There’s no denying that Girls’ Generation’s popularity has exploded over the past several years. They have set records in Korea, conducted a large-scale and incredibly successful concert tour in Japan, and made recent advances into the American market. They have reached a level of global popularity that is rare for a K-pop artist. But along with that enormous popularity comes certain challenges. As they become more popular and well-known around the world, should they stick close to their established image in order to hold on to people who are already their fans? How should they change their image or approach in order appeal to new fans and new markets? Questions like these have brought me to what is ultimately the focus of this editorial: Has Girls’ Generation become too mainstream, and how can one define the word “mainstream”?
The question of whether or not Girls’ Generation has become too mainstream and popular was brought to my attention recently. I was shopping at a convenience store near my house, and one of the workers at the store stopped me when she saw that I was wearing a Girls’ Generation hoodie. She revealed to me that she is a fan of the girls and that she listens to their music. I was extremely excited to have a chance encounter with a fellow SONE, especially since I live in the United States, where K-pop is not popular or even known amongst the general public. After talking together for several minutes, the convenience store worker said, “I feel like they’ve only become popular lately. I don’t like it when things become too mainstream and popular. I liked it better when people didn’t know about them”. As soon as she said that, my excitement about having a random and unexpected encounter with a SONE evaporated. I walked away feeling disappointed that she ended up sounding like a hipster proudly proclaiming that she liked them before they were cool.
But that particular incident got me thinking. It’s definitely true that the girls are more popular now than they’ve ever been, but is it even possible that they could be too popular and too mainstream? Also, how can the word “mainstream” even be defined? There are several different perspectives, and different people could potentially view this in wildly different ways. Is their “mainstream” status just a reflection that they’re becoming so popular that they’re well-known all over the world? Or is it an increasing need for the girls to fit within some sort of socially accepted musical standard in order to become true global superstars?
One of the ways that this dilemma can be viewed is that the girls are simply becoming so popular everywhere that soon enough they’ll be mentioned in the same breath as Lady Gaga or Katy Perry as artists who are well-known all around the world. I consider myself a SONE, and the thought of Girls’ Generation reaching that level of worldwide recognition is unbelievably exciting to me. I couldn’t possibly think of that as a bad thing. I don’t care that I didn’t enter the fandom at the very beginning. I don’t care that I can’t say, “I liked them before they were cool and well-known”. If they truly became one of the world’s top musical stars, I would feel nothing but pride. If the definition of “mainstream” is simply being popular and well-known, then in my mind there is no such thing as “Girls’ Generation is too mainstream”.
The other possible definition of “mainstream” that I thought of is a bit trickier to analyze. It’s no secret that Girls’ Generation has constantly reinvented their image over the years, but do they need to conform to some socially acceptable Western standards in order to have a broader appeal? Some would argue that the girls have already done just that by having their newest promoted song produced by Teddy Riley, a well-known American music producer. Is it a bad thing if the girls have to change into something different in order to appeal to the global market on a greater level?
To answer that question, I look back upon the girls’ history. They have remained the same fresh, hard-working, and humble girls that they were when they debuted, but their musical concepts have been constantly changing. They went from the cute image of “Kissing You” and “Gee” to the sexy style of “Genie”. The girls energized oppas as cheerleaders in “Oh!” but then immediately followed that up with the dark and powerful “Run Devil Run”. With every reinvention, they grew more popular. Rather than improving themselves by sticking to the same formula and refining it to the point where every change is minimal, Girls’ Generation has improved themselves by constantly challenging themselves and not sticking to the norm. Almost every time we see them, the concept is new and different. I see this characteristic as an asset in their quest to conquer America and the Western musical scene, where a common complaint is that pop music all sounds the same nowadays.
