I wrote the title that way to provoke attention, but it honestly reflects how I feel. For example, some fans complain that K-pop is full of English lyrics and that “authentic” Korean lyrics have disappeared – but how many of them actually go out of their way to look up Korean lyrics, translate them, and really sit with and appreciate them? And how many make the effort to seek out songs with genuinely poetic Korean lyrics that are worth savoring?
The same goes for the debate about the “Westernization” of K-pop. Within the K-pop scene and across the broader Korean music industry, countless diverse experiments and creative works are being released. I can’t help but wonder whether the people making those complaints have even tried to look for and listen to those works first.
We’re not living in an era where you had to physically dig through records at a music shop because there was no internet. With just a bit of effort and a simple search — and considering how good Google Translate has become – you can discover and listen to an enormous range of music. If even that feels like too much effort, you could at least check out what Korean music critics recommend or listen to the nominees and winners of the Korean Music Awards.
I know that passively consuming whatever the algorithm feeds you has become the trend (and although I say “K-pop fans,” this really applies to all content consumers). But I wish people would make a more active effort to seek out something new. Even investing a small amount of time can open up a whole new world.
submitted by /u/Fine_Childhood_6391
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