Cultures and Its Impact on the Global World of Music - Essay Example

Name) (Instructors’ name) (Course) (Date) VARIOUS WAVES OF POP MUSIC EMERGENCE IN ASIA Introduction In recent years, the concept of pop music in Asia and the global world is increasingly spreading. Local societies and the global world are progressively being influenced by the culture of pop music. Globalization has connected groups of countries and increased multiculturalism. It is important to highlight that most countries in Asia were isolated from the world culture. Not until the end of 20th century that Chinese music was internationalized. However, the wave has remained slow since then. Contrary to America music, Asia music targets the young population. Japan influence across the world is growing at a higher rate both locally and internationally. The cultural wave of pop music such as J-pop and K-pop has changed the Asia music industry. This music style has been driven by regional development carried by social media and the internet. Countries like South Korea and Japan have emerged as successful culture exporters. Through funding and subsidies, their cultures have dominated the Asian local community. People are not sure what kicked the wave of Hallyu. Citizens in Australia, China, United States and Japan have found them obsessed with the pop music culture. Even more, studies have developed to address the interest in the spreading Asia pop music. This paper explores the rising wave of Asian pop music. The emergence of K-pop and J-pop in the Asian society is a subject of interest for most scholars, and the essay aims at examining whether the phenomenon is only local or has moved to the levels of global recognition. Researchers argue that the K-pop has spread to over sixty countries mostly Philippines, Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, and others. Additionally, the wave has begun to gain popularity in some parts of African and Middle East. Koreans and other groups of Asian are eager to celebrate the internationalism of the K-pop wave (Chua et al., n.p). Pop music emergence in Asia It is easy for people to become overwhelmed by the Asian pop music due to the increasing interests. In a largely extraordinary way, the wave of Asian pop music has captured the press attention which has increased its popularity (Craig et al., n.p). At the start of the 20th century in the Korean peninsula, there was a common musical culture. The singing style stressed melismatic and emotive wails. While both in the country and courtly articulations dancing existed. The familial and parental love messages increase the demand for the music culture. Then the wave of pop music penetrated deeper, and the fan based grew in the local society of Asia (Craig et al., np). Western sounds and Asian performance aspects characterize the K-pop musical cultures. People have argued that the music style has a vision of modernization intrinsic in the pop culture of Korean (Shin, 515). The transnational values of the music are the determinants of its success. According to Shin, the cross-border flows have taken place beyond, across and outside the institutional and national boundaries. K-pop musical style uses the approach of presenting idols, high-quality output as well as proper social and ethical behavior (Chua et al., n.p). These characteristics have contributed to the acceptance of the culture by all generations across Asia and the global world. Changes in consumption and production of pop music helped the Asian musical waves in the most efficient form (Chua et al., n.p). The globalization of pop music to a system of trans-national form that is inherent from the United States has brought massive changes in the Asian culture popularity. Asia communities have been yearning for the western way of life which has influenced the erosion of some traditions to make their pop culture acceptable in the global world (Chua et al., n.p). These changes have impacted Asia production companies of pop music to expand to new markets where the music is accepted to meet the local consumers' demand. The result of the Asia wave has also developed the homogenization of K-pop and J-pop globally which has brought more diversity through national cultures and experiences. Asia traditional music has been replaced by the local acceptance of pop music cultures for foreign influence (Siriyuvasak et al., 127). The wave of this pop music has internalized and adapted to the Japanese and Korean native cultures and pushed to the wider world style (Monty, 123). Through the history of Korea, the country has always been squeeze culturally and economically by the powerful states of Japan and China. The influence of the significant presence of American military and cold war politics has influenced the wave of Korea culture. Three political events have influenced the development of K-pop industry and shaped the nation cultural identity. The end of Korea colonization by Japan in 1945 saw American military take the role of protecting the country against invasion (Shin, 510). The second event was the South Korea democratization after the end of cold war in the late 1980s which supported the end of laws that prevented foreign cultural influence. In end of the 1980s, young Koreans started embracing the external influences paving the way for a musical pop culture. The third event that impact pop culture wave was the IMF crisis of 1007 which Koreans considered it as a national humiliation; the event was adopted as a catalyst to promote the Korea wave (Siriyuvasak et al., 121). The tree events were the starting points for the different phases of the music industry in the cultural dominance approach of Korea pop values. The music production technology was brought to Korea after the 1945 United States dominance, native sounds of Ppongtchack and Pansori influence the pop music wave in Asia. J-pop the Japanese music style was brought to Korea in the 1990s where it developed to a vast cultural influential (Monty, 124). The great influence was due to the American technology and the advanced Japanese economy that turned the pop music into a product and culture that Korean youth could extensively accept. In the endeavor to restructure and develop the Korean economy at the end of 1997, the Korean wave expanded. Consisted and attractive government policies focused