With Girls’ Generation, 4minute, KARA, and Brown Eyed Girls, Korean girl groups seem to be storming Japan. While Japanese K-pop fans are delighted, there are others who criticize this phenomenon, saying that this influx of translated K-pop tunes in Japan is lowering the quality of the Japanese music market*.
Editor’s Note: Before anybody flips out about this comment, it’s not meant to suggest that Korean pop is of less quality than Japanese pop. It’s saying that transporting previously released music by simply translating it to Japanese with little to no effort does nothing to further the quality or originality of the music produced. Feel free to predictably fight about whatever below, but not this. Thanks.
Now though, it looks like its also going to be happening the other way around too. Popular Japanese female idol group SKE48 will make its first appearance on the 10th in Korea as guests at the KBS Seoul National Drama Awards 2010, marking the first export of Japanese idols to Korea.
SKE48’s Matsui Rena visited the Embassy of Korea in Japan’s Korean Cultural Center and stated, “We are nervous and excited as this is our first visit and performance in Korea, but we have prepared a lot for this. I’m looking forward to tasting all the different types of kimchi.” She also ambitiously added, “We want to visit Korea often after this and meet a lot of fans through good performances.”
Director of the Korean Cultural Center, Kang Ki Hong explained, “Hallyu (The Korean Wave) has come to Japan, and K-pop girl groups are becoming very popular recently, so it is a very meaningful occasion that Japanese girl groups can perform in Korea.” He added, “Rather than a one-sided investment, a balanced unilateral cross-cultural exchange, and cooperation such as this, will close the gap between Korea and Japan.”
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