I-pop vs K-pop

Nowadays, the new pop culture like boyband and girlband was being interest in Indonesia. It is most adopted from Korea. Since the people in the world recognize about Kpop, this culture become trending topic in media especially in Indonesia. Actually it is not a new phenomena, because several years ago the concept of boyband and girlband ever popular in this country that recognized by Western people, example Westlife, N’sync, Boyzone, Spicegirl and many others. In diferences between Western boyband or girlband and Korean boyband or girlband is about the concept from each region. The concept of Western boyband or girlband is just singing a song, also the image mostly is very calm and masterful, but the concept of Korean boyband or girlband is more modern, not just singing a song, but also dancing while they are singing. And the image of Korean boyband or girlband is handsome, cute and sometimes rather wild.

As we know from our media like the article in Kompas newspaper, that has title ‘Aku Harus Jadi Superstar Korea’ and ‘Belajarlah Sampai Negeri Korea’, we can imagine that Korea is very popular in Indonesia. Not only about Kpop but i think it is all about Korea like music industry, fashion, food, and many others. Then how does Indonesian culture itself? Can it endure its culture? Would the culture of Indonesia disappear, or it would be blend with Korean culture?

I think the model that the most appropriate to explain the phenomena is media imperialism. Media has a huge power to influence the people life, especially media institution, it has part of this way. Cultural imperialism that reconceptualized to media imperialism would be easier to colonize another. Both articles are represent that the people of Indonesia have big ambition to become an Korean artist. Most of them also wear clothes which is Korean fashion, use Korean language in their daily activities, and many others thing that adopted from Korea. It is one of effect from media imperialism.  From these behavior, we know that Korea has a power to influence the life of Indonesian people.

Although media has a huge power, but the holder of biggest decision is the government. Government has important part to filter everything that come to the country. I think it is positive for Indonesia if Indonesian people learned about music industry in Korea. It is nothing wrong if Indonesia learn to another country which has better in that case. We can learn about their strategies, then apply it to our culture in music itself, i mean apply it in the real Indonesian music and not to copy paste what they do. But as we know, Ipop itself still bring what Kpop do like in their fashion, their concept on the stage, and many others. If Ipop still copy paste with Kpop, so the real Indonesian pop will lost.