K-pop

The history of K-pop, also called Korean pop, began in 1966 in the Itaewon District in Seoul, South Korea. Due to the proximity of the U.S. military bases, the youth started listening to rock, leading to the formation of rock bands originating in the region, as well as the Keys Boys. They sought to imitate and reinterpret Western genres such as jazz, soul, psychedelic rock and folk. Shortly after, with the establishment of Park Chung-hee's dictatorship, these groups were oppressed, and members were taken as criminals. It was a difficult time for the youth and musicians; what could have been the era of Korean rock was crushed by the regime. It was not until the 1990s, with the arrival of democracy and the 1988 Seoul Olympics, that South Korea opened its doors to the world. That had such an impact that it initiated a generational and cultural change of great relevance. Nightclubs of Itaewon were crowded with European and American music, and Korean dance culture was born. Solid was one of the bands that began to mix Korean melody with Western beats, such as R&B, but it was not until Seo Taiji and Boys that what we know today as Korean pop was established. These young men, at first rejected by critics, were the ones who introduced hip hop and group dance, impacting the whole country with a new kind of music that took multiple genres and mixed them into one record, practice that continues to this day. Over time, this new style -an explosion of music, vibrant colors, and lyrics that excite young people- formed in the Korean music scene. Today this genre is recognized as Korea's third largest export industry and one of the most popular globally.