on pushing and encouraging Korea pop music producers to spread the cultural products developed by the marketing style of Japan. The American technology saw the K-pop wave emerge in as a regional cultural domination both locally and globally. However, it is logical to note that the wave of K-pop or Hallyu has not entirely substituted the Japanese and American music in the society of South Korea. Korea and some other parts of Asian in the 1990s saw a massive influx of cultural products from Japan in 1990s. Due to Japanese economic dominance in Asia territories, J-pop culture successfully and quickly diversified to most regions. Combined with cultural exports, the economic drive was the primary contributor of the emergence of J-pop music culture. American music is slowly being replaced by J-pop culture in modern Korea. The Japanese culture popularity in Asia is the primary agent for the development of J-pop wave (Condry, 670). Scholars argue that J-pop culture is popular in Korea because of the many similarities in culture between Japan and Korea. Cultural proximity in Asia has contributed to the localization of various pop music cultures with the continent. J-pop wave has in the recent years penetrated in the global world due to the exportation of idols. Japanese were able to take advantage of global force and internationalize the wave of musical culture. Japanese localized and internalize the music stream so that it can be understood and suit Asian consumers especially Koreans. J-pop music throughout the 90s, it has been making bigger sales in Korea. Consequently, other Asian countries are following the Japanese trail to localize the influence of their musical culture (Condry, 648). The diversity of J-pop music has been seen as the chain of trans-nationalization to popularize the Asia culture and dominate the global world. The aim of Japanese pop music is always to increase their sphere of influence, and thus the pop idols try to produce and sing a song that address regional issues and create a generational connection (Shin, p509). The themes of the songs include romantic relationships, modernity search, and Asia education system. The waves of these songs represent all social groups in the region encouraging the emergence of a culture that is intensely localized in Asia community (Chua et al., n.p). An ostentatious internationalism has characterized pop culture in Asia due to its style of modernity. Therefore, pop culture has created a feeling of solidarity among Asian attracting more fans and thus inspiring emergence of the wave in other regions. The Asian hybrid culture is represented by the J-pop idols (Condry, 650). These cultural waves have risen to global levels where they are in a position of influencing political and economic experiences in Asian nations. J-pop, K-pop and other pop music cultures in Asia are more localized than those in the western part of the world. The Korea wave began in 2002. The social tools that focused on East Asia regions have now shifted to the Korean wave. Just like the previous Japanese culture popularity, Korean wave has become the new, powerful influence in Asia. According to Condrey 656, K-pop culture has been localized and promoted by the Asian society as a whole. The wave has changed Korea from an isolated and a shadow of Japanese culture to a nation that embraces its traditional cultures. To Koreans, the pop wave is more than just a cultural notion but their pride. Therefore, the wave has created a powerful local political and economic power within East and South-East Asia regions. Scholars describe the wave as a trend based on the social tools of America (Chua et al., n.p). Also, K-pop musical style is viewed as a copied or partially integrated or mixed product of J-pop culture. However, the culture has tried to break from influences of America and Japanese styles. The Korea and Japan pop wave represent a new era of regionalization (Shim, p 40). The emergence of pop music in Asia regions has developed to the global standards and declined the influence of the United States artistic output in this part of the world. It can be argued that Asian cultural popularity is recently more modernized and diverse among Japanese and Koreans than in the global world. The economic development of Asia nations has increased the yearning for a lifestyle that is more modern for the young generation to inspire internationalism (Shim, p 34). Although western music style and culture is more dominant across the world, the emergence of Asian pop waves has slowly started to challenge its influence locally and internationally. K-pop development proves that Korea confidentiality is growing to replace and retreat Japanese dominance in Asia regions (Shim, 40). K-pop impact covers shores beyond those of South and South- East Korea and the world of pop culture at large. The culture plays a vital part of Korea economy because it brings in exports. Scholars argue that after the popularity of the wave, the local community, and the government recognized the value of the culture both for its national and economic pride. K-pop music culture has more of a local phenomenon than it is internationalism (Shim, 40). Therefore, the wave has supported domestic industries to expand to both Asia region and in the international world. For this reason, the government has created and implemented policies to develop and integrate the social tool across the nation structure. Because of the emergence of musical pop culture the geographical power of South Korea has expanded and also has promoted the regional cooperation resulting in cultural exchange as a byproduct. Now that K-pop and J-pop dominate Asia region, there is a greater feeling of connectivity between groups of the young generation in Asia. The cultural waves have resolved disputes between Japanese and Koreans over Pacific island. The Korea cultural wave has helped the global world to understand how to deal with tensions and regional dynamics. Scholars have argued that the influence of Asia culture waves have changed the Asia region. The appeal and fan base for K-pop and J-pop extends to older generation both female and male. The idols of these cultures have made an impact in the music industry due to their friendlily and humility character. Statistics about attendance for Asian pop concerts show that people