SXSW Panel on K-Pop and the American Pop Music Market
Yesterday kicked off the music portion of SXSW 2012, Austin’s annual clusterfuck Interactive/Music/Film festival, and everyone in the heart of Texas is excited for all of the free-flowing booze, swag and celebrity encounters that are bound to happen. As the live music draws in the hipsters, the music industry panel discussions draw the movers ‘n shakers. One intriguing discussion that’s happening this Friday is on on K-pop (or Korean pop): Do Music Moguls Know a Secret About K-Pop? Here’s the description:
More and more, American artists are being drawn to the culture, fashion and music of Asia. Will.i.am is producing tracks on 2NE1‘s next album, Kanye West is working with JYJ, and Wonder Girls recently opened for the Jonas Brothers. It’s been said before, but this may be the year that K-pop breaks through into American pop culture. Can K-pop cross over or is it exclusive to an Asian population? Do K-pop artists need to have an English language single or can an in-language song make it in the U.S. market? What exactly is K-pop anyway?
Without having attended this panel, I can already provide some answers.
What exactly is K-pop anyway?
K-pop is Korean pop, and there’s nothing quite like it. It’s a plethora of beautiful, stylish, well-trained, well-groomed, heavily managed, hard-working, talented, likable boy bands, girl groups and solo acts. It’s a bubblegum fantasy land. It’s an ethnic-themed issue of Tiger Beat. It’s the hypothetical lovechild of Katy Perry and Forever 21 mogul Do Won Chang. It’s delightful.
Can K-pop cross over or is it exclusive to an Asian population?
Yes, it can. And, it has. Korean pop has crossed over to America–it’s just that nobody, nobody noticed. K-pop artists like Se7en and BoA came over here several years back and worked with people like Lil’ Kim, Flo Rida, Bloodshy & Avant and Sean Garrett. They sang in English, produced slick music videos and received absolutely no airplay. In 2007, Rain defeated Stephen Colbert in Time‘s online poll for most influential people, and he appeared on the Colbert Report in 2008.
Do K-pop artists need to have an English language single or can an in-language song make it in the U.S. market?
The former. Nobody speakin’ the ching chong ever gets on American radio! Maybe we should ask Seacrest.
Lest you think I’m overly pessimistic and dismissive of K-pop’s American success, I’ll go ahead and unabashedly and non-ironically admit that I’m K-pop’s biggest fan. Can you blame me? In the absence of groups like Spice Girls and Destiny’s Child, K-pop groups like Girls Generation (or SNSD), Wonder Girls, and 2NE1 fill a void that many of us who came of age in the 90′s have been looking to fill–the sight of women working not against each other but together–a flashy, superficial and highly debatable symbol of feminist youth. These young women are doing for the East what the Spice Girls once did for the West, spreading a message of empowerment–despite being managed by a patriarchal pop music industry and its expectations–and succeeding in their own right because of their talent. Get on board! If you’re new to K-pop, here are some videos to check out:
BoA — “Eat You Up”
BoA is the reigning pop princess of South Korea and all of Asia. “Eat You Up” was her American debut single.
Wonder Girls — “Nobody”
The Wonder Girls hit “Nobody” took over everyone’s iPods a couple of years back because of its infectious beat and retro feel. I’m not sure how their style fits exactly with the Joe Bros, but they totally deserve all the exposure they can get.
Girls’ Generation (SNSD) — “The Boys” on David Letterman
Girls’ Generation (a.k.a SNSD in Korea) is a nine-member girl group made up of American-born and Korean-born singers and dancers. This video is of their appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman in January 2012.
Contestants on TV competition show K-Pop Star cover “The Boys”
There’s a competition show on Korean TV right now that really showcases the talent of young Koreans and Americans, who’ve traveled all the way to Korea from places like L.A. and NYC in the hopes of becoming the next big K-Pop star. Check out SuPearls cover of Girls, Generation’s “The Boys”:
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‘Seeking Asian Female’ and Other SXSW 2012 Films
SXSW 2012 (The South by Southwest Interactive/Film/Music Festival) is upon us all today in inexplicably dreary Austin, Texas, and there are a lot of exciting events going on in the coming week. A lot of people have already been talking about the films coming out this year at the fest. One screening that caught my attention was that of a documentary called Seeking Asian Female by San Francisco filmmaker Debbie Lum that will be shown next week. Here the synopsis:
Seeking Asian Female is an eccentric modern love story about Steven and Sandy — an aging white man with “yellow fever” who is obsessed with marrying any Asian woman, and the young Chinese bride he finds online. Debbie, a Chinese American filmmaker, documents and narrates with skepticism and humor, from the early stages of Steven’s search, through the moment Sandy steps foot in California for the first time, to a year into their precarious union. Global migration, Sino-American relations and the perennial battle of the sexes, weigh in on the fate of their marriage in this intimate and quirky personal documentary.