The ability to stand out as something new and different is something that the girls can take advantage of. The girls have proven that their popularity can continuously increase despite not sticking to any particular musical standard. I see this as an indication that going against the grain and avoiding the common mainstream image that the West is accustomed to would actually work in Girls’ Generation’s favor. If the girls are able to catch the attention of people by showing an image that is unlike anything they’ve ever seen before in the West, their popularity could truly take hold once those people dig deeper. One of the girls’ greatest strengths is the fact that they’ve always remained true to themselves. Their true personalities always shine through whether they are on stage, on a television show, or interacting with fans. As time has passed, they have remained the same hard-working and humble girls. SONEs can’t stop loving the girls because they truly are people with beautiful hearts, strong ambitions, and an unrivaled work ethic. In short, Girls’ Generation global popularity could grow because their music is so different and so far outside the norm of what Western audiences are used to, but it could be cemented because the girls themselves are always the same.
There are many differing perspectives on what a label like “mainstream” could possibly mean, and even more so when it is used to describe what Girls’ Generation is and where they are going. It’s a strange contradiction, but I see Girls’ Generation as both mainstream and not, and that they should continue to become more mainstream, and yet not. When you define the “mainstream” label as simply being popular, it’s clear to see that their popularity is at an all-time high, and I hope that it continues to grow. But in order for that popularity to increase, I hope that they avoid falling into a conventional way of doing things. If Girls’ Generation continues to follow their own unique formula of not having a formula at all and not conforming to any particular standard, I think that their success has only just begun.
Disclaimer: Views expressed are solely those of the author and are not representative of the Soshified community as a whole.
Written by: michaelroni@soshified
Edited by: residentbenchwarmer@soshified
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I agree the measurement of the degree of mainstream will always remain gray, but I suppose it is safe to also agree that SM Ent. is indeed directing the Girls towards international mainstream media channels judging from their Western promotional activities recently. This is not inconsistent with what SM Ent. has always had planned for the Girls – after all when Mr. Lee started shaping the Girls years ago, I’m sure he had always envisioned for them the number one spot everywhere possible. And the Girls surely have been mainstream – and still incredibly successful – in South Asia for a significant period of time.
I also agree that it is conceptual and musical reinvention that keeps the Girls grow and develop artistically and personally, unprohibited by the rigid borders of mainstream popularity. An example from the Western music market with the same ability to hit F5 every time they release something is one of my favourite bands – Coldplay. They are also one of the few bands who undertakes creative reinvention seriously and thoroughly, going at length from changing their sounds to changing their philosophy – complete with illustrative artworks – for each of their studio album. You can always tell that a recording product is well thought out when there is a harmony between the music and the accompanying promotional materials. And surely SM Ent. has done a great job so far ensuring this is the case for the Girls’ recording releases.
Of course whether or not the changes evident in the Girls’ musical style and vocal capabilities throughout their records so far are significant enough to be considered reinvention is a whole different debate, which – like all other things social and cultural – is unlikely to ever be settled completely!
Thanks for the article.
i can’t agree more, one tht makes them lovable is their character, tht made me a SONE since last year.
“SONEs can’t stop loving the girls because they truly are people with beautiful hearts, strong ambitions, and an unrivaled work ethic.”
All SONES agree with you there.
Like many other sones out there, I found out about Soshi after they were popular. They were the first group that introduced me to K-pop, and I’ve loved them since then. I like other groups as well, now, but SNSD was the first and will forever be the first to me. Like the author, I don’t feel any negativity about how the girls are changing their images. I don’t feel that this change in image is for popularity, nor is it to fit with the mainstream. Perhaps it is best to say that they are merely changing because their images have changed, and they’re maturing as well. After all, we can’t really expect our girls to be prancing around with a lollipop in their hands anymore, can we?
And when it comes to their new global exposure and the popularity they’re getting, up to the point where we can almost breathe out ‘Girl’s Generation’ in the same breath as ‘Lady Gaga’, I think that’s actually something that we, as fans, should be expecting and cheering for. Is there a real fan out there who doesn’t hope that their favorite artist can reach success? I don’t see how that girl mentioned in the article could say that she was a fan, when she complains that SNSD is getting too mainstream and popular. The girls’ success isn’t measured in how mainstream or unique they are. Rather than saying that, perhaps we should say that their popularity only means that they have more people knowing who they are, and they aren’t following the mainstream; they’re setting it.