travel to visit China, Japan, and Korea to be a part of the experience (Shim, 32). K-pop unique feature is the fan chant which has pressured the wave to expand even to western regions. Therefore, the emergence of pop music in Asia has been characterized by an ostentatious internationalism. In recent years the wave has become a global cultural movement. The success of K-pop has been contributed by factors of diplomacy, economic, government support, and technology. Winning the hearts of different consumers has been the most influential too for the success of the wave (Shim, 40). Korea has become less depended on America and Japanese systems for political and economic strength. Additionally, K-pop has been able to hold the nation at a positive regard in the attempt to maintain the national narrative of Korea. For Korea, pop music culture is more than an internment tool but a business and trade element. Thus it has regularly transformed the local traditions in Asia continent as a whole (Siriyuvasak et al., 122). The international expansion of K-pop relies on the social media and internet marketing. In the modern day, the music is translated into various languages to reach all the fans in all nations. The spread of the Korea K-pop has explained the need for a shift from the imperialism of American culture (Siriyuvasak et al., 125). However, the western influences in Asia regions have made it easy for K-pop to be adopted as a digestible medium. Therefore, the cultural wave of K-pop in Asia traverses across many industries. The culture has become one of the most increasingly global internment systems. The content of these musical cultures is presented in a tune that attracts audience and brings impact to a person's life. Accordingly, the K-pop waves have played a greater in a role in developing and market Korea culture to the global world (Shim, 29). Consequently, changes in consumption and production of pop music in Asia have assisted in the internationalization of K-pop and J-pop cultures. The changes have been more efficient in recent years allowing Korea to open up its territory for economic development. The Asian waves of pop music have helped Korean and Japanese cultures move to levels of trans-nationals. Western cultures used to dominate the pop music industry for many years (Shim, 25). The result of the emergence of K-pop and J-pop has been increased homogenization of the pop culture. Consequently, Asian wave brought a sense of belong and identity among citizens of the region. Korea wave has built a model that appeal to the rapid growing generation hence it has become an internationalism tool. Asians, especially in Korea and Japan feel more modern and crisp like other people in different parts of the world, because they can identify their origin through these pop cultures (Siriyuvasak et al., 122). Following good regional collaboration between Japan and South Korea after lifting of export and import restrictions, the pop culture has spread and interacted successfully within the two nations. However, Japanese have met the Korean culture with resistance but recently the tension has reduced, and the pop culture has spread without tension. K-pop culture is yet to effectively penetrate the Chinese market. However, in 2005 the culture was recorded to cover more parts of China and win a lot of supporters. In 2010, Japan, Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia, Philippines and Indonesia were recorded to be one of the most top consumers of K-pop music. J-pop has also acquired a greater dominance in the pop music industry both in Asia and other regions. The only factor that has affected K-pop and J-pop expansion is the restrictive contracts and music idols overwork. There are some irregularities in Korea entertainment industry due to lack of regulations in the industry (Siriyuvasak et al., 120). However, K-pop culture has helped Korea to proclaim new levels of presence in the international market. It is important to note that K-pop culture is a style that blends collectively western elements of rap, hip-hop, euro-pop and house culture. Therefore, the pop music has reached out and educated many people about Korean culture. Conclusion The emergence of various waves of pop music in Asian has brought a greater impact on the economic power and lifestyle of people in these regions. K-pop and J-pop cultures challenged the dominance of Western pop music in the entertainment industry. In the modern world, the waves of Asian pop music have improved culture exchange between Asian countries. Koreans and Japanese have attained a sense of identity through the internationalization of these cultures. K-pop and J-pop music has not only changed lives of people in Asia but also those of fans in the different part of the world. Government support and the need for modernization among young generation have helped the pop music culture to spread to different regions. The wave of pop music in Asia has opened up the region for development and also supports culture exchange. The value of K-pop is more than just entertainment. The global world is now more aware of Korean and Japanese culture through the emergence of the pop music. In conclusion, K-pop and J-pop music cultures are characterized by an ostentatious internationalism. The cultures have had a greater impact on the global world of music. Work cited Chua, Beng Huat, and Koichi Iwabuchi, eds. East Asian pop culture: Analyzing the Korean Wave. Vol. 1. Hong Kong University Press, 2008. Craig, Timothy J. Japan Pop: Inside the World of Japanese Popular Culture. Routledge, 2015. Condry, Ian. "Yellow B-Boys, Black Culture, and Hip-Hop in Japan: Toward a transnational cultural politics of race." Positions: East Asia cultures critique 15.3 (2007): 637-671. Monty, Aska. "Micro: global music made in J‐pop?." Inter‐Asia Cultural Studies 11.1 (2010): 123-128. Shim, Doobo. "Hybridity and the rise of Korean popular culture in Asia." Media, culture & society 28.1 (2006): 25-44. Shin, Hyunjoon. "Have you ever seen the Rain? And who’ll stop the Rain?: The globalizing project of Korean pop (K‐pop)." Inter‐Asia Cultural Studies 10.4 (2009): 507-523. Siriyuvasak, Ubonrat, and Shin Hyunjoon. "Asianizing K‐pop: production, consumption and identification patterns among Thai youth." Inter‐Asia Cultural Studies 8.1 (2007): 109-136. Read More

