K-Pop, again

This is a very impressive video. It subtly mocks the older conventions of Asian pop, which I find sappy and annoying, has some organic conversational moments and characterizations, and has the song go in and out.

Very impressive.

Lady Gaga and Ke$ha have done similar music videos where it's some sort of extended narrative. And of course, so has Michael Jackson. But this one has a sophistication to it that fits it perfectly.

I've gotten to thinking about why this is so popular, and it really isn't just the music, but also the lottery/American Idol part of it. Now, American Idol has been great, but really it hasn't produced the biggest acts. The biggest talents come up on their own, through the real industry channels. So Lady Gaga, Ke$ha, Katy Perry, etc they never went on stage to American Idol.

In Korea, process is king, so you can take just about anyone, put them through the process, and out comes a pop princess. In Korea, the Idol winner (to a different extent of course, there's no voting or televised performances) becomes the biggest star. And she could be anyone just walking in the mall one day who catches the eye of a talent scout.

This used to happen in America, too. The biggest analogue to K-Pop is the Hollywood studio system. When Gone With the Wind was being produced, there was a nationwide casting call for the female lead. Any woman could be in it.

Nowadays, celebrities gobble up all of the bit parts. It's a more crowded world, simply. The previous system could ensure hits because it was the only game in town. Now, with digital tech, anyone can release a movie. Celebrities are basically a bigger and brighter neon sign.

But I'm tired of seeing Brad Pitt in all of the movies and thinking of the character not as like Colonel Jackson, but as Brad Pitt.

Korea is having it's golden age right now, I think. This is their 1950's and 1960's.