The A to Z of Pop - K is for Kinda Amazing

The A to Z of Pop

by Jo Michelmore

K could have been simple, I could have just picked all the pop our very own K-Tizz loves and written about that. I could have picked another of my friends faves, Katy Perry. But something else occurred to me. I don't wanna focus on one particular artist. How dull. I don't wanna do things by halves. Let's talk about a whole genre of pop itself. 

Welcome to K-Pop.

You think you know something about K-Pop because you know the words to the chorus of Gangnam Style? You wrong. See, the thing is, I have a very good friend who knows a bit about K-Pop, because he is Korean. He can also sing really well, I know, I've done karaoke with him many times. In fact, in a parallel universe, he's probably a K-Pop superstar himself and I'm like, totally a back-up dancer. Or his manager. Or just a blogger, who happens to also be doing an A to Z of Pop. How weird (hi alternate me!) Anyway, every time I visit my friend, he always seems to have something K-pop-tastic playing in his house and even though I have no idea what's being sung I kinda love it. Just proves a good pop song is a good pop song in any language, really.

I'm going to start with one of my own faves, simply because there's nine of them. Girls Generation. There's NINE members of this group! Just imagine! Who knows what they're 'gee-ing' about, but I'm just impressed with them when Destiny's Child couldn't keep it together with only three, yet these gals manage to work it with triple that. Does that mean there's three Michelles and which ones are they?

Speaking of large groups, let's talk Super Junior. You thought Girls Gen had a few members? Take all of them and add three. This group has TWELVE members. Let me repeat that....TWELVE. Clearly that means they're two point four times the group One Direction are. I don't know what BONAMANA means, but the real question is; if every boy band traditionally has one less attractive member, does that mean Super Junior have two, or three?

2NE1 are probably the first K-Pop group I thought I loved, even though it was probably my friend's version of this at karaoke I actually loved, not the original. Regardless, I know what this song is about. It's about being lonely. I'm going to assume a breakup, because all good pop is about that. The chorus kind of gives it away. Disappointingly, there's only four members, but they're all a little more Katy Perry than they are Kylie, if that helps you decide if you like them.

Which brings me to another '2' group, this one 2PM, who also disappointingly only have five members and are apparently not as cool as they used to be in the K-Pop world, but what's important is not what they're singing about, but that one of their members held the title of 'best abs in K-Pop' in 2012, which is quite a title to hold. Taecyeon, you do have quite impressive abs, in pop in general actually. Drop the K, they're still impressive. Go on, google him.

You still don't get the K-Pop? Well, I've only a couple of words for you. Just like Gain says it best. Fxxk U. Bet you weren't expecting that. See? K-Pop. Kinda awesome.