Not All Successful Kpop Groups In America Are Like BTS, These Are The Facts

BTS (Twitter @bts_bighit)

JAKARTA - The idol group from South Korea, Bangtan Sonyeondan (BTS) brought a wave of universal K-Pop success from Asia to America. BTS became a star with unprecedented musical works and achievements.

BTS has conquered the Billboard charts multiple times with hits like Butter (2021) and Dynamite (2020) and became the first K-pop artist to receive a Grammy nomination in 2020.

However, this doesn't mean K-pop is getting the respect of people in the Western music industry, as Helix Publicity's publicity manager, Britanny Press has pointed out.

"Even though more K-pop groups are coming to America for their promotions and some are getting well-deserved award nominations at the American music awards, it seems that many people in the US music industry still want K-pop to leave, believing it to be just a fad," he said. he was quoted as saying by The Korea Times, Monday.

Quoted from ANTARA, Monday, February 7, Helix is a publicity agency based in New York City and dedicated to promoting K-pop and Asian artists in the international market. They are currently working with K-pop stars such as MAMAMOO's Wheein, AB6IX and LIGHTSUM.

Press explained, there are still closed-minded people who don't understand K-pop because the language is different from theirs. On the other hand, people in the American music industry still have an outdated view of K-pop.

Another thing, namely the racist views of Asian artists and many of them who don't think of K-pop as real music.

Some major media professionals have even ridiculed K-pop and Asian artists by asking why Helix doesn't work with any white artists. According to Press, they often don't even listen or give any consideration to the artists he and his team are promoting.

"This is really embarrassing, but I hope this will gradually change over time and K-pop artists continue to promote their music around the world," he said.

Press wants Helix to help make the voices of K-pop singers and Asian artists heard in America and other parts of the world, without sacrificing their image to make it more "Western". their talent.

In the past, when Korean singers came to the United States it was barely covered in the media and only their fans knew about the news. Even when they appear on radio or television shows, it has such a small impact that most people don't realize or remember Girls' Generation (SNSD) appearing on "Late Show with David Letterman" and the Wonder Girls making a film with the Nickelodeon channel in 2012.

Press said things have changed positively lately, but he believes more could be done such as more award nominations outside the tailor-made K-pop category.

"I want to see more K-pop stars appear on the radio. To achieve this goal, Helix and I are working with Korean music labels to further promote K-pop singers and connect them with their global fans," he said.

At Helix, all employees are K-pop fans including Press. The manager, who joined Helix in 2021, said he had been a K-pop lover since he was a pre-teen.

A fan of singers Kim Jae-joong and Xia Junsu since 2003, he admits that he loves K-pop's choreography, its intricate stages, and how passionate the artists are in every aspect of their work.

He hopes to get a chance to make his dream come true, working with K-pop idols. One of the ways he does this is by creating a special campaign for each of his clients by offering various pricing options to suit their budget and needs.

The company doesn't ask for a long-term deal if it's their first time working with a particular artist, because they believe it's important to be a true partner first.

We also have internal employees who speak each of our clients' languages. We do most of our work with K-pop labels remotely, but sometimes, we have staff who work with agencies directly. We initially contacted via email or scheduled an in-person meeting in Korea to discuss potential cooperation," Press said.

He revealed what he wants to achieve in the coming days, including opening a physical office in South Korea.

Most importantly, I would love to see Helix become the leading PR agency in the industry, known specifically for working with Asian artists and for amplifying their voices on a global scale.

When asked which K-pop newcomers have been gaining attention in the international market lately, Press named Omega X, aespa, Kep1er, ENHYPEN, IVE, and Xdinary Heroes.

He believes, the idol group Omega X, has interesting songs with talented personnel. Omega X consisting of Jaehan, Hwichan, Sebin, Hangyeom, Taedong, Xen, Jehyun, Kevin, Junghoon, Hyuk and Yechan debuted under Spire Entertainment in 2021 through the mini album "Vamos."