The editorial director of Billboard Magazine has declared that Korean pop music or K-Pop has taken over Japanese and Asian markets.
Bill Werde, who oversees the editorial side of Billboard magazine, Billboard.com and Billboard.biz, attended the recent Billboard Japan Music Awards held in Tokyo where he made the opening remarks and presented trophies to the winners. Werde witnessed 4Minute’s performance that he tweeted that K-pop’s popularity has exploded. Werde added that “K-pop has really taken over the Japanese market, and Asia in (general).”
His observation is true. K-Pop groups have been storming Japan in the last few years. Idols like TVXQ and BoA paved the way for the entry of other groups in the world’s second largest music market. TVXQ (known as Tohoshinki in Japan), for instance, has topped music charts in Japan several times. BoA is also very popular in the Japanese market.
Some of the K-pop artists that have entered the Japanese market include Big Bang, FT Island, Girls Generation, 4Minute, KARA and 2PM. 2NE1 & After School are set to debut in Japan soon. The K-pop girl group phenomenon in Japan is brought about by a strong fan base and accessibility through the internet, according to a January 2010 article by Kyodo News.
Masayuki Furuya, a Japanese DJ and journalist told Kyodo News, "What happened was when fans of boy bands such as TVXQ and Big Bang were searching the Internet in 2009, there was so much information about K-pop girl groups, which were becoming increasingly popular, and as they learned more about K-pop they discovered the charm of these girl groups.”
Asian countries like Taiwan, Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand and the Philippines are all experiencing the Hallyu Wave. In fact, in the Philippines, several K-Pop acts like FT Island, One Way, Beast, 4Minute, U-Kiss, Super Junior, SHINee have all set foot in the country! Universal Records, the leader in K-Pop music, has accumulated a total of fifteen (15) number one K-Pop albums (based on record retail's album charts like Astroplus/Astrovision & Odyssey) in a period of one year! Six (6) of those number one albums belong to K-Pop superstar group Super Junior, who are having their 2nd concert in Manila this February!
While popular throughout Asia, the Korean wave's influence is spreading to India, Pakistan, the Middle East and Central Asia. The Korean wave is also expanding beyond Asia through the Internet and has a particularly growing presence in Central and South America and is gradually becoming popular in the United States and Canada. It is also gaining momentum in Eastern Europe and Scandinavia. It is gathering positive interest in North Africa, attracting a sizable niche audience in Egypt. Currently, the Korean wave is starting to hit the United Kingdom, particularly continental Europe and Australia.
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest & most reliable trade magazines in the world.
Note: Some items not relevant are omitted.
Posted by Jonathan M. Hicap @ Manila Bulletin
Additional source: Universal Records & Wikipedia
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