K - Colors of Korea

Big Bang in London

When Big Bang announced they were going to hold only one concert in Europe people were surprised by it being not more but after the first Tickets sold out so fast and a second date was added quickly and at least then YG Entertainment must have realized how many fans there are in Europe. And that’s not surprising at all, as Big Bang has been one of the top acts in the K-Pop Business for years now and has gained a huge following overseas as well. It just was a matter of time until they’d come to Europe.

On December 14th, finally the big event European K-Pop fans had been waiting for; Big Bangs first ever European concert at the Wembley Arena in London took place. At noon those with special packages were allowed to pick them up, and only those showed up due to the rain that had colored the whole day in grey. It has become customary between fans they organize themselves to keep the people entering the hall in fair order and even though not all of the security team seemed to agree with this, it worked out and the lines outside were peacefully arranged. Before the actual show a few hundred were allowed inside to see the sound check but had to line up outside again for the early access, which started at 5pm. Lucky for the rest of the fans it had stopped raining around 3pm, so the square outside the arena filled up and fans here and there started chanting their favorite songs to keep warm. Also the staff tried to keep everyone in a good mood, handing out light bracelets to fans answering questions about Big Bang and even YG Entertainments Gym Trainer Hwang Ssabu came out to take a picture with the waiting crowd.

Once in the hall, Big Bang didn’t keep their fans waiting and after several music videos had been played on the big screens next to the stage the lights went off shortly after 7.30pm, signaling the beginning of the show. With only three of their shows taking place outside of Asia it was noticeable throughout the show that the five men were still surprised by the amount of fans they have around the world and how dedicated they are. The concert started off with a long set of songs including Alive, Tonight and How Gee and the group was jumping around energetically, going from one side of the stage to the other and greeting their fans. With Seungri joining twitter just recently, it was obvious they had prepared well in order to address the crowd in English. After Stupid Liar Big Bang, greeted the fans and introduced them. Most of the talking was done by Seungri and Taeyang, who were even trying to speak in a British accent at times, while Daesung kept quiet most of the time and just shyly introduced himself With small mistakes here and there they managed to get their message across though and get the crowd to laugh with them.. Taeyang though scared the crowd during the talk as he started nose bleeding all of a sudden but still kept on going with the show, earning a lot of applaud from the crowd. And wooing fans with a cover of Chris Browns Don’t judge me.  G-Dragon and T.O.P. had disappeared behind the stage during the talk, leaving the three members in charge of entertaining and so after this short interlude Seungri professed his love for their leader and all three of them praised him for being a great friend. G-Dragon returned to the stage with his solo song Crayon, the crowd went crazy but even more so, when T.O.P. joined him to get the fans singing along to their hits High High and  Bbeokigayo. They went all out to give their fans what they had been waiting for and the crowd went crazy listening to GD&T.O.P. and dancing with them.
Seungri took over afterwards, emerging from under the stage with a laser gun and staging his Strong Baby and Eojjeorago performances in a military style.
The group returned as five to the stage next all dressed in black in order to showcase a different side of their repertoire with their Japanese hits Gara Gara Go and Number 1, and finished off with the slower Cafe standing at the end of the extended stage, where they disappeared underneath after the song.

In order to get everyone into the mood for the next set of songs some kind of foam started falling from the ceiling, looking like snow, marking the beginning of Blue. Contrasting the quiet atmosphere, the group stepped out wearing colorful jackets. But it didn’t stay quiet long, since the end of this set was marked by their hit Monster and Feeling from their latest album, with which they got the crowd excited once again before the next set of solo stages by Taeyang and Daesung started. Taeyang showed off his soulful voice with this previous hit song Naman Baraboa and Wedding Dress but also got the girls screaming with his smooth dancing skills. Compared to that, Daesung presented a very artistic performance of his more rock-ish Song Nalgae and wooed the fans with his powerful voice but himself having a lot of fun as well. Both were obviously enjoying themselves on stage and savoring the screams and applause by the fans.

The last set of songs started with the band being engulfed in blue smoke and sitting on chairs. It was time for the songs that shot them up to the top: Haru Haru,Kojidmal and Majimak Insa. They asked the crowd to sing the chorus of Haru Haru and everyone tried their best to show the group they put a lot of effort into learning the lyrics. Before their last song, they addressed the fans one last time, thanking them for coming and being so supportive. All five of them were visibly moved but looked incredibly happy and proud of the outcome of this nights show, promising to be back soon.
But sure this wasn’t the last farewell and after the fans, conducted by the live band, chanted in unison the group returned to the stage and extended their set for nearly half an hour. Fantastic Baby and Hands Up  were taking the last pit of power the Group still had in them, G-Dragon lay down on stage and didn’t seem to feel like getting up and Seungri kept shrugging his shoulders as if asking the fans „how the hell do you still have so much energy?“. And still they kept on dancing, getting down to the crowd and singing for their Fans until the last second of the concert.