Hey you guys!!! Vote at popdust.com for SNSD! THey could lose! http://popdust.com/pop-off/ vote as many times as you want, we need to win, this would mean so much for SNSD and Korea and SM entertainment and SONES! :D
Change or no change, I’ll be a loyal, encouraging, loving, faithful and dedicated SONE forever! <3
i want the angels to be popular as they can all over the world except in the US. US is one country that is different from rest of the world. US people are the most…
– jealous people
– racist people
– greedy people
– haters
sure, not all but most and my experiences, just look at the Jeremy Lin story.
As a true SONE you should support them in anything they want to do.
I think by you saying that makes you a tad bit racist sir. I’m not trying to start anything, honestly I’m really not, but as somebody from the U.S. that LOVES the girls, I’m offended. I want nothing more than for the girls to come over here so the U.S. can experience them. They are truly amazing, and no other artist is like them. I’m psyched! I hope you can learn to like us over here in the U.S. :D
Changes or not as long as their personalities don’t change and stay true to themselves, I’ll still love and support them all the way. All the best for GG!!
either if they change or not i’ll still love them and be their fan :)
I think I will miss those times when ppl ask me who SNSD is, but on the other hand, I don’t anything will make me happier than SNSD to be mainstream everywhere in the world.
They deserve to be known and loved by everyone.
I think they have alrdy changed their style and i still like em.
I was thinkin about some problems but thinkin it well those are.minor problems that they have been coping with since a long time.
I think they have alrdy changed their style and i still like em.
I was thinkin about some problems but thinkin it well those are.minor problems that they have been copin with since a long time.
What puts SNSD above the rest is that they have a greater ability to adapt than most groups in Kpop or anywhere. They have the unique ability to adapt to whatever the performing environment is, whether it be style or language.
There is no reason they can’t manage multiple styles and concepts for different targeted markets. They have already done it with their Japanese material, and they can do the same with a Western (English) album. They can be cute for Korea, show their girl power in Japan, and be more sexy and edgy in the West.
I don’t think we will ever have to worry about our girls becoming vulgar or overly sexual like Western acts. Their moral and cultural values are obviously solid and they now have enough clout to refuse anything they feel violates their standards.
I would be considered a hipster in that sense, which makes me want to eat my own face D: I vary from day to day in that i really hope SNSD become popular everywhere as they deserve it, all the hard work and time they have spent creating, defining and re-defining the group deserves recognition, however one of the things that i like about SNSD is that they’re mine in a sense, like alot of SONES were fairly spread out, so i dont know any others personally, however when im walking down the street, at the gym, shopping whatever and the radio starts playing the top 10 (which is super overkill) i can pop in my ipod and listen to SNSD all day and know that im the only one, if SNSD start appearing on the top 10 themselves im going to feel a mix of excitement and dread all at the same time, it just feels like some of the magic would disappear, however even if that were to happen i can take solace in that fact that im listen to them anyway and make the best, unlike a hipster.
I think the only reason why I wouldn’t want Our Girls to advance into the U.S. is because the people might just end up liking them just for their looks and not for their personalities. But other than that i just hope that the audience will like them for who they are also.
The problem with becoming “mainstream” is the growth of people ‘they’ (the whole snsd team) THINK they need to please. As long as they don’t let that affect them too much, and the Girls keep their natural personalities intact, there shouldn’t be a problem. Yongwonheee~ SNSD!
well said my friend, well said
I think this editorial could not have been written any more fit to my taste than any past editorial that’s been written here on ssf. I agree with what the author wrote. The girls are both mainstream and their not. It
sounds totally contradictory but it’s the truth. Not having a “formula and not conforming to any particular standard” is in it self of conforming, but at the same time they are doing it their way, not the western way entirely. I honestly see the girls doing a full tour all over north america perhaps towards the end of the year or even the middle of the coming year. Their success has sky rocked and it simply takes some time before things that go up, come down.
