Monday, March 18, 2013

Korean Pop Music Changed My Life

            I am quite positive that by now almost everybody has heard the song Gangnam Style by PSY. Even though that is an amazing song it is not the purpose of this post. Before I begin I will leave you to think about this simple question. Has there ever been something that you've done, listened to, taken part of, or in any other means changed your life dramatically for better or for worse? This is what the music genre Korean Pop has done for me, and thankfully it was for the better. 

Why do I love Korean Pop Music? I get asked this question a lot. So I thought now would be a good time to give my entire answer to the question. Korean Pop music is my number one favorite because it is different then the music most people like and listen to (Metal, Screamo, Dub-step, Rap, Country, R&B, Blues, Techno etc...) Also it is normally very upbeat and puts me in a very "happy" mood. Another reason is that it was new to me, I gave it a chance and now I can not live without it. The music genre as a whole is now on a very high pedestal for me and as of right now, will never be moved from its spot as my all time favorite music genre. 

Group: T-ara (English: Tiara) 
Members: Qri, park So-yeong, Ham Eun-jung, Jeon Boram, Hyomin, Park Ji-yeong, Lee Areum, Dani 
My Favorite: Jeon Boram 
            
            Almost two years ago a very good friend showed me this music group that she thought I would really enjoy, The group she showed me was the group known as T-ara. To be completely honest, at first I hated it. However, after listening to this one song over and over again, I began to love T-ara and appreciate the music genre Korean pop. I found a handful of their songs that I actually really enjoyed through my search for more of this music type. I was very impressed with the results I found in my search of this one particular group. The songs I found of theirs along with the one posted below (Roly Poly) I also found Lovey Dovey, Cry Cry, Sexy Love, Round & Round, Like the First time, and Day by Day. After listening to them for over a year now, despite the dispute they had with a former group member.... they are very talented singers/ dancers. My reasoning for all of this is this, I did not always have an enjoyable or "happy" life, but when I started listen to Korean Pop music it changed my life in ways that I never thought possible just by doing what I did every day before hand, which was not much when I look back on it. I found another Korean group through T-ara (thank you strange Youtube related video choices) named KARA. I will talk about this group in a little while. 

Changes to My Life: 
            After listening to T-ara for a few months I noticed that my behavior towards myself, and towards other people was changing from being rude when asked questions, or others just trying to be friendly towards me to being nicer and more pleasant to communicate with. Also on a very positive note, I began to be less lazy and actually got out of bed to do things I never wanted to do before in previous years like homework, go out and see friends/family, etc... Little did I know that another drastic change was about to occur in the next few short months to come. 
         


Group: KARA 
Members: Goo- Ha-ra, Nicole Jung, Kang Jiyoung, Park Gyu-ri, Han Seung-yeon 
My Favorite: Nicole Jung (My idol) <3 

            I found this group through listening to T-ara. The song I found first of theirs was their song Step. I instantly fell in love with the group. I was flabbergasted at the amount of talent that these women had in them. All of them have the signing power and the amazing talent of dance. For that I am thankful for them to come into my home (through Youtube video's) and bring me the best music I have ever heard, Now ALL of my music on my Ipod and other music devices is Korean Pop, and other Korean Music that I am 100% addicted to. I will never go back to American music or any other music genre for as long as I live, no other music even comes close to how amazing Korean Pop music is. Below is the MV (Music Video) of KARA's song STEP. A few of the other songs of theirs that I completely love are Electric Boy, Orion, Lupin, Pandora, Mister, Break it, If you Wanna, and We're With You. Through KARA I found other great Korean Groups, groups such as f(x), Girls Generation, BoA (Best of Asia), and Davachi 

Changes to my Life: Along with what T-ara has changed in my life which I am grateful for, KARA has put a new perspective on my life that I never noticed or sought out beforehand, I can now look in the mirror and be proud of what I see in the reflection. Also, over the short year of listening to KARA and falling in love with every single that they came out with, I have become more outspoken in situations that I normally would of kept my mouth shut. Areas like in High School, wanting to answer the teachers questions, or helping other kids who were not quite getting what the teacher was trying to get across to us. Along with that, my grades in school increased and my test scores soared skyward. What I am most proud of though that entered my life through Listening to KARA and Korean Pop Music in general is that it brought me out of my depression.