SEE. THERE ARE MORE PEOPLE WHO FEEL THE SAME WAY I DO ABOUT KOREAN MUSIC

The story below by: EVAN RAMSTAD

 

ABSOLUTELY PRETTY IN BLACK

 Can’t Nobody Audition?

 Actually Everybody Is

The Korean Wave is washing back.
For much of the past 10 years, South Korea’s entertainment producers – makers of movies, TV dramas and pop music – have experienced surging interest in their products, especially in Asia. It’s a trend known locally as “hallyu,” or the Korean Wave.
Now, there’s new evidence of the wave’s effect.
The show “Star Audition” that will start next month on MBC – kind of a Korean version of “Britain’s Got Talent” or “America’s Got Talent” – is taking auditions via videos that people are posting on YouTube.
And a surprising number of the videos are from people in other countries who are singing Korean songs in hopes of being invited on to the show. (Prediction: this is going to be a big story in the Korean media in coming weeks)
Auditions have been sent in from the U.S., U.K., Portugal, Germany, Norway and other places.
One hopeful, Sakurako McGinty of Houston, Texas, said she decided to make a video because she mainly listens to Korean and Japanese pop.
Her responses to questions sent by email:

Why did you decide to make a video for Star Audition?
Most of the music I listen to is either Korean or Japanese. I started out singing in Japanese when i was 14 and it stuck with me. I even performed some popular songs at high school talent shows. But no one really understood my talent for knowing songs of another language. I would often get looked at as the weird girl who sings in languages no one understands (but that sound pretty). When I finally started listening to K-pop, it stuck to me like glue and the more I listened to their music and the Japanese rock music I realized I should continue to sing even if it’s so different. It’s good to sing and create my own new style of music. Yet still in the back of mind I always thought would I just become the weird girl with the talent no one gets.
How did you hear about the show?
I am always up late at night searching for something online. I didn’t really know what I was looking for but something said to keep looking. And I saw a video on YouTube that said “MBC Star Audition: You can be the next K-POP Idol.” And I watched the video and I cried so hard because I couldn’t believe it. Someone was actually giving a chance to people like me who know the songs and sing or rap well. I prayed for this sort of contest so much. And it was right in front of me!
When did you become a fan of Korean music and what are your favorite groups or singers?
When I first started listening to Korean music I only knew of a few groups and singers like Super Junior, SNSD (Girls’ Generation), 2PM, DBSK (Dong Bang Sin Ki) and Big Bang. My favorites are 2NE1, Super Junior, Big Bang, and 2PM. I love listening to them but I always wanted to sing with them more than just listen.