Franimal your jingoistic rants are really very intellectual. Your poor attempt to provoke a response with personal attack is childish and laughable. is this how you always prove your point? it seems your ego took a beating here. Well i didn’t expect much from an American anyways. You even go after french fries (just because the french don’t agree with us we are going to rename them Freedom fries! ) if just to satisfy your ego.
The past few comments have expressed many points that I agree with so I won’t bother repeating. I do want to say thank you to Michaelroni for the article. It had passed my mind every once in a while, wondering how SNSD would adapt to fit into the US market. I figured “The Boys” was going to be there medium of assimilation and I was a bit worried if that was going to be their new style of music. I love SNSD because they aren’t like stale US pop. But Michaelroni did an excellent job of reminding us that the girls go through concepts and this is simply another concept. My only worry for the girls was that as they became more popular, they might lose their image in order to fit in (a big problem in US culture: conformity). But thanks Michaelroni for easing my worries. No matter what happens, our girls will always be our girls!
지금은 소녀시대 , 앞으로도 소녀시대 , 영원히 소녀시대
I could relate to the random encounter with a fellow sone you had.
I didn’t want them to be popular worldwide because I guess I didn’t want to share them with some people who just care about their celebrity status and people who say they are sone because they know snsd.
Later I realized how selfish I was and tried to be happy for these girls. Rest assured that selfishness is long gone :)
Wow.. rednab completely explained my feelings too. Anything considered to be american pop, I don’t listen too. It’s just that I can’t help but feeling that music industries are beating it to death with a stick. I mean it is just so redundant that I can’t help but disliking it. Nothing really sticks anymore. It’s just one song after the next. I jump at the chance to listen to anything new or foreign.
I didn’t even grasp that SNSD was so popular when I first started listening to them. I found that out by watching almost every show that they were on or any member was on. Of course I want them to be very successful but I can’t help but like the times when I didn’t know that they were so popular. I wasn’t about “mainstream” for me it’s just that before I knew I felt closer to them in a way. I was completely ignorant of the many many other fans. I want them to work hard and be liked but I don’t think they should have to change their image more than they want to because of a few fans. I fell in love with them when I saw how they were back when they debuted. They were utterly and perfectly perfect.
I don’t really care about mainstream or not mainstream, but I do care about them – and I want them to be happy no matter what. When they are happy and smiling, I can’t help but do the same :)
Let me give a much older American Sone’s (48) perspective on this subject. Obviously SNSD is mainstream in Korea, as they are eveywhere, from TV shows, to commercials, radio, MCing awards shows…the list is endless it seems as to their exposure in their home country. Being mainstream in America for them will basically mean being at the top of the music charts over several years and albums. Pop stars in the west don’t MC awards shows or radio. They are rarely seen on TV or in any acting part and they never do commercials. So the music charts are the measuring stick for music stars.
Please understand that America has become a country of fads in their entertainment world. Everyone gets their 15 minutes of fame, then the artist are pretty much kicked out the door by the American music industry. Longevity is not in the cards here in America. The American music industry is always looking for the next big thing, so the window of opportunity for success can be very small these days.
Another aspect of becoming successful here in America is the attention it will garner from the media. From my understanding, the Korean entertainment companies and their idols and the media have an understanding where the media does not come after them in a negative light. That will not happen in the West. Their every move will be scrutinized. Especially under media glare will be SM Entertainment itself. A lot of what goes on in the Korean enteratinment business would be considered barbaric by western standards. The absurdly long contracts the idols are under, combined with their harsh and strict working conditions will not go over well here. From the western perspective, signing under-age teenagers to long term contracts to go to a boot camp style idol facilty to be trained almost sounds like some kind of entertainment sweatshop. Questions like, how much time do you get off from work? and how much money do you actually make for all this hard work? are questions that will be asked all the time. Don’t think that SM or the Korean entertainment industry will not find “Sixty Minutes’ waiting at their doorstep for them.
