Transcript of an Interview with Mr. Kim Hyung-suk, Composer-producer of the Godfather of K-pop and BTS, at the Sheldonian Theatre, Hosted by Faculty of Music, Oxford University. Part 5

Posted by Joseph Hwang Joseph Hwang 7/26/2024

Transcript of an Interview with Mr. Kim Hyung-suk, Composer-producer of the Godfather of K-pop and BTS, at the Sheldonian Theatre, Hosted by Faculty of Music, Oxford University. Part 5

Joseph Hwang

* On July 4, 2024, Mr. Kim Hyung-suk, the godfather of K-pop and one of Korea's leading composers and producers, gave a lecture and interview at an event hosted by the Faculty of Music at Oxford University. Here, I will post a series of interviews based on the Korean summary of Mr. Kim's interview, with some of my commentary.

** I am especially grateful to Ms. Jieun Kiaer, a professor at the Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, for arranging and hosting this lecture and interview.

Question #5.

K-pop has been criticized for its harsh training of teenage trainees, repetitive self-replication, the proliferation of similar idol bands, and the rapid capitalization of management companies. What do you see as the problems with K-pop and what are the alternatives?

Answer #5.

K-pop has grown in popularity worldwide, but I recognize that some problems have been pointed out. In 20 years, K-pop has grown dramatically.

SM was the first music production company to go public, with a market value of KRW 10 billion (approximately USD 7.2 million). Now HYBE has a market cap of over KRW 10 trillion (approximately USD 7.2 billion). When the industry proliferates, there are some growing pains, and the parts of the system need to be fixed and improved.

In particular, I felt the problems in the industry;

- Excessive training and competition

The trainees are trained intensively for years and are strictly supervised by the artist management company. The state of being in a training and competitive environment from a young age can be a big problem. Therefore, the company also takes care of other aspects such as mental care.

- Self-replication and similarity

Many idol groups have been criticized for their insufficiency of creativity as they repeatedly try out similar concepts and musical styles compared to other groups. Whether it's too much damping or contrast, or groups can lead to consumer fatigue with overly planned images and music.

- Capitalization of large corporations

With the rapid development of the industry, there are some opinions that K-pop is overcapitalized. However, music producers are now quickly finding ways to improve these issues.

- Improvement of trainee and artist welfare

Just as systematic training and recruitment processes have been in place for years, artist management companies have also implemented systems to look after the health and welfare of trainees and artists. They have systems to protect their physical and mental health through reasonable practice hours, adequate rest, and regular health and mental health screenings.

* Joseph's comment:

There are two main concerns I have with the development of K-pop. One is overcapitalization and the other is homogenization. The former is that monopolistic governance hinders the development of the industry, and the latter is that insufficient creative diversity impedes the development of the K-pop market and makes it less competitive.

Capitalization itself is not a bad thing. Money itself is a value-neutral medium of exchange. However, just as money can be used for bad intentions, how and where it is used depends on human morality, and we should all be concerned about the immoral power of capital. Therefore, I believe that the concern about overcapitalization is not so much about "excess" as it is about the intentions and policies of the power that "excess" gives to business operators, and when those policies are immoral or ineffective. This problem cannot simply be left to the autonomy of the operators, instead of it, we need to establish a social system that can control and prevent the corruption and degradation of the operators, and make it work. K-pop companies also face this problem. It's something we need to think about in depth.

Then there's the problem of homogenization. When a success story emerges, the market tends to copy and follow it. Even though success may be a lucky coincidence, the market itself is a place of uncertainty, and the business owners don't want to take that risk. I think the concern about the overcapitalization of K-pop companies is related to the worry about the homogenization of this art form. With more money comes more market power, and the business of the companies with the most money can monopolize the public's response. It's a phenomenon we see in almost every market, where once a style of work or artist has a hit, its offshoots continue to appear. However, this homogenization, especially of creativity, the fans who have great taste power, which accelerates the backlash and escape of K-pop consumers. It's a case of success breeding failure.

Therefore, I think, it is important to create an industry ecosystem where market purification is alive and well. We must not forget the lesson that the more homogenized the creation, the more the ecosystem will be destroyed and the damage will be returned to investors, producers, and consumers. One of the greatest causes of homogenization is the domination of capital without philosophy. Again, money is value-neutral. The mindset of the entrepreneur who moves and uses it matters. Someone can be successful without philosophy, but that success will be poison. A poison that will kill you and others.

* References and quotations:

https://www.music.ox.ac.uk/event/k-pop-from-the-godfather-of-k-pop-and-bts

https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/art/2024/07/398_378556.html

* Series Posts

Part 1.

https://www.musicbusiness.co.kr/2024/07/transcript-of-interview-with-mr-kim.html

Part 2.

https://www.musicbusiness.co.kr/2024/07/transcript-of-interview-with-mr-kim_0392194405.html

Part 3.

https://www.musicbusiness.co.kr/2024/07/transcript-of-interview-with-mr-kim_01853689220.html

Part 4.

https://www.musicbusiness.co.kr/2024/07/transcript-of-interview-with-mr-kim_0403319480.html