Changes in consumption and production of pop music helped the Asian musical waves in the most efficient form (Chua et al., n.p). The globalization of pop music to a system of trans-national form that is inherent from the United States has brought massive changes in the Asian culture popularity. Asia communities have been yearning for the western way of life which has influenced the erosion of some traditions to make their pop culture acceptable in the global world (Chua et al., n.p). These changes have impacted Asia production companies of pop music to expand to new markets where the music is accepted to meet the local consumers' demand.

The result of the Asia wave has also developed the homogenization of K-pop and J-pop globally which has brought more diversity through national cultures and experiences. Asia traditional music has been replaced by the local acceptance of pop music cultures for foreign influence (Siriyuvasak et al., 127). The wave of this pop music has internalized and adapted to the Japanese and Korean native cultures and pushed to the wider world style (Monty, 123). Through the history of Korea, the country has always been squeeze culturally and economically by the powerful states of Japan and China.

The influence of the significant presence of American military and cold war politics has influenced the wave of Korea culture. Three political events have influenced the development of K-pop industry and shaped the nation cultural identity. The end of Korea colonization by Japan in 1945 saw American military take the role of protecting the country against invasion (Shin, 510). The second event was the South Korea democratization after the end of cold war in the late 1980s which supported the end of laws that prevented foreign cultural influence.

In end of the 1980s, young Koreans started embracing the external influences paving the way for a musical pop culture. The third event that impact pop culture wave was the IMF crisis of 1007 which Koreans considered it as a national humiliation; the event was adopted as a catalyst to promote the Korea wave (Siriyuvasak et al., 121). The tree events were the starting points for the different phases of the music industry in the cultural dominance approach of Korea pop values. The music production technology was brought to Korea after the 1945 United States dominance, native sounds of Ppongtchack and Pansori influence the pop music wave in Asia.

J-pop the Japanese music style was brought to Korea in the 1990s where it developed to a vast cultural influential (Monty, 124). The great influence was due to the American technology and the advanced Japanese economy that turned the pop music into a product and culture that Korean youth could extensively accept. In the endeavor to restructure and develop the Korean economy at the end of 1997, the Korean wave expanded. Consisted and attractive government policies focused on pushing and encouraging Korea pop music producers to spread the cultural products developed by the marketing style of Japan.

The American technology saw the K-pop wave emerge in as a regional cultural domination both locally and globally. However, it is logical to note that the wave of K-pop or Hallyu has not entirely substituted the Japanese and American music in the society of South Korea. Korea and some other parts of Asian in the 1990s saw a massive influx of cultural products from Japan in 1990s. Due to Japanese economic dominance in Asia territories, J-pop culture successfully and quickly diversified to most regions.

Combined with cultural exports, the economic drive was the primary contributor of the emergence of J-pop music culture. American music is slowly being replaced by J-pop culture in modern Korea. The Japanese culture popularity in Asia is the primary agent for the development of J-pop wave (Condry, 670). Scholars argue that J-pop culture is popular in Korea because of the many similarities in culture between Japan and Korea. Cultural proximity in Asia has contributed to the localization of various pop music cultures with the continent.

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