English in KPop Lyrics
“…such use of English is often symbolic rather than communicative; it can be seen as projecting an image of being modern, hip, sleek, or elegant” (Park, 2005, p. 55).
Korean popular music – more commonly known as KPop – has taken the music industry by storm over the past several years. With online music video views reaching into the millions and concerts being held all across the globe, many KPop artists have received tremendous popularity from an international audience. Most are familiar with Psy’s song “Gangnam Style”, which gained unprecedented popularity in a small amount of time, eventually reaching over a billion views on Youtube. The popular bands TVXQ and Super Junior have some of the largest fan clubs in the world. At the 2013 Youtube Music Awards, Korea’s national girl band Girls’ Generation won the award for Music Video of the Year.
With its growing popularity, KPop has gained loyal fans from all over the world. The importance that is placed on English internationally means that most of these fans speak fluent English or use English along with their native language, and many KPop artists can speak basic English as well.
While appealing to international audiences, the English used in KPop lyrics is also a reflection of the growing importance of English in everyday Korean life:
“Prevalent use of localized English across different genres in popular culture such as music, TV shows, movies, magazines, and advertising is an indication of the development of bilingualism in public domains in South Korea” (Lee, 2006).
While appealing to international audiences, the English used in KPop lyrics is also a reflection of the growing importance of English in everyday Korean life:
“Prevalent use of localized English across different genres in popular culture such as music, TV shows, movies, magazines, and advertising is an indication of the development of bilingualism in public domains in South Korea” (Lee, 2006).