It was a great concert, for Big Bang and the fans alike. The group was welcomed to Europe, miles away from home by a completely sold out hall with 12,000 fans, eager to sing along to their songs and show them how much K-Pop is enjoyed overseas. But also the Fans got to enjoy the concert with a group that visibly enjoys standing on stage and putting all their energy into a good performance.  Big Bang showed the crowd the different facets of their musical career with older songs like How Gee, their new hits Fantastic Baby and softer ones like Cafe. They are a versatile group so the amount of fans around the world comes as no surprise. This concert again proved that different languages are not a barrier but the passion for music connects all kinds of people. Now everyone can hope they’ll keep their promise and return to Europe soon again, but travelling more countries next time.

 

© Text: Katy Maurer, Photos: Mee G.

Years of training. 16 hours a day. A life far away from family and friends. A new home with strangers, sharing not only a dormitory but also hopes and tears. Having to go separate ways because dreams did not come true. Maybe one day the long awaited debut stage. The tight schedule, which does not leave room for sleep. Diet plans. Makeovers. Plastic surgery. Let’s be honest. The path of a K-Pop idol is exhausting and life itself, when you made it, hard.

Every third teenager in Korean dreams of becoming an idol. Of course, the market is booming and K-Pop is one of the most important export goods of South Korea. The Hallyu Wave has also reached Europe over the last few years involving a good amount of money. With each year more and more bands are having their debut, being able to fulfill their dream. The percentage of those who are turning into stars is rather humble.

 

In a country that had a military government until 25 years ago and has grown to be an impressive industrial nation in the last decades, the matter of course young Koreans are taking this path is a different one. One that teenagers that have been raised westerly will barely be able to comprehend. South Korea’s population knows that their country would not have come so far without the well-functioning system of school and work. Diligence is a highly valued virtue and the respect towards the ones who are working hard can be shown best through more diligence. And like this the country clicks like a clockwork in which one builds on one another.

 

In a discussion with a student of Korean studies we once exchanged interesting thoughts. Idols are an important component in a smooth cycle in this country. Let’s ignore the fact that they want to boost the economy and take care of the global awareness and therefore help to sell other Korean products on the global market- leaving one thing left: The sight into the country. K-Pop stars existed long before the global market discovered them. End of the 90’s the three biggest entertainments arose - YG, SM and JYP – and short after the first groups made their debut who characterize what we now call K-Pop. They offered distraction to youngsters who have to study until late at night and the ones who have to work more than 12 hours a day and six days a week. Leaving only little time to go out and meet friends. (Of course, Koreans always find them time to meet one another and have fun -and maybe they enjoy the time more than Europeans who do not know what to do with their free time).

 

Idols are everywhere. They are colorful and cheerful. They entertain the audience at home who are sitting in front of the TV with music- and variety shows. They are smiling from posters and advertise the latest products in commercials. They can be taken home on DVDs, t-shirts and cellphone charms. At fansigns one is able to get a closer look. They offer topics of conversation aside everyday life. Their world is dazzling but- and that is particularly important- can be experienced. They are also working hard and have little free time. They like to eat, listen to music and have their own troubles.

 

K-Pop idols are open and private like no other international star- without their private family life being in the lime light, ripped apart or dragged through the mud.

 

They are the hobby that you one can afford when one barely has time. They are the scattering one needs when one is threatened to drown in responsibilities. They are role models that demonstrate that all the sweat and deprivation is worth it. Their role is important. It is responsible. When having a closer look fame and fortune, although very important and possibly the motivation for most has a subordinate role.

 

So what leads 300 European K-Pop fans in their teens (the age limit for applicants was 19) to Berlin to the YG Audition? K-Colors of Korea talked with a few of them right before they have to enter the room to showcase their singing and dancing abilities. Nicole (18) from Dortmund loves 2NE1, the girl group which is signed under YG. She has been singing and dancing since she was six years old and started because of K-Pop. What she expects from the audition is to face the staff members of YG and also she wants to get a first- hand experience of participating in an audition because there have not been any K-Pop auditions in Europe before. Yen (14) has been listening to K-Pop for three years. She loves Big Bang and 2NE1 and she is currently taking singing classes. She just wants to be part of the whole experience but she does not know if she really wants to be a trainee at an entertainment.

 

Most of the applicants came out of curiosity. They have never been that close to the Korean music business and they are willing to take this step if this brings them a little closer to their dream of a career in Korea.

 

Lee Jun Won, a staff member of YG who had been listening and seeing applicants for hours tells us how things will proceed for the applicants after the audition. Those who make it through the pre- selection in Berlin and London will be invited to a second audition in Korea. The ones who will make it will be offered a trainee-contract to sign. After that, not only singing and dancing lessons are waiting for them. The future idols are also going to learn the language and have to adapt to Korean culture. Whether they are able to make it and when it will be possible for them do debut will depend on their performance but also on the question if they will understand what it means to be an idol.

