Dr.

RAM MANOHAR LOHIYA NATIONAL

LAW UNIVERSITY

ACADEMIC SEESION:2020-2025

SOCIOLOGY

K-POP AFFECTING YOUTH

Submitted to: Submitted by:

Prof. (Dr.) Sanjay Singh Saddhvi Nayak

Prof. (Sociology) 200101114

RMNLU 2nd semester (Section B)

B.A.L.L.B(Hons.)
 CONTENTS

S.NO. Topic Pg.NO.

1. Declaration 3

2. Acknowledgement 4

3. Introduction 5-6

4. K-pop Music 6-8

5. Affects of K-pop music 8-12

6. Bands of K-pop 12-14

7. Survey 14-18

8. References 19
 DECLARATION

I hereby declare that the project work entitled “K-pop affecting

youth” submitted to the Dr. Ram Manohar Lohiya National Law
University, Lucknow is a record of an original work done by me
under the guidance of Prof. Sanjay Singh, faculty of sociology,
the Dr. Ram Manohar Lohiya National Law University and this
project is submitted in the partial fulfillment of the requirements
for the award of the degree of B.A.L.L.B (Hons.). The results
embodied in this have not been submitted to any other
University or Institute for the award of any degree or diploma.
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

This survey paper would not have been accomplished without the
generous contributions of individuals. First of all, I express my gratitude
to the Almighty, who aided me with his strength, wisdom and patience to
complete this case brief as a term paper.

Additionally, I express my gratitude and deep regards to my teacher

Prof. Sanjay Singh for the subject Sociology for giving me the freedom
to work on the case of “K-pop affecting youth” and also for his
exemplary guidance, monitoring and constant encouragement
throughout the course of this survey paper.

I would also like to thank the authorities of Dr. MadhuLimaye Library

who provided the remote access of the library to provide the research
material.

Moreover, I also thank all my batchmates and seniors who aided me

along the way, and my family and friends for their constant
encouragement without which this assignment would not have been
possible.

I know that despite my best effort some discrepancies might have crept
in which I believe my humble professor would forgive.

THANKING YOU ALL.

SaddhviNayak.
 INTRODUCTION
K-pop is Korean popular music. It is mainstream music that originated from South
Korea. Korean pop music in the country could be thought of as similar to Taylor
Swift in the United States. K-pop in Korean is 대중음악. This term literally means
pop music. But, this term can be a bit formal or literary so many young people use
가요 instead which means song. South Korean pop music has grown so popular
since the early 2000s because of the internet and evolution of social media. The
more accessible South Korean music has become in the world, the more popular it
becomes. Slowly, they appear not only in social media but in different countries’
local news and television shows. K-pop’s characteristics which are synchronized
dance moves, simple songs with addicting hooks, and the outer beauty of all of the
K-pop groups’ members, contribute to this feat. Some of these idols are even
popular in dramas as the OST’s singers and the star that played the characters
themselves.Each new K-pop group debuting, and each comeback (the K-pop group
or solo artist coming out with new material), is hyped in the media, with a specific
concept and hook to get the general population excited to consume the new music.
Additionally, it is more common for K-pop groups to do things for their fans like
perform in music shows, throw together fan signing events, attend variety shows,
and even arrange more private fan meetings than it is for them to hold tours.There
have been various attempts by different music companies in Korea to break into
the international music markets, especially in the United States. Some notable tries
are the music groups BoA and Wonder Girls. The world only got to know Kpop
when Psy’s “Gangnam Style” hit the radios all around the world in the summer of
2012.For a few years, K-pop popularity seemed like a fluke, but now that the world
has gone crazy over BTS, we can finally call K-pop a worldwide phenomenon!
This K-pop boy group was a big tool with which K-pop became a truly worldwide
phenomenon after BTS became popular in the United States. Some American TV
shows and movies have also begun using Korean songs in their scenes. For
example, the TV show Lucifer used the popular SHINEE song “Lucifer” in one of
their episodes. And there is a scene in the DC Comics blockbuster movie Justice
League where Blackpink’s music was played.Although K-pop generally refers to
South Korean pop music, some consider it to be an all-encompassing genre
exhibiting a wide spectrum of musical and visual elements.

