From K-pop music videos to ant farms, YouTube is the hub for all sorts of content creation. In “Re-worlding culture: YouTube as a KPOP Interlocuter,” Kent A. Ono and Jungmin Kwon describe the website’s ease of publishing Korean music and recognition of K-pop as a genre (208). Personally, I have been using YouTube to watch K-pop music videos for years, and I was soon drawn to other aspects of the genre through my recommended videos, the auto-play function, and curiosity.
In light of this week’s topic, Hallyu 2.0, my exposure to K-pop has led me to discover more YouTube channels that focus on K-beauty, exposing the industry, and everyday vlogs. For example, soobeanie is a retired K-pop idol who, through her series “K-pop Insider,” answers questions about the darker sides of her past work. In the past, we have only seen K-pop idols in music videos or scripted shows, and seeing them break from the industry to film, edit, and publish videos themselves is very new. Many YouTube videos show the glamorous aspects of being an idol: they get their hair and make-up done, sing and dance on stage, and engage in fun games on variety shows. However, ex-idols like Prince Mak and Grazy Grace talking about dating bans, strict dieting rules, and how exhausting their schedules during promotions are intriguing and gives more insight into how the K-pop industry operates. It’s through these platforms that people can appreciate the aesthetics of K-pop and learn about the effort these idols put into their music. And having these raw, real-life experiences versus professionally-edited, more “broadcast-appropriate” type of videos coexist on the platform shows YouTube’s scope that allows multiple perspectives on the music industry.
It’s the mechanics of YouTube that make it such a powerful tool. The platform can be accessed globally and has interactive capabilities and minimal limitations (208-209). Grazy Grace posted a live video where she interviewed Brown Eyed Girls’ Miryo, and the comment section was filled with: “I love you Grace!!” or “Much love from ___!” or Grace’s own comments. Being able to chat with Grace in real time breaks down barriers between a fan and a celebrity. In today’s digital world, fan engagement through the Internet is exciting because it lets anyone with working wifi to speak with his or her favorite artist.
YouTube allows K-pop idols themselves to express their raw selves to their fans, and their fans appreciate that. For the music industry, it means more viewers and greater attention to its behind-the-scene narrative and fabulous music videos. YouTube’s expansive network inspires diversity in Korean pop-inspired content.
The Politics of K-Pop 