Joseph Hwang
1. Creation
Creating something from a state of nothingness is, in and of itself, a value-creating process—a thing, whether material or immaterial, can only be the subject of valuation if it exists. The creation of music results from the efforts of a composer. The fundamental prerequisite for the existence of value is the mere fact of existence itself. Creating music gives rise to a copyright, and the law confers exclusivity upon this copyright. The music supplied and consumed in the marketplace must thus become useful and is contingent upon the legal grant of exclusivity of property rights. Only when legal exclusivity is guaranteed can a music market exist. Once a market has been established, the economic efficiency of the music in question becomes a secondary consideration.
2. Reproducibility
The intrinsic value of music lies in its reproducibility. Composing music is not an end in itself; it is a means to an end. The intangible benefits that music can offer, such as emotional fulfillment, the evocation and celebration of memories, and the uniting of communities, are the ultimate objectives. These intangible benefits serve as the primary motivation for consumers to purchase and possess music, thereby compensating the creator.
The reproducibility of music inevitably gives rise to quality issues. The capacity to perform music reflects the performer’s expression of a unique personality and skill level, with each individual displaying distinct preferences and valuations. The proficiency of a performer is assessed based on the evaluation of their virtuosity, which is categorized according to level and style. This forms the basis for the classification and evaluation of musical works.
Reproducibility may be likened to donning a fine ensemble upon a nude form. Additionally, the concept of immediacy holds significant value. It is the moment and ambiance of the performance that generate both artistic and economic worth. The scarcity of the performance moment is a rare commodity, as it is soon lost. Therefore, the value of a recording is gauged by its ability to capture the optimal moment of reproducibility. Ultimately, the value of a recording stems from its reproducibility.
This property is the basis of our contention regarding the practice of artists lip-syncing. Those who advocate lip-syncing contend that playing back a recording represents the optimal reproducibility at the time of the recording’s creation. Consequently, they assert that this does not detract from the artistic value of the performance. This is because, regardless of an individual performer’s talent, achieving the same degree of reproducibility is impossible. Even the most pristine recorded performance can be surpassed by a superior one. Therefore, it is somewhat tenuous to justify lip-syncing on the grounds of capturing the optimal performance.
One economic benefit of lip-syncing is that it can reduce the labor costs for the artist’s live sessions. However, if this practice were employed in a live concert setting, it would likely elicit a negative response from the audience. The economic value of a live concert is contingent upon its reproducibility. If an artist is compelled to lip-sync at a live concert, it would be more economical and efficient for the audience to view a music video at home.
In a broadcast, an artist’s lip-syncing is less likely to elicit a negative response from the audience than in a concert setting. The broadcasting of a live performance necessitates payment to numerous performers by the broadcaster. However, the broadcaster may reduce expenditures by transmitting only the recorded sound and allowing the artist to lip-sync during the live broadcast. The artist’s live performance may be superior to the recorded version; however, it is also conceivable that the opposite is true. Consequently, the broadcaster’s best interest is to diminish potential risk. This is because transmissibility is a more intrinsic aspect of broadcasting than reproducibility, so it has greater economic value.
3. Inalienability
All economic value is derived from the concept of scarcity. In art, scarcity is defined as the absence of viable alternatives. The value of art is contingent upon the nonexistence of an equivalent quality, the inability to reproduce it except by the artists themselves, and the difficulty for another artist to replicate the same characteristics. The economic utility of music is contingent upon its inalienability, or the inability to replace it with another commodity. This is why music is considered a personal commodity. The value of human beings comes from the fact that no two individuals are identical. This is evidenced by the fact that even twins are not genetically precise replications of one another. The majority of the distinctive characteristics of music derive from this intrinsic and inalienable quality.
4. Functionality
Music possesses a functional attribute. Examples of music’s functionality can be observed in the context of anthems, school songs, military songs, cheers, advertising music, broadcast jingles, requiems, and other forms of ceremonial music. Music that fulfills a specific purpose is imbued with a clear function; thus, if the purpose of the music changes, its utility diminishes. The economic and social value of music is also contingent upon its functionality.
One might inquire about the status of popular music in this context. The primary function of popular music is to fulfill emotional needs. Popular music can evoke and refine emotions in a relatively brief period, uniting individuals with shared interests into a unified entity and fostering a sense of belonging and cohesion. The economic value of these actions is challenging to quantify and define mathematically; nevertheless, their financial benefits are irrefutable.
5. K-pop Idol Groups
In addition to the previously mentioned characteristics, the value of K-pop, particularly idol groups, lies in the combination of diverse personalities and the sense of unity that emerges from a cohesive group. This distinctive effect is exclusive to K-pop idol groups and is not found in other forms of pop music. Consequently, dance plays a pivotal role in the context of K-pop. Audiences desire to recognize the dedication and commitment of these idol group members in fostering a sense of unity and cohesion, despite their relatively young age. This is achieved through the restraint of individual rights and the surrender of personal autonomy to the collective. This represents an economic value not found in other musical genres; it is a community value.
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