K-POP MUSIC

The term Kpop includes many different musical elements and genres under
its umbrella. Along with Korean pop, it can also include rock, hip hop, and
electronic music. Kpop is considered a fairly new form of music. The type of K-
Pop music that you’re listening to today was formed around the 1990s. The roots
for K-Pop began from the 1950s, however, and have since then already been
influenced a lot by different types of Western music and pop groups. American
pop culture has especially had and still does have an effect on K-Pop.The more
modern form of the genre emerged with the formation of one of the earliest K-pop
groups, the boy band, SeoTaiji and Boys, in 1992. Their experimentation with
different styles and genres of music and integration of foreign musical elements
helped reshape and modernize South Korea's contemporary music
scene.Modern K-pop "idol" culture began with the boy band H.O.T. in 1996, as K-
pop grew into a subculture that amassed enormous fandoms of teenagers and
young adults. After a slump in early K-pop, from 2003 TVXQ and BoA started a
new generation of K-pop idols that broke the music genre into the neighboring
Japanese market and continue to popularize K-pop internationally today.With the
advent of online social networking services and Korean TV shows, the current
spread of K-pop and Korean entertainment, known as the Korean Wave, is seen not
only in East Asia and Southeast Asia, but also in Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, Latin
America, North Africa, Southern Africa and East Africa, the Middle East and
throughout the Western world, gaining a widespread global audience. While "K-
pop" is a general term for popular music in South Korea, it is often used in a
narrower sense for the genre described here. In 2018, K-pop experienced
significant growth and became a 'power player', marking a 17.9% increase in
revenue growth. As of 2019, K-pop is ranked at number six among the top ten
music markets worldwide according to the International Federation of the
Phonographic Industry's "Global Music Report 2019", with BTS and Blackpink
cited as artists leading the market growth. In 2020, K-pop experienced a record-
breaking year when it experienced a 44.8% growth and positioned itself as the
fastest-growing major market of the year. The French Institut national de
l'audiovisuel defines K-pop as a "fusion of synthesized music, sharp dance routines
and fashionable, colorful outfits". K-pop is a cultural product that features "values,
identity and meanings that go beyond their strictly commercial value." It is
characterized by a mixture of modern Western sounds and African-American
influences (including sounds from Hip-hop, R&B, Jazz, black pop, soul, funk,
techno, disco, house, and Afrobeats) with a Korean aspect of performance
(including synchronized dance moves, formation changes and the so-called "point
choreography" consisting of hooking and repetitive key movements). The
entertainment companies help to expand K-pop to other parts of the world through
a number of different methods. Singers need to use English since the companies
want to occupy markets in the other parts of Asia, which enables them to open the
Western market in the end. Most of the K-pop singers learn English because it is a
common language in the world of music, but some singers also learn other foreign
languages such as Japanese to approach the Japanese market. There have been
critical responses in South Korea regarding the identity of the genre since its
ascendance. Some of the notable music critics in the region have criticized K-pop
as "an industrial label mainly designed to promote the national brand in the global
market from the beginning" and argued that it was "not formed spontaneously as a
pop culture but created with the orchestrated plan led by the government with
commercial considerations" although in fact "the genre has practically no ties with
traditional Korean identity". A lot of different genres are used to create different K-
pop music concepts. Just like how most K-pop groups have a designated rapper,
and how English phrases are mixed into the song’s South Korean lyrics. This is
said to have started by the South Korean-American idols, like Fly to the Sky, who
wanted to showcase their English fluency in their music. K-pop choreographies
mostly rely on hard-hitting, synchronized movements, with members switching
positions multiple times in a routine. This is a strategy called 자리바꿈
(jaribaggum), or “formation changing” in English. The movements are also
planned to be repetitive and addicting to look at, matching the concept of each
song. The term for this is 포인트안무(pointeuanmu), or “point dance” which made
some dances and songs go especially viral. For example, Psy’s “Gangnam
Style”, Super Junior’s “Sorry Sorry”, INFINITE’s “Be Mine”, Brown Eyed Girls’
“Abracadabra”, and Blackpink’s “DDU DU DDU DU” all featured choreography
that has made each song incredibly memorable. Apart from this, the groups’ or
artists’ eye-catching outfits used on performances and music videos are equally
important.