Doing a doc about yellow fever is pretty ballsy, since it will very probably unearth some heavy creepiness, awkwardness and cringe-inducing moments. But I’m confident that it’ll prove to be much more intricate and sensitive than we’d expect. Watch the trailer here:
Another film called Eden, directed by Megan Griffiths, stars Asian American actress Jamie Chung as a girl abducted into the sex slave trade who struggles to free herself from captivity. Here’s the synopsis:
In 1994 Korean-American teenager, Hyun Jae, went to a bar in New Mexico where a handsome young man posing as a firefighter offered her a ride home. Then she was abducted and smuggled into Las Vegas where she was imprisoned as a sex slave for two years. During her captivity, Hyun Jae (dubbed Eden by her captors) ensured her own survival by steadily carving out power and influence within the very organization that imprisoned her. Inspired by the complex and harrowing true story of human trafficking survivor Chong Kim, “Eden” peers into the darkest corners of America and attempts to discover the humanity within.
Sounds like a heart-wrenching and inspiring story. I’m glad that women filmmakers are tackling such complicated subjects as yellow fever and sex trafficking, but I do wish there were more comedies out there that give AAPI actors a chance to show their comic chops.
If you’re going to South By this year (or if you’re not and are simply a filmgeek), which films are you most excited to see?
See the full schedule of SXSW 2012 films here.
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Texan Fil-Am Paul Qui Wins Top Chef–and Hearts All Over the Country
Tyson Cole and Austinites celebrating Paul Qui's win at Uchiko in Austin (Source: Statesmen.com)
Paul Qui won Top Chef! Which I’m ECSTATIC about because he totally reps me as a Texan, a Filipino American, and general lover of Japanese and Southeast Asian cuisine.
I really hope that Paul not only challenged stereotypes about Asian Americans (especially in a field as competitive as the restaurant business), but also that he changed people’s perceptions of Texans and the food we cook and eat (it’s not chili and BBQ all the time!).
Arguably the most endearing thing about Paul is that he stayed humble throughout the entire competition. In these final episodes of the season, we saw him give shouts out to his grandfather, who emigrated to the Philippines from China, and his parents, who emigrated to the U.S. from the Philippines.
Many of us in the AAPI community are intimately familiar with his story, which makes Paul’s victory even sweeter for those of us who, y’know, enjoy living the American Dream vicariously through supertalented people…
You’re a badass, Qui. But how hard will it be to get a table at Uchiko these days? Ah, but there’s always East Side King. I just hope Bourdain–or anyone–won’t be filming wherever I’ve got a hankering for some eats.
P.S. Check Best Week Ever’s funny recap of the Top Chef season finale.
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Lin-spired Race-Tweet Wars and Peace in Comedy
I know, I know, you’re sick and tired of hearing about Jeremy Lin. He plays basketball and he’s Asian and that’s about it. End of story, right? It should be. If we were living in a post-racial, meritocratic world we’d be saying “Hey, look at this new kid on the Knicks: he’s got game and a lot of potential!” and that would be the last we’d hear about him until he gets on a Wheaties box or cheats on his wife.
The fact is that we can’t talk Jeremy Lin without talking race. Taiwanese Americans, Chinese Americans and Asian Americans in general want to celebrate the fact that Lin is one of only a handful of Asian American basketball players in NBA history–and the first in more than a decade. And there’s absolutely nothing wrong with celebrating an underdog who breaks barriers. Well, until the celebration turns into “hype” and fame becomes predicated on race. Then everyone wants you to stop talking about Lin and his accomplishments because it ought not be a “race thing.”
If you share the above opinion, I’ve got news for you: it was a “race thing” long before Lin became starting point guard for the Knicks. It was a “race thing” when people were telling him: ”Go back to China”; “Orchestra is on the other side of campus”; “Open up your eyes.” It is always part of the story, the underdog narrative, and it matters. It’s precisely the racial baggage that makes him such a role model for many Asian American kids who play sports or dream of playing professional sports in this country and need confirmation that it’s even possible and that the barriers aren’t too big. Let’s just accept that and celebrate that and nurture that–can we?
Who am I kidding? We can’t accept that. We’re hopeless. Let the Race-tweet War commence:
Floyd Mayweather Jr.: Jeremy Lin is a good player but all the hype is because he’s Asian. Black players do what he does every night and don’t get the same praise.
Jeremy Whitlock (of Fox Sports, on the Knicks win against the Lakers): Some lucky lady in NYC is gonna feel a couple of inches of pain tonight.
Jenny Hyun (K-Pop songwriter): *A response to Floyd Mayweather that’s really a psychotic, racist Twi-rade against Black people.* (Warning: Clicking this link will make you lose your shit. Try not to lose it in a similarly racist or non-constructive way.)
And let the off-Twitter racial insensitivity commence:
ESPN.com headline: A Chink in the Armor
The Nick and Artie Show (on nationally syndicated KNBR 1050): Most Racist Joke about Jeremy Lin and Asian Americans Contest
UGH. Don’t it all just make your heart hurt? White people, Black people, Asian people: can we STFU already with the hate? All of this smack talk is only going to get you an Internet smack in the face. And all of this tearing other people down is only tearing down yourself and the respective and multiple communities you represent. BE BETTER THAN THAT.
