Filipinos crazy over K-pop

The Philippine archipelago has also gone crazy over Korean pop music with the rest of the world. Though the language seems so different and completely could not be understood, Korean music or K-pop caught the picky taste of most Filipinos.

After drowning in on Koreanovelas on television screens, Filipinos could not still get away from the Korean fever. After TV, radio airwaves now are airing Korean songs. From Korean television series to Korean music, good-looking Korean pop superstars demonstrate stylish, fashionable, and trendy looks before the audience that amazes the Filipino audience.

The Korean fever

Most Filipinos now are mad over Koreanovelas airing in big television stations in the country. There was the well-ended love story series of “Boys Over Flowers” with Korean stars Koo Hye Sun as Geum Jan Di, Lee Min Ho as Goo Jun Pyo, Kim Hyun Joong as Yoo Ji Hoo, Kim Bum as So Yi Jung, and Kim Joon as Song Woo Bin.

BOF or Boys over Flowers’ story come from the Japanese popular comic book called “Hana Yori Dango”. It became a big hit to Filipinos after the Taiwanese version entitled “Meteor Garden” with F4 or flower four was aired in the Philippine television during the year 2003.

The story evolves to the love triangle of Goo Jun Pyo, Geum Jan Di, and Yoo Ji Hoo. But at the end, Goo Jun Pyo and Geum Jan Di were destined for each other. Though the flow of the story was stereotyped with the first version, Filipinos were still on with it and attentively following every episode of the story.

Not only because of the love story evolving but also to the music themed for every Korean series that made Filipinos not letting go. The theme song of BOF entitled “One More Time” when played also caught the kilig factor of the watching public. There were other songs like “Starlight Tears” and “Lucky” that also made the audience feel the pain present in the story.

There were other Korean TV series that also became a hit before BOF aired in the Philippine television that also gathered praises from the Filipino audience. Other Korean TV series were even played all over again due to insisted public demand. Currently, there are still many Koreanovelas that is being aired in big television stations in the country.

Also, fan sites on Korean celebrities in the internet community popup every now and then, may it be Korean nationals or from the different parts of the world, even Filipinos that don’t want to be left behind have one.

The K-pop beat and music

After gaining praises from TV series, Korean stars are not enough of it. There came the Korean pop music or popularly known as k-pop of famous boy bands and girl groups in Korea.

K-pop is similar to English pop music, with R&B, dance, and hip-hop being very popular genres in the 2000s. The chief characteristics of the genre are that it is pop music contrived and marketed to appeal to pre-teens and teenagers.

Pop songs typically have sing-along choruses, seemingly childlike themes and a contrived innocence. The music also have a catchy melody, simple chords, simple harmonies, danceable beats, and repetitive riffs or of short repeated phrases.

In-demand girl group

Very popular right now are girl groups with members harmonizing beautifully and showcasing well-choreographed dance steps. Good-looking, stylish, and entertaining, here are some of Korea’s most in-demand girl groups now.

“I want nobody nobody but you, clap clap clap”. Familiar right? This is the well-liked line from the song “Nobody” popularized by Wonder Girls. The group Wonder Girls had the break in the music scene in the early 2007. The group is composed of Sohee, Mimi, Sun, Yenny and Yubin, as members. The group was also first introduced in an MTV show and became popular with the massive hits like “Nobody” that also had an English version now.

The video for the song features a fun and easy-to-imitate choreography, which has resulted in a dance craze with fans from all over the world and posting videos of their own imitating the same moves. The girls have performed in places like Bangkok and China and have invaded the United States, and eventually the Philippines.

Another Korean singing girl group is 2NE1. The group counts CL, Bom, Minzy and Dara, as members. Who would not be familiar with Sandara Park, ang pambansang krung-krung ng Pinas, as Dara in the said group? Probably, no one.

While they can all sing and dance, with their choreography that is very impressive, each girl is unique when it comes to voice quality, image and fashion style. Still, they complement one another and look fabulous as a group.

Their debut single as a group, however, is the very energetic and catchy song entitled “Fire.” The song became a hit, not bad for a group that appeared on the music scene only a couple of months ago. Now, the group is now popularizing their second album with “I Don’t Care” as their main single.

The songs of the said girl groups became the background music of every Filipinos that were aficionado of listening to music. Even in variety programs or shows, the Korean music became the main theme songs with individuals dancing the hit and gained yells from the audiences.

Like every Filipino in the country, Norsunians had a fair share for their part as they imitated and mocked every dance steps of the songs’ “Nobody” and “Fire” in acquaintance parties and other related programs in the university.

With the invasion of Koreans themselves and everything Korean from Koreanovelas to Korean pop music, it looks like the Philippines have been chosen to be Korean national’s prospect destination for TV and music promotions.

Koreans may have not invaded like colonizers of the past but their culture has emanated in the minds and hearts of the ordinary Juan and Juana dela Cruz. Like them, humorous and wacky as we are, we became easily oriented and beloved with k-pop music. [Source: WIKIPEDIA,Photo: GOOGLE]