SB Comments of the Week (9/16-9/22)

I have to say, I really adore the way you write Maria. I love reading your articles. I do agree with a lot of the points you made. However, I’d like to present an alternative point of view, one that doesn’t resort to the overused “They’re entertainers, not just singers!” excuse (everyone in the music industry, from rock to hip-hop to pop artists, are entertainers – what do you think concerts are for? To hear a cassette playing?). Anyway.

1 – This is not unique to K-pop.

Remember the glorious 1990s, the time of BSB, Spice Girls and N’Sync? Even they had their least talented individuals, who barely every sang. Backstreet Boys’ Kevin and Howie had weak vocals and barely had any solos. Spice Girls’ Victoria Beckham is a terrible singer. And N’Sync was basically Justin, JC and their three backup members. Mind you, these were not Korean pop groups. They had no variety shows to show off their “other talents” just to prove the fans there was a reason they put in the group in the first place or something stupid like that. Moreover, nobody seemed to question the role of less talented members in the group, because it was basically understood each member had a huge fanbase and each fan had their own archetypal preferences.

Pop groups operate on a different level than solo singers;  they are not, and never were, defined by a group of talented singers put in together. They are not there sell themselves individually (at least not initially, otherwise they wouldn’t be in a group); they are there to sell the group, in which each member plays a role, a character, that will attract a share of the fan market that is seeking for specific characteristics. For instance, my little sister tends to favor maknaes that are rappers. She can’t even explain why. It’s not a measurable quality, it’s just an unexplainable archetype that seduces her in boys groups. So if anyone here was wondering what Chansung was doing in 2PM, well, here’s your answer.

2 – You can watch them grow. Hard-work against natural talent.

This is something you can practically only experience when you’re a fan of pop groups, because they always (well, 99% of them) have less talented members comparatively, and some even debut with totally talent-less ones.

Watching a less talented member suddenly shine, because he/she was given more lines or given a solo dance, or his/her vocals suddenly improved, makes you feel more connected with him/her on a human level. It strengths the fandom and makes the fans think all the time and money they spent on a group full of talent-less members was totally worth it, because they believed in them, and now they are even more proud to be a fan of the group. And that feeling reflects on sales. One of the reasons why BSB fans loved I Want It That Way so much (their biggest hit) was because of Kevin and Howie’s solos, who used to be relegated to background vocals and suddenly they started singing alone and fangirls wet their pants. I also wonder if that wasn’t always the goal with T-ara, when Kim Kwang Soo started adding seemingly talentless members. Hwayoung is possibly the best example or ‘hard-work against natural talent’.

I tell you one thing: if I was a CEO of a K-pop group, I would never let all the members shine at once even if they were all talented. Let the fans experience their growth, staged or not, it’s part of the magic.  “OMG MY BIAS GOT SOME MANY LINES IN THIS SONG! OMG I’M THE HAPPIEST FANGIRL IN THE WORLD I’LL BUY ALL THE COPIES OF THIS ALBUM!!” – This would be the kind of response I’d aim for :)

3 – It brings more fans to talented individuals.

I’d rather view pop groups – especially K-pop groups – as a bunch of individuals logically put together because they would have fewer chances of success if they went solo instead. And this goes for both talented and talentless individuals. Even Lee Hyori and Hyuna didn’t start off as solo artists, they are or were both once popular members of a popular group. Likewise, some talented singers and/or dancers would have a far more difficult time in selling themselves as solo artists, especially if they’re not particularly good-looking. Yes, it’s still a bit unfair that the best looking members generally gather the biggest fandoms, but if it weren’t for them, you talented bias probably wouldn’t have the amount of attention and support he/she currently has.

Not everyone can be like BoA or IU. Not everyone is born with great looks, sex appeal and is lucky enough to work with great composers/writers/choreographers. A lot of talented singers in Korea wouldn’t have the slightest chance in the market hadn’t been for their group members, who make up for everything they’re not.

4 – Music preferences are not always measurable by individuals’ natural talent. Shocking.

Regarding your point: “Taeyeon and Seohyun couldn’t achieve success without the help of a more charismatic person like Tiffany. But even in Tiffany’s case, a good voice and charisma aren’t incompatible. Hyorin brings more fans to the yard than Sistar united.”

There are tons of people in the world who can sing. Tons. There are probably more people who can sing in karaoke bars than in the entire music market. There aren’t, however, many people who can sell songs just by hitting the notes. Britney can barely hold a tune, but there’s something unique about her voice: you can always recognize her singing. And this is not just a condition of pop music; rock music industry is not always composed with the best singers or guitarists. They need to ‘fit’ in the concept/idea of the band, and specially, offer ‘something else’. Something you don’t hear in karaoke bars. One of my favorite rock bands of all time – Buck-Tick – is not exactly the most talented group of guitarists, drummers and singers in the world. (In fact, they even started the band without knowing how to play an instrument.) But I like their music better, and their performances better; they’re unique. And Atsushi’s voice, albeit very limited in vocal range, will always seduce me more than, say, anyone from 2AM.

And yes, I’d rather hear Tiffany singing and scratching notes than boring Seohyun, anytime. And between a Hyorin concert and Sistar concert, I’d still probably choose the first.