RILEY RAINS / ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR

K-Pop, or Korean Pop music, is a globally popular music genre that blends a variety of musical influences like hip-hop, electronic dance and rock. The music genre has quickly exploded in popularity in light of Katseye’s recent Gap advertising campaign and the movie “KPop Demon Hunters.”

Katseye’s surprise appearance at a Laufey concert in Los Angeles. Photo courtesy of @katseyeworld/Instagram

Korean Pop culture can be traced back to the 1990s when a group called “Seo Taiji and Boys” performed songs on a broadcasting system. The sound and choreography were an American blend of hip-hop, rap and  rock  that exploded the genre globally. Seo Taiji and Boys sold 2.13 billion albums and the first “generation” of K-Pop was born.

K-Pop’s evolution can be divided into the “generations” of their development. USD’s Director for Community and Leadership Development, Dr. Ariela Canizal, explained what she knows as a K-Pop superfan. 

“In K-POP, ‘generations’ describe eras of artists and fandom culture, each with its own   style,  technology and global reach,” Canizal  explained. “The  2nd  generation  laid  the  foundation for global fan communities,  while  now  we’re in the ‘5th generation,’ marked by experimental concepts, social media innovation, and worldwide influence.”

Katseye is a part of the 5th generation. The K-Pop girl group is composed of six members: Lara, Manon, Megan, Sophia, Daniela and Yoonchae. With members from South Korea, Switzerland, the Philippines and the United States, Katseye is often referred to as a “global girl group.”

The vast diversity of these women is part of what added to the allure of their dancing. Students were refreshed to see the representation of this group of women. USD sophomore Skylar Grani shared her thoughts. 

“The dancers come from all different backgrounds and hold a lot of different identities,” Grani said. “I like how they represent everyone. It is a powerful message.”

Katseye grew in popularity after their Gap ad went viral in response to the American Eagle campaign. The tagline of the Sydney Sweeney’s commercial was “Sweeney Has Great Jeans,” a play on the words between “genes” and “jeans.” The ad ignited controversy, with some saying that it was supporting corrupt beauty standards. Meanwhile, others praised  the ad as it stood against “woke” culture. The Katseye rebuttal immediately went viral in light of their pointed diversity. Grani explained her opinion of the two campaigns.

“I thought the Katseye ad for Gap was way better than the American Eagle one because [Katseye] is promoting more inclusivity,” Grani argued.

Inclusion is something that is prevalent in K-Pop culture. The Korean artistic form has spread throughout America, encouraging Netflix to release “KPop   Demon  Hunters,” a movie that has seen major success. 

USD senior Kevin Curran enjoyed the animated film because of its artistic qualities. 

“It had an awesome story, memorable characters and catchy songs,” Curran explained. “My experience was great. I watched it by myself first and then with a big group of friends and both times it was amazing. Going with friends was a lot more fun.”

The film has broken Netflix records to become its most-watched film in company history: 325 million views since its release in late August. “KPop  Demon  Hunters” has also topped the Billboard Hot 100 with its original soundtrack — most notably, “Soda Pop” written by Vince, KUSH and Danny Chung. The Sony Pictures production blends K-pop music with action  and supernatural fantasy, captivating fans of all ages. 

The film surrounds a fictional K-pop girl group, “Hunter/x.” The group  leads double lives as demon hunters. They face off against the Saja Boys, a rival boy band, whose members are secretly demons. Maggie Kang, the director, writer and creator of the animation, commented in an interview to Geeks OUT — a non-profit organization whose mission is to “rally, promote, and empower the queer geek community.”

“As an animation director I want to make animated films for a broader audience,” Kang argued. “I think almost every artist in the industry is frustrated that we are put in the kiddie corner of Hollywood. Animation is for everyone. Sometimes it’s actually for an older audience but it happens to  be  safe  for  kids to watch. [We made] a   movie  with deep,  ‘adult’   themes    that  can resonate    with  an  older  audience but accessible/enjoyable for a younger audience.”

Kang’s wish was received: students all over campus watched and enjoyed the K-Pop film. USD senior Sadie DuBois appreciated seeing such a wide range of people join in on the latest K-Pop craze.

“It was a super enjoyable, well-paced movie that kept me interested the whole time,” DuBois reflected. “I think it’s awesome that a movie that was probably geared towards younger people is getting so much attention from people of all generations in different parts of the world.”

USD staff is a part of the “KPop Demon Hunters” fandom. For Dr. Canizal, K-Pop is an integral part of the USD campus. 

“For me, K-POP creates what I would call a ‘third space,’ a place beyond home and the classroom where people can gather, connect and feel a sense of belonging,” Canizal explained. 

Canizal has seen the explosion of K-Pop culture in the USD students that she works with. 

 Dr. Canizal and her friends at a K-Pop concert. Photo courtesy of Dr. Canizal 

“You can see it in small, but meaningful ways such as students gathering for dance covers, playing K-POP songs in various spaces, or incorporating fandom  into student org events,” Canizal noticed. “[Toreros] express their love through merch or laptop stickers, while others collect photocards, small photo prints of idols that come with albums  and are often traded like treasures within the community. Even if it’s not always loud or mainstream, the love for K-POP is alive and thriving.”

With social media promoting the “KPop Demon Hunters” songs used for  popular dances and Katseye’s ads circling screens everywhere, there is no doubt that K-Pop has infiltrated its way into San Diego. USD students are happy to see their interest receive so much love.

 KPop Demon Hunters producers at the movie’s debut. Photo courtesy of @kpopdemonhuntersnetflix/Instagram