Believe it or not, BTS and Blackpink are not the entirety of Korean popular music. At the birthplace of K-pop, "idol" groups share the stage with the new generation of "trot" singers, power balladeers, hip-hop artists and indie bands. Music critic Youngdae Kim surveys the recent history of popular music in Korea and how it has evolved as K-pop exploded all around the world.

From "Ga-yo" to K-pop
Tuesday, May 25, 2021 | 7 PM (EDT)

The Korea Society
350 Madison Avenue, 24th Floor
New York, NY 10017

ABOUT THE SPEAKER:



Youngdae Kim is a music critic and ethnomusicologist, who serves as a member of the Selection Committee for the Korean Music Awards. Kim holds a Ph.D. in Ethnomusicology from the University of Washington, Seattle. Born and raised in Seoul, South Korea, he moved to Seattle in 2007 where he studied music while closely observing American pop music trends and the development of global K-pop sensation for over a decade. Kim has contributed his critical articles to both Korean and American media outlets, including Vulture, MTV, and the Hankyoreh, and appeared on numerous TV shows, podcasts, and public/academic lectures. He is the author of multiple publications in Korea, including BTS The Review: The Comprehensive Look at the Music of BTS and Korean Hip-hop: The Footprints of its Passion.