K-POP as a Balancing Act

Written By: Lydia Yoon

Q: 2A

Due to the influence of social media, the K-pop industry has undergone a noticeable change. From a “audience-based” Business-to-Consumer (B2C) model to a “social media-dependent” (Oh and Park 2012, 366) Business-to-Business (B2B) structure, K-pop has evolved into an industry that reaches fans through mediating platforms. Through sites like YouTube and iTunes, K-pop artists reach their fans via the Internet, rather than directly selling physical copies of music through CDs. In fact, Korea was the “first country where digital music sales exceeded physical album sales” (Koh 2010, 7), making it the “fourth largest digital market” (Ibid.).

When it comes to making a living from producing K-pop, artists don’t make as much revenue as it may seem. The desire for balance between profit and pleasing fans is one that singers struggle with, as the needs of K-pop fans are dynamic. One important aspect of striving for balance is what drives the artists: Do they produce music because they love their fans, or is it solely for the monetary incentive? Depending on what the artists are motivated by, their desire for a personal connection with fans will vary. For example, with a B2B model, any artist can post music videos on YouTube, but only select artists, who are driven by their fans, will take time to reply to comments. Thus, they’re able to “shorten the emotional distance” (Ono and Kwon 2013, 209) and form genuine connections with their audiences. Oftentimes, these relationships are with loyal fans, who, in turn, will help promote and gain profit.

Furthermore, the B2B structure allows artists to make money from “TV appearances to commercials and advertisements” (Oh and Park 2012, 369). Though complete balance is unfeasible, an artist who is attaining stability is Lee Hyori. As a model who once worked for soju and dieting ads, Lee decided to stop due to the false advertising to her fans. Rather than working for any company, she now models for “environmental issue[s] or campaigns she believes in” (Soompi 2012). Lee Hyori is an example of one who is motivated by pleasing her fans and is still able to make profit due to her inspirational character.

Ultimately, there is no doubt that the K-pop industry has shifted to one that is Business-to-Business. The “sensational boom” (Ono and Kwon 2013, 207) of K-pop on YouTube has allowed artists to gain global appearances, making it the “largest distributor of K-pop” (Oh and Park 2012, 380) in the world. With such a radical shift, finding equilibrium between money and pleasing fans is tough, but with the right motivation and drive, artists can strive for balance in the ever-changing K-pop market.

Word count: 403

Bibliography:

Koh, Byungwan. Shift in Demand for Music: Causal Effect of Online Music Piracy and Digital Music on Album. Richardson, TX: University of Texas at Dallas Press, 2010.

“Lee Hyori Will No Longer Model for Commercial Advertisements.” Soompi. https://www.soompi.com/article/448777wpp/lee-hyori-will-no-longer-model-for-commercial-advertisements (accessed 10/15/2018).

Oh, Ingyu and Park, Gil-Sung. “From B2C to B2B: Selling Korean Pop Music in the Age of New Social Media.” Korean Observer, Vol. 43, No. 3 (2012): 365-397.

Ono, Kent A. and Kwon, Jungmin. Re-Worlding Culture?: YouTube as a K-pop Interlocutor. London: University of Westminster Press, 2013.