Don’t get me wrong EXO have EXCELLENT music. But that’s not why I’m a kpop fan.
There is nothing kpop offers musically that I can’t find elsewhere in a language I can understand. There is musically nothing remarkably different or stand out about kpop.
I’m not saying it’s less than say the western pop scene but what I’m saying is… it’s not different either. And hence the music was never the motivation for me to check out kpop.
I’m sure all countries of the world have some great pop bops. But neither do I seek them out nor do I particularly care enough about them.
So why kpop?
The performance and theatrical elements of kpop. This is the MOST important part of kpop that made me look in its direction.
I happened to chance this particular concert of EXO.
And that’s the main reason why I’m an EXOL
The thing kpop gives that the west or any country for me CANNOT give us is the experience that is so wholly and quintessentially kpop. I’m talking about the videos, the hair the choreo and everything - these were all FAR MORE important for me to be attracted to kpop than the music ever was
For me pop music never was and never will be something extraordinary. That doesn’t mean I don’t like it. I love pop music…. it just means it’s not special or unique. And that’s okay.
It’s okay for kpop to be musically well…not very deep and still be enjoyable. It’s okay to also admit that.