Disclaimer

It’s true that everyone is entitled to their opinion, and this is not an attack, but rather a criticism. I hope industry people can discover this and take it as a point for improvement.

At the end of the day, it’s important for us to remember that criticism is necessary for growth. It’s how we learn, how we improve, and how we create a better industry. It’s a reminder that we should not be afraid to speak out when we see something misleading, and instead use our voices to inspire for positive change.

Although I have been reluctant about covering this matter. Today, one of the most successful foreign content creators from Korea has mentioned his frustration regarding this in an Instagram story, and that’s eventually what moved me to writing.

Americanization of K-pop and Loss of Variety

As K-pop has become increasingly popular globally, there has been a shift in the music industry to cater to the west, especially to the US market. More and more fans are expressing their concerns that the music is becoming too westernized and is loosing its uniqueness. Although the western influence was there since the beginning, it has become more relevant as the years went by. The opposite was the reason as to why a lot of people had turned to Korean media originally.

Fans have been vocal about their disappointment and have called for more diversity in K-pop. Ultimately, it is up to the K-pop industry to decide how to respond to these calls. However, it is clear that fans are increasingly dissatisfied with the westernization and lack of diversity in K-pop.

Artists are less interesting and expressive of their own character

I agree that many artists nowadays seem more robotic and that it can be a bit disheartening for fans. I think that labels should give artists just a bit more freedom to express themselves in their performances.

Artists are often expected to maintain a certain image and to conform to certain standards, which can be difficult to do while still expressing one’s true self. This can lead to a lack of genuine emotion in their performances and a lack of connection with their audience. It is crucial for labels to recognize the importance of this and allow artists to express themselves a bit more authentically.

Artists with strong characters: Rain Bi, Lee Hyori, Gdragon, Tablo, Jackson Wang, Hwasa, Jessi, 2PM, BigBang, Hyuna, Sandara Park, CL, Wonho, Taemin

The production quality of music today is much higher than it was in the past. Technology has advanced significantly, allowing for more complex and detailed sounds. This means that the music of the past may sound outdated compared to what is released today, but it was still great for its time.

See below, only to show you how there was more representation of diversity in K-pop in the past years.