While I’m horrified and ashamed at some people in the media, I’ve also found solace in comedy, a frequent peacemaker and unlikely voice of reason in these, our craptastic times. I’m glad to share with you a few clips that really put Linsanity into perspective and demonstrate how farcical our limited viewpoints and unbending attitudes really are.
SNL Cold Opening: Linsanity Postgame
The Colbert Report: Linsanity!
“Conan” Writer Deon Cole Begs Asians to Leave Basketball Alone
Have you seen any other funny Jeremy Lin clips on the Web? Feel free to send me some links. I’m especially interested in seeing Asian American comedians’ takes on the Jeremy Lin phenom if they’re out there. And I hope one day to see an Asian American on SNL, playing Jeremy Lin or Kim Jong-un or whoever. Like, maybe Ken Jeong, Bobby Lee, John Cho…anyone on this list?
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When Race is the Punchline: Asian Jokes on New Girl
New Girl's Hannah Simone (left) and Zooey Deschanel (right)
The other day, after my roommate finished watching Glee (which she is fond of and I am not) she left the TV on long enough for me to start paying attention to it, and I happened to catch the latest episode of New Girl. I’ve seen a couple of episodes of the show before, mainly because I was curious about whether Zooey Deschanel could do comedy (and she can, although it’s simply not my brand of comedy).
The show isn’t terrible, and I can see why people watch it. It’s interesting if only for the set up: one (MPDG) girl living with a group of guys, one person of color living with a group of White people, one person of mixed race commenting on the situation while also being a part of it…quirky enough for comedy gold! Plus, it was created by a woman (Elizabeth Meriwether) and is produced by a team of women and men.
I didn’t have high hopes, but I had higher than normal ones. This week’s “Valentine’s Day” episode killed those hopes. Cranky old man/roommate/probable soul mate of Jess (Deschanel)–Nick (played by Jake Johnson)–has a new lawyer girlfriend, Julia, who’s fond of berating and condescending to her inferiors in racial terms.
Here are snippets from a phone conversation that Julia has with one of her colleagues:
Well, I guess it’s time to take that Chinese head outta that Chinese ass, Ming!
(To Ming) Confucius say ‘You work for ME!’
Meanwhile, Nick and one of Julia’s interns are sitting there listening to the conversation and inexplicably not commenting on it during or afterward. There was no “Hey, that was kinda harsh,” much less a “That was sort of racist.” It was one of those uncomfortable moments for viewers like myself where we expect at least an acknowledgement of (and at most a joke about!) the offensive phrases that were just uttered. It’s like when you tell someone you love them and they give you the vacant eyes. Or maybe more like telling someone you’re having their baby, and they go “Fuck.”
What’s happening is that in that moment the kyriarchy is saying, “Fuck you, viewers who expect stuff. Just fuck you.” In her Bitch Magazine post entitled “TelevIsm: Not Just A Joke” Rachel McCarthy James set up a condition for jokes that depict and reinforce the kyriarchy (systems of oppression):
IF a character on a television reflects or reinforces the kyriarchy through problematic/loaded language or actions.
AND the joke is ignored, applauded or otherwise validated by another character
THEN the joke constitutes a reinforcement of kyriarchy in society.
For me it’s not just a theory; it’s something palpable that gets me right in the gut. It’s a voice in my head that tells me Nobody is standing up for you right now, and you are being marginalized. It’s a microaggresion. And it makes me want to shut the TV off and curse the New Girl writers and type this blog post.
For some reason (probably that I’m a masochist), I didn’t shut off the TV. I kept watching until the end. In the same episode, CeCe (played by Indian Canadian actress Hannah Simone) is seen hanging out with/taking care of her high-on-shrooms boyfriend as he surfs a tire swing at a nearby playground. The boyfriend, probably due to his being high, yells
“I love brown people!”
and Cece replies with “That’s racist, Kyle.” It is at this point that I am befuddled. They choose to comment on race only when someone isn’t sober and therefore cannot fully comprehend that what he said was offensive?
What. are. you. writers. doing?! Was that supposed to make up for the fact that you let Julia’s earlier remarks slide? Is that supposed to show us that CeCe as a woman of color has more of an awareness of racial issues than does Julia, a White woman? There are too many unanswered questions for my liking.
There’s so much potential in New Girl: the episode in question was about Jess being supported by lothario Schmidt (Max Greenfield) to have a one-night stand, and the B story was about Winston (Lamorne Morris) crashing/participating in a Galentine’s party to ask for a second chance from a woman he stood up. It’s got all the makings of a pro-woman sitcom, but it sadly doesn’t deliver in any satisfying way.
Some people have postulated on forums that perhaps the writers are setting up Julia to be the villain to Jess’ Girl Next Door or CeCe’s self-confident Femme Fatale–and by villain I mean Mean Girl, or Bitch. Maybe Nick’s going to realize what a self-righteous racist she is and dump her. But I don’t really want to stick around to find out how these problematic characters will pan out because I cannot stand when writers write women into positions of power (like lawyer Julia) and then waste a golden opportunity by turning them into negative stereotypes instead of giving them good material.
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