[ASKKPOP] The Rise of R&B in Korean Music
The Land of the Morning Calm isswept up in an R&B frenzy. With the recent comeback of the veteranR&B/urban duoFly to the Sky,Taeyang's secondfull-length album, solo artistZion. T's inexplicable popularityand the highly anticipated release of up and coming artistCrush'sdebut album, R&B is slowly wriggling its way into music chart positionsthat have long been dominated by dance-pop, ballad, and quasi-hip hop groups.It really is astonishing how quickly under R&B/soul artists such as Zion.T—who was pretty much a nobody a mere three years ago—was able to spread hisfame so far and wide in South Korea and abroad. Also, the fact thatBeyoncé'slate self-titled album peaked atnumber 2on Korean albumcharts is quite telling of how the mainstream Korean populace has warmed upmore towards the R&B genre. Furthermore, I have noticed that many Koreanhip hop/R&B/soul artists sample old-school hip hop/R&B tunes whencomposing their songs (A Tribe Called Quest,Big L,MarcNelson, etc.). My own mother, who is a 40-something Korean ahjummaapproaching her 50s has an almost unhealthy affinity forThe Weeknd'smusic. So to celebrate and explore this love of R&B, I'll be lightly discussingthe genre's beginnings—or more specifically, discussing the artists that setablaze the soulful R&B trails in my motherland.
The Pioneers
Seo Taijiwas the archetypal figure in the Korean pop scene who paved the road tomainstream success for genres other than ballad, trot, and folk. And R&Breally only developed subsequent to this breakthrough. His music is far frombeing considered R&B but that isn't the point. The point is that withoutSeo Taiji, Korean pop music wouldn't have gone through the revolutionary changenecessary to go from uniform to diverse.
Although not as popular,Lee Soo Manhad a protege by the name ofHyun Jin Youngwho also brought the American R&B and Hip Hop styles to Korea, but unfortunately Hyun Jin Young's career was cut short due to various legal issues.
YG's Influence
YG artists have also played asignificant role in spreading R&B in Korean pop music. I assert this notbecause I have a unilateral penchant for them. I simply noticed YG hascontinuously been the R&B mainstay in popular Korean music. Even today, itsartists maintain their hip hop/R&B emphasis, only to stray to heavy dancepop for a little while. Former artists includingWheesung,Lexy,Masta Wu,Perry,Jinusean, and1TYMall specialized in performingR&B/urban/hip hop music. Now,Big Bangand2NE1continue their forefathers'legacy with a more mainstream-ready, modern type of music that infuses dance,hip hop, and R&B.
Old-School R&B
Of course, there exists otherartists not under the aegis of YG with R&B backgrounds. If we are talkingmainstream, thenYoon Mi Rae,Ra. D,SOLID, and evenLeeHyorican be considered the R&B ambassadors of Korea, whostrengthened the genre's mold by introducing a culture that was alien in a waythat resonated with the Korean audience. When you watch Lee Hyori's "10Minutes" MV, you can't help but get an uncanny reminder ofJ.Loin her "Jenny From the Block" days. When you listen toSOLID, you can see influences ofBoyz II Men, and whenever Ilisten to Yoon Mi Rae, the "KoreanLauryn Hill" come to mind. But Lee Hyori, SOLID, and Yoon Mi Rae's music are not just replicas of their Westernpredecessors. They take the influence and shape their music to have relevancein the current Korean music scene and to cater to the tastes of their targetedaudience. The gradual, conscious exposure of the genre through these artistsallowed Korean listeners to access and develop a taste for R&B. The processsurely would not have occurred without the above artists' contributions toKorean music.
Current Roster
R&B artists that grew big in thepast couple years include Zion. T, Crush, andGRAY.These singers' success can be traced back tothe contributions of aforementioned artists, without whom they may not haveexisted at all. Zion. T, Crush, and GRAY seem to derive inspiration fromWestern acts such asMichael JacksonandGang Starrand theybring those influences directly into their music and deliver them to the Koreanaudience, much like how pervious artists had done. And current mainstreamR&B artists better understand what their audience wants to hear. Plus theyactively put their music out on various media platforms until people start totake notice, something that wasn't as easily done just a decade ago.
The history of R&B in Korea is a rich one. And this article hasn't fully explored all aspects of it, but just skimmed the topmost surface. There are likely many more artists that had an influence on R&B in Korea that I don't know about or failed to mention. If that is the case, please feel free to enlighten me with your knowledge on Korean R&B music.