AppleTV+ and Megan Thee Stallion are bringing to global television a show where major K-pop artists collaborate with legendary global artists to "Kpopify" their Western music in a fierce competition. Except this isn't really a competition. It's an attempt to introduce K-pop to a global audience that has always been skeptical of it and considers it outsider music. For starters, as a K-pop fan already, I must admit that I'm not the target audience for this show.
It's specifically for those who want to watch legends like Patti LaBelle, the Spice Girls, TLC, Boy George, Boyz II Men, and more. Here's the thing: In some episodes, there's actual competition, as we see two global artists compete against each other, while the K-pop group is split in two. So, for example, we have Megan Thee Stallion with one half of Billie and Patti LaBelle with the other half. However, when it's Boyz II Men or the Spice Girls, the global artists aren't split in two; They simply sing two of their own songs with two halves of the K-pop group.
Stars: Megan Thee Stallion, Psy, Kylie Minogue
I always thought I didn't watch reality shows because they were too dramatic and I was worried they'd make my blood boil, but after watching this easy-going show, I have to admit I now understand the drama's appeal. Each episode of KPOPPED is about 30 minutes long, which, in my opinion, is a great choice. International artists get to explore a bit of Korean culture before the competition begins. Here's how it works: a K-pop group is split into two, working with one international artist each (mostly). The global hits are remixed or KPOPPED, and the two new groups have 48 hours to prepare for an in-studio performance, after which the audience votes to choose which song was the best "KPOPPED."
As a fan of Korean pop music, I was quite disappointed to see how things turned out after rehearsals. It was clear from the start that, despite wanting their music to sound like it's from the other side of the world, most of these artists (big stars, of course) struggle to integrate into Korean popular culture. The only star I truly believed had a good time and was excited to participate in this show was Kylie Minogue. Not only did she greet the idols and the audience with a simple "anyeonghaseyo," but she also seemed to make an effort to understand idol culture, rather than simply being a "senior" teaching them how to do what they do best.
The goal of K-pop is to be in sync, show a group dynamic, and have a live performance that you can't look away from. Of course, for some global idols, this is difficult due to age; you can't expect Patti LaBelle to break out into a dance at 81. I find it incredible that she traveled for this show and still delivered such an incredible performance. But for younger artists like Ava Max, Jess Glynne, or even Megan herself, it makes no sense for them to take center stage while K-pop artists act as backup singers and dancers. If you really wanted to be "KPOPED," you'd be excited too. But this also makes these Western artists seem like they're performing their own songs in a subpar way. The style and precision with which idols train automatically makes them more performative, and they know how to bring the stage to life.
In the end, those watching this show will do so specifically to see their favorite idols or their favorite global superstars. The show isn't pushy because that's how K-pop idols train, and the most they'll say is "Go for it!" or "Your performance was amazing, but we're going to win!" To be fair, it's fine if the groups aren't competitive, but the voting afterward seems a bit pointless after all that. In reality, we're just seeing some remixed performances and some veteran artists taking the stage again. "My kids are going to be super excited," says Vanilla Ice before changing his group's choreography to incorporate his original moves.
The show is hosted by Psy and Megan, but in the studio by Sujeong Son. Psy and Megan introduce the artists in each episode, and everything is done at the same time, probably due to scheduling conflicts, etc. The interactions between Psy and Megan are cute, but there's a certain awkwardness to the whole thing. However, I must admit that no one looked more uncomfortable than J. Balvin, who seemed completely uninterested in being there. Although I don't know what the guy looks like, so it could just be an introversion issue, I'm not judging.
The other thing is that I wish we could understand why a group divides in a certain way, especially if they're not going to fully exploit the potential of a particular idol's talent. There are some minor spoilers here, but if you don't want any, you can skip to the next paragraph. For example, in the final episode, we have Julie, a rapper from Kiss of Life, but we never see her rap, despite it being a fundamental part of K-pop in general. Are these songs really becoming KPOPPED? I loved how Ateez decided to add Korean lyrics.
Ultimately, KPOPPED is a good show if you like these artists. You won't learn musicianship or how to produce a K-pop song with this show, but you will get to see how hard-working K-pop idols are, because that seems to be the main theme. That said, if you just want to watch background music, you might enjoy KPOPPED. The production is excellent, and what happens on stage also looks fantastic. I would give KPOPPED 2.5 out of 5 stars, mainly because I really enjoyed some of the songs.
Comments
Post a Comment