Cloud USA

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HelloKPop 8/11/2011 — editorial by: Nabi

K-Pop around the world and the world in K-Pop!

Here’s the set up: you, an average American, sit down one day to watch The Colbert Report on Comedy Central. Stephen Colbert is doing his usual thing – giving you the news and doing it so that you can’t help but laugh your head off – when he starts his sign-off (skip to 1:55):

The Colbert Report: He’s Singin’ in Korean May 10, 2007

You think to yourself: OMG, did he really just reference Rain/Bi/Ji-hoon Jung?! Did he really just make his own K-Pop music video?! Notice how he used clips from Korean television shows? Notice how he actually sang in (terribly pronounced) Korean?

Yes. Yes he did.

Now, Stephen Colbert is known for his satires, parodies, and general comedy, but the man does his research – he doesn’t parody what he doesn’t understand. While you could argue that he doesn’t understand K-Pop perfectly, he at least understands it enough to have a little fun with it. In fact, he has 5 video clips where he talks about Rain.

And here’s the part you may not have expected: Rain answers Colbert. Colbert challenges Rain to a dance-off (yes, you read that right, he challenged Rain to a dance-off) but claims that Rain didn’t show up on his show in May of 2008 because he must have been ‘too intimidated.’ But Rain does show up, and the ‘dance-off’ does happen. Start the video at 0:30.

The Colbert Report: Rain Dance-Off May 05, 2008

That’s right! That’s Rain, playing Dance Dance Revolution with his ‘rival’ Stephen Colbert. What’s even better is that this wasn’t an America-only event – Korea knew about it, too.

Now, let me ask you this: is that K-Pop around the world, or the world showing up in K-Pop? It’s time to take a look at where K-Pop is around the globe, and the ‘globalness’ of K-Pop itself. If you read my piece ¿Hablas K-Pop? A Love Story Between Latin America and K-Pop, this piece is going to be a lot like that, but it will cover the world.

Okay, I can’t actually cover every single place where K-Pop has shown up, or every instance of a different culture seen within K-Pop, but what I’ll try to do is give examples from different regions of the world. I’m going to start a little closer to (my) home first.

North America (The United States and Canada)

Currently, the Wonder Girls are here in the US, promoting and singing at baseball games. Who’s responsible for guiding them? None other than the Black Eyed Peas‘ will.i.am. I know that other US recording stars have also worked with K-Pop groups, such as Kanye West‘s involvement in JYJ‘s Ayy Girl and Teddy Riley‘s work with Rania on Dr. Feelgood, but will.i.am’s involvement with the Wonder Girls is one of the best collaborations simply because he focuses on the idols, not on himself. Plus, will.i.am must know something about K-Pop, since he also praises 2NE1‘s musical talents and plans to work with them on their US debut.

Notice how he mentions that he doesn’t just want to make them popular in the United States alone, but in Brazil, Britain, Canada, Australia

Here’s yet another instance of an American music idol praising a K-Pop idol’s work: Flo Rida talking about G-Dragon. Flo Rida actually features in G-Dragon’s remix of Heartbreaker….

» You can read Nabi’s excellent editorial in its entirety and comment to your heart’s content on the HelloKPop site HERE!

~ by Cloud USA on August 11, 2011.

Posted in Bi Rain, Bi Rain News, Cloud USA, Jung Ji Hoon, Korean pop, Rain Topics
Tags: Bi Rain articles, Jung Ji Hoon, Korean pop, kpoppers, rain bi, Rain Colbert dance off