Arts

Group Chat

Michelle Cho and Crystal S. Anderson discuss the popularity of reality shows Dream Academy and America2Korea


Posted: September 25, 2023

A promo image of the contestants on Dream Academy. (HYBE x Geffen)
HYBE and JYP, two of Korea’s biggest music labels, are launching new girl groups on reality shows — but instead of casting just East and Southeast Asian performers, they’re open to artists of any background. Michelle Cho and Crystal S. Anderson tell host Elamin Abdelmahmoud about how the experiment is playing out on YouTube. 14:14

HYBE and JYP, two of Korea’s biggest music labels, are launching new girl groups on reality shows 
Dream Academy and
America2Korea, respectively.

But, instead of casting just East and Southeast Asian performers, they’re open to artists of any background.

The move has left viewers wondering: what does it mean to create a girl group in the style of K-pop? Culture scholars Michelle Cho and Crystal S. Anderson tell host Elamin Abdelmahmoud about how the experiment is playing out on YouTube.


WATCH | Episode 1 of America2Korea:


You can listen to the full discussion from today’s show on



CBC Listen

or on our podcast, Commotion with Elamin Abdelmahmoud,



available wherever you get your podcasts

.

Panel produced by Jane van Koeverden
.