What is the difference between 2012 KPOP and 2017 KPOP ?

[boomimo]

Cute concepts were not that popular 

[CamCam]

2012 K-Pop

2012 K-Pop was definitely a period when K-Pop was quintessentially known for its vibrant quirkiness & infectiously catchy hits. This was a year in which late 2000's K-Pop was still present, but was reaching a new high. The groups were known for their colorful aspects (ex:f(x)'s Electric Shock, BigBang's Fantastic Baby), their in-sync dancing (ex: EXO's MAMA, Super Junior's Sexy, Free & Single), easily recognizable outfits (B.A.P's Warrior, SNSD's Dancing Queen) & insanely theatrical music videos (4Minute's Volume Up, Block B's Nillili Mambo.)

 

I'd consider this a phase where K-Pop finally made its way to the world stage, and brought out every single aspect of itself for the world to see. YouTube had started to show its significance in spreading Hallyu, as well. While new groups were still being produced, this was when there was a key formula that helped groups make their way into the K-realm. Groups had the Musical Trinity (visuals, vocals, dancing skills) generally ingrained into their framework.

 

2017 K-Pop

2017 K-Pop, however, is moreso a culturally diverse re-incarnation of itself from way back when. While the formulas from 2012 are still evident, it's gotten not only more experimental, but also more internationally recognizable, with many different elements from multiple genres taking place. Another thing to add is that groups have MUCH more difficulty debuting this day & age, which in turn, allows them to branch out & discover both uncommon, and even unorthodox methods of bringing about attention. YouTube is now a vital part of indicating success of a group, with fans around the world having broader access to streaming & viewing their bias groups' content.

 

It should be noted that there's also more focus on individual areas in the Musical Trinity (ex: A.C.E. & Infinite are known for their heavy-hitting dance skills, VIXX & LOONA are highly applauded for their artistically intricate MV aspects & visuals, while other groups like MAMAMOO & Day6 are widely praised for their robust vocals & delivering greatly executed notes.)

Edited September 24, 2017 by CamCam

[kino mamamoo]

there is not too much difference ...For every year you will find good music and bad music and People will enjoy what they want to enjoy IMO

[Leicester]

How do you think the music style changed ? Maybe from simple dance song to complicated "artsy" songs ?

 

Yes, Korea adjusts to international fans and by doing so they slowly destroy the fun part of KPOP and it just becomes worldwide Pop.

Kpop has taken on much more of a western influence than ever before. We can see this with the rise of popular genres or styles originating mainly from the western world, such as tropical house, or even the current hip-hop trend which was inspired by popular western artists. Earlier on, kpop was much more dance music oriented, with songs like Super Junior's Sorry Sorry or SHINee's Lucifer being the norm. We also had a period where kpop branched out a lot in terms of styling, and we saw the rise of not only bubblegum pop concepts like SNSD's Gee, but more intense and "girl-crush" concepts like 2NE1's I Am The Best. These times were a start of pioneering in kpop, and a lot of things that happened back in 2009 to 2012 shaped what kpop is today.

 

Comparing 2012 kpop to 2017 kpop helps show how kpop has grown over the years. As kpop has become more popular internationally, the genre has naturally grown to adopt more international concepts. To some, they prefer a more "2012 style" kpop, and other's tend to prefer this newer, more "international" or "western" sounding kpop. At the end of the day it all comes down to someones personal taste, so to each their own

Edited September 23, 2017 by What?!

[Vayafish]

The Chaser exist

[Silent Dawn]

Plot Twist: They Are the same Shit.

 

There's not much of a difference. Every year has bops and flops.

 

To those who said "No talent in 2017", why haven't you quit Kpop yet?

Edited September 24, 2017 by Vintage Turquoise

[Zhou JieQUEEN-ong]

We had After School serving us bops and gorgeous choreos for our entertainment.