AFFECTS OF K-POP MUSIC

POSITIVE AFFECTS:

It is a well-known fact that music has no boundaries. Songs from different

languages, countries and cultures can be popular among a totally unknown and
new group of audiences. K-pop can be a good example of this. Originated in South
Korea, K-pop is magnetizing the audiences around the world nowadays. K-pop is a
popular genre that includes electronic, hip hop, pop, rock and R&B songs.

 HOPEFUL AND UPLIFTING MESSAGE

Not all K-pop songs follow the typical ‘love song’ format. There are a fair share of
uplifting and motivational tracks with important messages, and for some, these
messages provide a great deal of comfort during difficult times. The lyrics of the
songs are very motivating and relaxing. For example: “ BTS ‘Tomorrow’say:
“Because the dawn right before the sun rises is the darkest,” and ‘Not Today’ says,
“But today’s not the day / No no not today / It’s too early to die.” It’s a small
gesture, but for someone listening to these songs when they’re struggling, it can go
a long way.” Other songs which follow similar themes include B.A.P’s
‘Unbreakable’ and ‘Goodbye,’ Bang &Zelo’s ‘Never Give Up,’ Amber’s
‘Beautiful,’ XIA’s ‘Flower’ (“Everyone goes through this / I tell you it’s okay /
Even if it’s a small light, the darkness can’t swallow it”), HA:TFELT’s ‘Iron
Girl’ and Lee Hi’s ‘Breathe’.

 ESCAPISM AT ITS FINEST

K-pop isn’t all about the music either. It’s unique in the way that it presents a
whole new world for fans to dive into, as a distraction from the stress of everyday
life. It's not a new concept, as all entertainment are essentially a form of escapism;
everyone uses different avenues to ‘escape’ from reality, whether it’s through
watching TV, reading books, cooking, playing games, or being involved in K-
pop.K-pop content is presented in a way that makes this immersion in a world
away from reality a lot easier. Idols are often instantly accessible through things
like backstage videos, YouTube channels, variety show appearances, and V LIVE,
which create an intimate one-on-one experience and a sense of closeness. Even
though fans may not know them personally, and are fully aware of that, it still feels
like a strong personal bond. The sheer amount of consumable content also makes it
easy to be immersed for hours.
 A SENSE OF COMMUNITY

Some people form communities around cultural activities like sports, others form
communities around K-pop, which are unbounded by physical barriers and country
borders. For introverted or shy people, this is fantastic as this makes it easier to
find like-minded people who enjoy the same things as them. It’s exciting to find a
group of people who are excited by a music video or album from your favorite
group dropping, to get together and practice choreography to a K-pop dance, or to
chat to while live-streaming a radio appearance or variety program. The closeness
of these K-pop communities often transcends just musical discussions, and can
turn into strong, lifelong friendships. It’s easy to dismiss K-pop as something silly
and childish, but many fans feel that without K-pop, they would not have made it
through difficult times in their lives. It’s time for people to realize just how
important music, and the community around it, can be.
 KOREAN CULTURE
A lot of people easily become interested in the culture soon after being introduced
to K-pop. And this is a very good thing! This helps you set new goals in life and
make people work harder so that they can once travel to the country they have
grown to love so much. This includes being interested in Korean living, the food,
the music, the rich history etc. and it will be fun to study if you are interested
enough and will also make you more intelligent.

