As you've probably heard, K-pop singer BoA plans to debut in the US this fall. YouTube has a couple of teasers of her first single up; here's one:
If she becomes popular outside the Asian-American community, I'll eat my own hat. I'll eat it up, I mean.
"BoA Prepares to Take On Billboard Charts," reads one Chosun Ilbo article. The elephant in the room is, of course, that numerous Korean acts, like Rain, have been hyped to the heavens prior to their American debuts and then subsequently failed to make it in the US. That's not to say that a Korean singer can't or won't some day, but that perhaps a little humility might be in order on this side of the pond since, um, no Korean singer or entertainer has done anything Stateside yet. Or, perhaps people just have different standards of "making it" or "world famous," lol, over here.
I snicker at these delusions of grandeur, the arrogance, but I don't think BoA's a bad person or a bad singer or anything. Hell, if she or her handlers tried a little harder to understand her role in the American market, she might do all right. Eh, actually, probably not, since she's quite derivative and on the bland side. And no, "on the bland side" isn't code for "looks Asian." Nonetheless, I really like her song "If you were here tonight." Anyway, HT to ROK Drop, your #1 source for K-pop news. *cough* sorry. More from YeinJee's Asian Journal and Japan Probe. If you'd like to keep up on BoA's American ambitions, she has an English-language website here.
1 comment:
This song is terrible.
I actually think the Wondergirls might break through a little in the states. Their sexuality isn't overdone and JYP is pretty savvy in their marketing over here. The songs are good and there's a Spice Girls aspect that could catch on.
Post a Comment