

 

[hatmixx]

The real question, is kpop just pop now? Over the years it's getting murkier and murkier. A lot of kpop is just pop really. However, if it's produced in korea it's gonna be called kpop.

Lisa's "Rockstar" is just 100% pop, no kpop whatsoever.

 

[choively]

Pop for sure, if people still say Lisa Rockstar or other english songs with korean pop like vibes and wasn't made in Korea and still call it kpop then they're wrong for sure take kasteye for an example, under hybe, serve korean pop vibes, but with only english lyrics = pop but with kpop like vibe to it.

 

[RussianRoulette]

I feel like it needs to be in Korean or by a kpop group to be “kpop”, though you honestly have no idea how almost every “kpop” song was literally just a western pop song but they changed the lyrics to Korean.

If a song needed to be produced in Korea to be a kpop song then almost all kpop songs wouldn’t be kpop. Even smaller kpop groups buy their songs from overseas.

 

[BianTwo]

K-pop is more an industry than a music genre

Otherwise when you see who write, compose and arrange K-pop songs you'll often see a lot of foreign people working on those tracks.

K-pop labels can also buy songs abroad then change them afterward

 

[pinkieolivia]

It depends. But i agree that, mainly, it needs to come from South Korea to be considered K-pop.

What Lisa is doing is definitely not K-pop. It's an english song, her company is not korean, she's not targeting the korean market, etc.

Exactly! it needs to come from south korea to be considered as Kpop right. SO, yeah this song isn't a kpop song but a Pop song.

 

[pinkieolivia]

The real question, is kpop just pop now? Over the years it's getting murkier and murkier. A lot of kpop is just pop really. However, if it's produced in korea it's gonna be called kpop.

Lisa's "Rockstar" is just 100% pop, no kpop whatsoever.

yeah! thats what i was pondering over since days!
Lisa's Rockstar is 100% pop for sure.

 

[Bchip]

Exactly! it needs to come from south korea to be considered as Kpop right. SO, yeah this song isn't a kpop song but a Pop song.

Yeah. Lisa situation is pretty similar do Jackson Wang's. He has his own company, releases songs in English, and targets global market...

 

[pinkieolivia]

Yeah. Lisa situation is pretty similar do Jackson Wang's. He has his own company, releases songs in English, and targets global market...

Oh Yes! Jackson Wang's issa chinese tho and his mom and dad were athletes! I saw on his Kpop singers Profile. The entire family got a good brain. I must say lol