K-pop stars have been dominating the U.S. Billboard charts for years. This year, BTS’s Jimin and Jungkook claimed the top spots on Billboard’s Hot 100 singles chart. Additionally, Tomorrow X Together, Stray Kids, and New Jeans all reached the top of The Billboard 200, further solidifying the global influence of K-pop. Given K-pop artists’ remarkable success, it is no surprise that the country has set a record for the highest value of K-pop album exports.
Earlier this month, I had the privilege of interviewing singer Lee Mi-ja (82), who is celebrating her 64th anniversary in the music industry this year. Last month, she became the first pop culture figure to receive The Order of Cultural Merit, marking a historic milestone in Korean music. Since her debut in 1959 with “Nineteen Affection,” she has released over 560 albums and 2,500 songs. Her prolific career was acknowledged by the Guinness World Records in 1990, recognizing her as the singer with the most albums and songs released in South Korea. In 2002, she achieved another milestone by becoming the first South Korean singer to hold a solo concert in North Korea. Celebrating the 30th anniversary of her debut in 1989, she also made history by performing for the first time at the Sejong Art Center, a venue not typically open to pop singers. Lee Mi-ja stands as one of the figures who laid the foundation for the Korean music industry, contributing to the emergence of today’s K-pop stars.
Throughout the interview, she spoke in her characteristically clear, thin voice about the key to her remarkable career that spans over 60 years, emphasizing her belief in traditional songs and more. However, her tone turned stern when asked for advice for younger K-pop singers who are making waves globally. “Unfortunately, contemporary singers often struggle to convey their lyrics effectively. Sometimes, without looking at the subtitles, understanding their Korean lyrics can be challenging,” she remarked, adding, “At times, they sing melancholic lyrics with a smiling face.” In a K-pop landscape filled with more praise than criticism, hearing these insights from a seasoned artist was both refreshing and convincing.
As JYP Entertainment CEO Park Jin-young recently advised singers – Insooni, Shin Hyo-bum, Park Mi-kyung, and Lee Eun-mi – as they prepare to debut in a girl group project on the KBS entertainment program Golden Girls, Park emphasized, “As they say in songs nowadays, mumble the lyrics, stressing only some keywords.” “We had been taught to sing with our mouths wide open until our uvula was visible, but now they instruct us to sing with a more relaxed pronunciation and open our mouths smaller,” Insooni shared during the show’s press conference. This shift underscored the changes that have occurred over time.
Why is K-pop often characterized by inaccurate delivery of lyrics, to the extent that even Koreans may find them challenging to understand? Many K-pop songs targeted at the global market feature lyrics exclusively in English or employ obscure words from an unknown language. While global competitiveness is crucial, I yearn for the raw power of old K-pop songs that comforted the public through meaningful lyrics and flowing melodies. This sentiment is why I resonate with the viewpoint of the seasoned singer Lee Mi-ja, who emphasizes the importance of fundamentals often overlooked in the face of spectacular achievements.
