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K-pop: Individual Cognition Theory

Joseph Hwang 1. Individualization of Value If I were to be asked to provide a concise definition of art that is grounded in the human senses, I would suggest that the key elements are "look (visual perception)" and "storytelling (narrative)." Any entity must exist in a cognizable form to communicate with other living beings. This form can be described as "appearance," while the narrative provides a temporal dimension, thus giving the entity life. It is only through the medium of life that art can create meaning; through this same medium, the message of that meaning can be conveyed.  It was previously stated that the economic value of each musical composition is unique. Similarly, the financial value of the artist who performs and delivers that music is also variable. Since music is an aural phenomenon, it lacks a visual representation. However, the artists who create and perform music possess a visual identity. Each artist possesses a distinctive appearanc

Why Did UNESCO Choose the K-pop Idol Group SEVENTEEN as a Goodwill Ambassador for Youth?

 Joseph Hwang


UNESCO and K-pop boy group SEVENTEEN announced on June 26, 2024, that UNESCO had appointed SEVENTEEN as the first-ever UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for Youth with the launch of an ambitious joint grant program, "Going Together - For Youth Creativity and Well-Being," and that SEVENTEEN will donate $1 million to the program. It was a fresh and wonderful announcement to the public.


1. Worldwide fan base


Why do international organizations choose a K-pop idol group as their goodwill or promotional ambassador? Most global organizations focus on or target the younger generations to develop their program or promotion. For the success of their campaign or program, they need to receive funds to carry out the project, and it's good to collect more and more subscriptions worldwide to attract people's attention. Based on the facts, there is nothing more suitable than a K-pop idol group with a global fan base of young generations. Even today, the fan base has a potential power that can be extended to the older generations. In addition, the fans of the idol group are very active and aggressive within communities and outside. Therefore, their interests and attention can be linked to the idol group's outside social activities and continued.


Since the idol group's local fanbases are spread worldwide, each member can speak foreign languages such as English, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean. SEVENTEEN also has members who can speak English, Chinese, and Japanese for their global activities. SEVENTEEN is composed of 13 members and was named for this reason, 13 is the number of all members, plus 3 units of the team, and add one for all members. Since the beginning, the artist management company PLEDIS Entertainment planned to consist of Korean and foreign artists (or Koreans resident abroad). This strategy for the global entertainment business was a good decision. The loyalty of fans from the selected member's country may be stronger than other fan bases. This means that SEVENTEEN has been ready to be the ambassador available at the requests of global organizations.


2. Symbol of unity, cooperation, and conflict resolution


K-pop artists work as a group. They need to be trained and live together with other trainees in the same houses during their training period and after their debut for efficiency. The members of SEVENTEEN are all 13 boys. It's not a small group at all. So there are a lot of opportunities for conflicts or arguments to arise between the members. Staying peaceful is a hard thing to do every day. It is always difficult for the management to control them, and the group's activities should make compromises, concessions, and respect to maintain harmony with the group. The existence and activities of the group are the symbol and results of unity, cooperation, and conflict resolution. Each member of the group learns the most important things from relationships.


The international organization is likely to think that it's very similar to such images of the K-pop group and the establishment mission of the organization and a good match.


3. Charity and donation


The appeals of the K-pop idol group seem to be an appropriate and effective encouragement to take action related to charity and donation. Even the international organization must be necessary to obtain the funds to act. Announcing that SEVENTEEN will contribute to fundraising for the success of the UNESCO program is highly likely to encourage their fanbase first, and then expand the movement caused by the loyalty of the core fans to the world. Because the fanbases have the network to connect and spread the campaign through the official internet communities and their private social media. As far as this appointment is maintained, this encouragement and stimulation from the K-pop group will continue and spread beyond the communities of the fans. The extent of the K-pop artists' global devotion to the world will gradually increase in the future.


* References and quotations:

https://youtu.be/inf7IiloLm0?si=ZW2EwrMIsEq8fayH

https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/unesco-and-k-pop-group-seventeen-announce-1-million-grant-scheme-youth-well-being-and-creativity

https://www.timesnownews.com/entertainment-news/korean/seventeen-at-unesco-joshua-delivers-powerful-speech-as-goodwill-ambassador-group-donates-1-million-to-help-youth-article-111291484

https://www.chosun.com/culture-life/2022/07/07/36C2TNI3GZEH7GR2ZW3EWC2TV4/

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