 

Sometimes when a dream comes true, you ask yourself why you were dreaming it the first place. A dream is light and carefree. In a dream you are never exhausted nor lonely. In a dream you are receiving without having to give. Some of the participants of the YG Audition in Berlin will return to their homes and dream of being successful the next time. A few will advance and some of them will wake up on the airplane heading to their home country and find new dreams. Only a handful is going to stay in Korea and hold on to theirs. Even they are going to wake up because they will understand that hard work is going ahead before one gets to experience the living dream. That there are always to sides to every coin and not only be confronted with fame, the fans and the popularity but also with stress, the missing privacy and the occasional doubts. Only those who do not delude themselves and carry enough passion and unconditionally love what they do will be able to see the door which will reveal a fascinating world. A world filled with beauty and illusion. A world filled with unexpected downs and countless possibilities.

We hope that YG was able to find such a talented and dedicated person in Europe and that we might have come across in Berlin without knowing.

 

© Esther Klung, Translation: Kim Dinh

 

Jahrelanges Training. 16 Stunden am Tag. Ein Leben weit weg von der Familie und von Freunden. Ein neues zu Hause in einer WG mit Fremden, mit denen man Hoffnungen und Tränen teilt. Wege, die auseinandergehen, weil sich die Träume nicht erfüllt haben. Vielleicht eines Tages das lang ersehnte Debütstage. Der enge Terminplan, der kaum Zeit lässt zu schlafen. Diätpläne. Makeover. Schönheitsoperationen. Sind wir ehrlich, der Weg eines K-Pop Idols ist beschwerlich und das Leben, selbst, wenn man es geschafft hat, hart.

Jeder dritte Teenager in Korea träumt davon, Idol zu werden. Natürlich, der Markt boomt und K-Pop ist eines der wichtigsten Exportgüter Südkoreas. Die Hallyu Wave hat in den letzten Jahren auch Europa erreicht und in dem Markt steckt jede Menge Geld. Jahr um Jahr debütieren mehr Bands, schaffen es mehr koreanische Teenager ihren Traum zu erfüllen. Die Prozentzahl derer, die am Ende Stars werden, ist jedoch gering.

In einem Land, das vor fast 25 Jahren noch eine Militärregierung hatte und in den letzten Jahrzehnten zu einer imposanten Industrienation heranwuchs, ist das Selbstverständnis, mit dem junge Koreaner diesen Weg einschlagen, ein anderes. Eines, das westlich erzogene Teenager kaum nachvollziehen können. Südkoreas Bevölkerung weiß, dass ihr Land nicht so weit gekommen wäre, ohne das gut funktionierende System der Schule und Arbeit. Fleiß ist eine hohe Tugend und der Respekt demjenigen gegenüber, der hart arbeitet, zeigt man am besten, durch noch größeren Fleiß. Und so funktioniert dieses Land wie ein Uhrwerk, in dem man aufeinander baut.

In einem Gespräch mit einer Berliner Koreanistikstudentin tauschten wir einmal einen interessanten Gedanken aus. Idols sind ein wichtiger Bestandteil in dem reibungslosen Ablauf dieses Landes. Lassen wir außen vor, dass sie die Wirtschaft ankurbeln und für internationale Bekanntheit sorgen - und damit helfen, andere koreanische Produkte auf dem weltweiten Markt zu verkaufen - bleibt eines übrig: Der Blick ins Land. Denn K-Pop Stars gab es schon lange bevor der internationale Markt sie entdeckte. Ende der 1990er Jahre entstanden die drei großen Entertainmentfirmen - YG, SM und JYP - und kurz darauf debütierten die ersten Gruppen, die das prägten, was wir heute K-Pop nennen. Sie gaben den Jugendlichen, die bis in die Nacht lernen und den jungen Menschen, die mehr als 12 Stunden am Tag, sechs Tage die Woche arbeiten, Zerstreuung. Denn Zeit, um auszugehen und Freunde zu treffen, bleibt weniger. (Natürlich finden Koreaner immer Zeit um sich zu treffen und Spaß zu haben, und vielleicht genießen sie diese Zeit auch mehr als Europäer, die mit ihrer Freizeit nichts anzufangen wissen)

Idols sind überall. Sie sind bunt und fröhlich. Sie unterhalten das Publikum zu Hause vor dem Fernseher in Musik- und Variety Shows. Sie lächeln von Plakaten, preisen in Werbespots die neusten Produkte an. Man kann sie sich auf DVDs, T-Shirts und Handyanhängern nach Hause holen. Bei Fansigns kommt man ihnen näher. Sie bieten Gesprächsthemen abseits des Alltags. Ihre Welt ist schillernd, aber - und das ist besonders wichtig - erfahrbar. Auch sie arbeiten hart, auch sie haben wenig Freizeit, auch sie essen gerne, hören Musik und haben Probleme.

