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Two K-pop singles released recently and, coincidentally, are both obvious entries to the Western music. Somehow, with the two& #39;s international acclaim, they answer the same question in very different ways: how should non-English acts produce music for English-speaking markets.
First is BTS& #39; Dynamite, a thumping, unapologetic track riding the nu-disco wave. While thematically weaker than their past work, it& #39;s as catchy as it gets and puts the group right where they need to be on their path to global domination; A- https://open.spotify.com/track/0v1x6rN6JHRapa03JElljE?si=STRmxwkMR1eNpX69VHykYA">https://open.spotify.com/track/0v1...
Then there& #39;s BLACKPINK and Selena Gomez& #39; Ice Cream, a watered down pop-trap song hopping on America& #39;s current obsession with high-profile collabs. While it fits BP& #39;s body of work, it& #39;s weak track dragged down by its overall monotony; C+ https://open.spotify.com/track/60jpDubMmVyR5molJp2TCm?si=6ag08t9xTI61pNmY2AZFiA">https://open.spotify.com/track/60j...
The two groups differed greatly in the way they compartmentalized their music. To suit other markets, they& #39;ve had to make artistic and marketing decisions to ensure a hit and cement the two& #39;s place in the English market.
Notably, BTS decided to limit their themes and narratives (straying away from their Jungian Map of the Soul: Persona) for something more lighthearted (and quintessentially Western): a fun night out. Paired with the infectious track, Dynamite perfectly attains its pop aspirations.
BLACKPINK, in this case, compartmentalized their sound, toning down their usual aggressive beats. It fails to bank on their existing rep, resulting in something weaker and not as grand. To some extent, a marketing failure similar to SNSD choosing to debut globally with The Boys.
Even collaboration comes into play. BTS drops a Western collaborator (vs Boy with Luv) to prove they don& #39;t need a foot in the door, while BLACKPINK got Gomez on name value (who could& #39;ve been replaced by other vocalists ,e.g., Grande who had writing creds on the track).
The two tracks show that in the case of importing music, artistry should still trump marketability. In an attempt to fit market demand, Ice Cream turned out a lackluster track with hints of old BLACKPINK but not enough to be engaging (with an overall dull and repetitive melody)
BTS, on the other hand, cut corners where possible (thematically) and stuck to their original dance and sound (a sound prime for today& #39;s disco saturation), bringing the best parts of BTS and K-pop to a very fickle English-speaking market.