I’ll be honest, the way the Korean entertainment industry works is exactely why they produce a much better product. Korean idol groups are 10-times better than anything here in the west. It is just that the standards are very different here in America and it will be hard to explain.
As for the girls themselves, I am 100% sure they will be very successful anywhere they attempt to go. They are definitely the trendsetters and they are very different that anything else seen on the music scene today. They do not need to change a thing or try to become westernized. They are “Complete” just the way they are. When I first became a fan, I thought their way to success in America would be a full length English album, but now I’m not so sure. I liked “The Boys” english version, but I LOVED the Korean version….it just sounds right. I also know that there are some pronounciation issues when trying to sing in english. It is very, very difficult to lose the Korean accent on certian vowels. The only way to really do it in english is to have the songs written for english as the originating language. And have Tiffany and Jessica work overtime to get the vowels right!
Being 48 years old, I’m probably entirely too old to be listening too and enjoying SNSD and other K-pop idol groups. But for me, the American music scene has been dead for over 20 years. The melody left in the 1990s with grunge and rap, and never came back. I quit buying music along time ago. After accidentially stumbling upon SNSD and watching all their videos, I fell in love with them and their music. SNSD has brought music back to my life and I am forever grateful.
“I quit buying music along time ago. After accidentially stumbling upon SNSD and watching all their videos, I fell in love with them and their music. SNSD has brought music back to my life and I am forever grateful.”
Me too..Fate must have met us with them..^^
I agree with much of this – as I seem to do a lot when mroni takes to writing – but there is one thing that I felt you did not bring up in how the girls change. You touched on it but I wanted to highlight it: how the girls stay true to who they are. Even when they went edgy and dark with RDR, they also had the fun, bubbly and somewhat contradicting “Echo”. When they slipped into the American market with “The Boys” they reminded people of their sweet selves with Telepa’ss’y, Say Yes and My J.
I know that the song choices are usually up to people that are NOT the girls but I think SM knows that SNSD is known for remaining true to themselves and gives the girls songs that represent that.
Anyway! Thanks for sharing as always!
Personally, I believe that the fear of SNSD becoming ‘too mainstream’ is actually the fear that with SNSD’s increasing popularity and exposure, there will be those who jump on the bandwagon just because SNSD is popular and rising. It’s like trends, there are those who start it and those who follow mindlessly because they see that everyone else is doing it.
In the case that SNSD were ever to get even bigger than they are now, especially in the U.S, it’s undeniable that there will be ‘fans’ whose purposes… are a bit different from those around now. Though it isn’t exactly right, I understand the resentment some fans who have been around longer feel when new fans suddenly rise out of the depths just when a band gets popular. I believe though it has already happened to SNSD since… Maybe this seems like a harsh thing to say, but I already know many who have just jumped on the SNSD train because they’re popular and they don’t actually care all that much about SNSD as people at all.
I think it’s unjustified to feel resentment towards SNSD becoming more popular though. Regardless of anyone’s intentions and what you personally feel towards it, SNSD is a musical group and music is a right allowed to everyone. For SNSD, spreading their fan-base is their success and as fans we should always be supportive and helpful towards their achieving of success. Whether you somehow think you’re better just because you listened to SNSD before they got big does not matter if you’re trying to keep them from being successful. If anything, it makes you selfish and you must realize that SNSD is something bigger than just you or them.
SNSD is a concept on a global scale and those nine girls have quite a weight to carry. So rather than turning your nose up at their exposure, you should be supportive and happy that they have the chance to fulfill their dreams and more. As fans, who ‘truly’ care, just be happy that they’re happy and be there when they need you. Regardless of mainstream or not, the true fans prove themselves when the hard times come.