K-Pop Idols sind so offen und privat wie kaum ein anderer internationaler Star, ohne dass dabei ihr privates Familienleben beleuchtet, auseinandergepflückt und in den Schmutz gezogen wird.

Sie sind das Hobby, das man sich leisten kann, wenn man kaum Zeit hat. Sie sind die Ablenkung, die man braucht, wenn man an Pflichten zu erstickt droht. Sie sind die Vorbilder, die zeigen, dass sich all der Schweiß und die Entbehrungen lohnen. Ihre Rolle ist wichtig. Sie ist verantwortungsvoll. Ruhm und Geld spielen, wenn man es genau betrachtet, obwohl sie wichtig sind, und wahrscheinlich der Antrieb der meisten, eine untergeordnete Rolle.

Was also führte 300 europäische K-Pop Fans im Teenageralter (Die Grenze für Bewerber lag bei 19 Jahren) nach Berlin zur YG Audition? K-Colors of Korea sprach mit einigen von ihnen kurz bevor sie in den Raum zum Vorsingen und Tanzen gerufen wurden. Nicole, 18, aus Dortmund liebt 2NE1, die Girlgroup, die bei YG unter Vertrag ist. Sie tanzt und singt seit fast sechs Jahren und hat wegen K-Pop damit angefangen. Von dem Casting erhofft sie sich zum einen einmal den Mitarbeitern von YG persönlich gegenüberzustehen und möchte zum anderen direkt erfahren, wie es ist an einer Audition teilzunehmen. Denn K-Pop Auditions gab es zuvor noch nicht in Europa. Yen ist 14 Jahre alt und hört seit 3 Jahren K-Pop. Sie liebt Big Bang und 2NE1 und nimmt mitlerweile sogar Gesangsunterricht. Sie will einfach nur dabei sein, aber sie weiß nicht, ob sie wirklich Trainee bei einem Entertainment sein möchte.

Die meisten der Bewerber sind aus Neugier gekommen. So nah wie jetzt waren sie der koreanischen Musikbranche noch nie und wenn sich für einen von ihnen der Traume einer Karriere in dem Land ihrer Träume erfüllt, werden sie den Schritt wagen.

Lee Jun Won, ein Mitarbeiter von YG, der sich die Bewerber seit einigen Stunden anhört und ansieht, verrät uns, wie es nach der Audition für die Bewerber weitergehen wird. Diejenigen, welche die Vorrunden in Berlin und London überstanden haben, werden zu einer zweiten Audition nach Korea eingeladen. Wenn sie sich bei dieser durchsetzen, wird man ihnen anbieten einen Traineevertrag zu unterschreiben. Danach wartet nicht nur Gesangs- und Tanztraining auf sie. Die zukünftigen Idols werden auch die Sprache lernen und sich der koreanischen Kultur anpassen müssen. Ob sie es schaffen und wann es ihnen möglich sein wird, zu debütieren, wird von ihrer Leistung abhängen aber auch von der Frage, ob sie werden verstehen können, was es bedeutet Idol zu sein.

Manchmal, wenn sich ein Traum erfüllt, fragt man sich, warum man ihn geträumt hat. Ein Traum ist leicht und unbeschwert. In einem Traum ist man niemals erschöpft oder einsam. In einem Traum wird man beschenkt, ohne etwas zu opfern. Einige der Teilnehmer der YG Audition in Berlin werden nach Hause zurückkehren und davon träumen, es beim nächsten Mal zu schaffen. Einige wenige werden weiterkommen und manche von ihnen werden aufwachen und im Flieger zurück in ihre Heimat neue Träume finden. Nur sehr wenige werden in Korea bleiben und an ihrem Traum festhalten. Auch sie werden irgendwie aufwachen, denn sie werden begreifen, dass jedem gelebten Traum harte Arbeit vorausgeht. Dass es immer zwei Seiten einer Medaille gibt; dass dem Ruhm, den Fans und der Beliebtheit der Stress, die fehlende Privatsphäre und die gelegentlichen Zweifel gegenüberstehen. Nur denen, die sich keine Illusionen machen, die genug Leidenschaft mitbringen und die das, was sie tun bedingungslos lieben, wird sich die Tür zu einer faszinierenden Welt öffnen. Einer Welt voller Schönheit und Schein. Einer Welt voll ungeahnter Tiefen und unzähliger Möglichkeiten.

Wir hoffen, dass YG so einen Menschen mit Talent und Hingabe in Europa gefunden hat und wir ihm, ohne es zu wissen, vielleicht sogar in Berlin gegenüber standen.

Copyright: Esther Klung (www.k-magazin.com)