NEGATIVE AFFECTS:
Besides having catchy tunes, K-pop music videos are known for their visual effects
and elaborate storylines. But the problem is that a good number of youths are
getting increasingly addicted to this genre of music. It cannot be denied that K-pop
may help understand South Korean culture; still it is affecting teenagers in a
negative way which results in different troubles for them in the long run.
 HEALTH DAMAGE
Though music helps us to relax, K-pop contributes to several health problems.
Those who spend too much time for watching music videos and searching
information about K-pop usually suffer from asthenia as a result of sleeplessness
and skipping meals. Some k-pop fans remain glued to the computer or TV screen
which can cause eye disease or memory loss. Besides, it can be harsh to ears too, if
you listen to loud sound without any break. It also has been associated with
depression, delinquency and smoking. Apart from these, it can cause a greater
tendency to engage in reckless behavior than their peers who are not fan of K-pop.
Some of the fans of K-pop, for instance, behave in an awkward way all the time
and they keep blabbering about their idols instead of communicating with real
people properly or sharing their own opinion.
 POOR ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE
Heavy K-pop addiction not only damages the mental and physical health, but badly
influences their academic performance as well. K-pop addicts cannot concentrate
on their studies, rather their mind always gets diverted to K-pop stuffs. They are so
obsessed that they do not pay attention to the class lectures, rather they keep
listening to music all the time. Instead of discussing about studies or other positive
matters, K-pop fans encourage other teenagers to watch K-pop. In other words,
they keep diverting from their studies, and this leads them to poor academic
performance.
 LESS ACTIVITY
People are supposed to get themselves involved in different lively activities and
pass quality time. But k-pop fans refrain themselves from participating in different
playful activities. Instead of going out with friends, doing extracurricular activities
and playing, all of which are good for their physical and mental health, the addicts
keep themselves busy with k-pop stuffs or stay at home. 
 DECREASED SOCIAL SKILLS
K-pop addiction may affect relationships. It is clear that most K-pop addicts do not
like to go outside. They prefer sitting anywhere and enjoying their favorite hits or
Super Junior’s new album without being annoyed by others. Such attitude may
harm any relationship they have with others. 
 INSANE BEHAVIOR
Some crazy fans publicly behave rudely with their parents. They become very
arrogant when their parents do not provide money to buy new albums or buy
tickets to attend shows or events related to k-pop. Sometimes they get too much
attached emotionally to k-pop that they start following Korean culture instead of
following their own culture.

BANDS OF K-POP
 K-pop idols are groups and artists formed by various entertainment companies
creating catchy Korean popular music and targeting younger audiences. The music
groups are formed from a group of people who are all particularly talented in at
least one of the following: singing, rapping, and dancing. These idols often enter
the entertainment company in their teens and then train hard for years in areas like
singing, rapping, dancing, and foreign languages. Then, if they are lucky and
talented enough, by the end of their teens they will be picked for an idol group.The
K-pop groups then periodically come out with music singles and album filled with
catchy tunes. Every week they’ll go to many music shows to perform their lead
single, for a period of one month to two months. Although the song is important,
special care and attention are always put into styling the group members, a well-
synched choreography, and a high-quality music video.This combination tells the
story of the chosen style concept for each era. Some could say these entertainment
companies work like manufacturers in assembling the perfect idol group outlook
and style for each cycle of performing and promoting the music. There are new
Korean pop idol groups debuting each month and the public’s opinion on which
group is the best, changes accordingly. It is also typical for idol groups to make
music and promote together for up to 10 years, then move onto other careers like
becoming a solo artist or an actor. However, some idol groups have been more
successful and longer-lasting. Some of the famous bands are:

Girl’s bands:

 Twice
 Blackpink
 Red Velvet
 (G)I-DLE
 MAMAMOO
 Momoland
 Girls’ Generation
 Wonder Girls
 2NE1
 T-ara
 Kara
Boy’s bands:
 BTS
 iKon
 Seventeen
 Got7
 NCT
 MONSTA X
 Stray Kids
 Super Junior
 Shinee
 Big Bang
 2PM
 EXO
 TVXQ

SURVEY

Question 1:
Question 2:

Question 3:
Question 4:

Question 5:
 Question 6:

Question 7:
Question 8:
 CONCLUSION

 Joseph, WHAT IS KPOP? HERE IS EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW90 DAY KOREAN®
(2021), https://www.90daykorean.com/what-is-kpop/ (last visited Jul 27, 2021).
 Lia, WHY KPOP IS GOOD~🌿: K-POP AMINOK-POP | AMINOAPPS.COM (2017),
https://aminoapps.com/c/k-pop/page/blog/why-kpop-is-good/YkIb_u0oaMbEv4153QlNx
nwd6olMGp (last visited Jul 27, 2021).
 Is K-Pop a good influence or BAD INFLUENCE?, FREE ESSAYS - PHDESSAY.COM
(2021), https://phdessay.com/k-pop-good-influence-bad-influence/(last visited Jul 27,
2021).