Does the Use of English During Korean Concerts in the U.S. Help with Fan and Media Reception?

On January 21st Korean pop rock group CNBLUE delivered an amazing performance for their Blue Moon Tour in the midst of blizzard conditions at New York City's Best Buy Theater. The concert followed the January 9th performance by male idol group U-KISS which garnered heavy media attention due to the English proficiency within the group. Although, CNBLUE is an act whose career began with the delivery of English covers in Japan, audience members were surprised by the level of English utilized by the band during breaks between songs. While U-KISS and CNBLUE perform music from entirely different genres, the concerted effort made by both groups to connect with audiences in the United States has created an interesting situation for acts who will follow them. While performing in the U.S., it is necessary for Korean musicians and idol groups to interact with the audience primarily in English?

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While the Hallyu Wave initially started within Asia, internet mediums such as YouTube and subtitled media such as Viki and Dramafever have helped to fuel the rapid fire spread of Korean entertainment into English and Spanish speaking countries. U-KISS is one of few K-Pop groups to have a focused tour in Latin America, while CNBLUE is the first Korean rock group to do so. YG Entertainment and SM Entertainment initially focused their efforts on infiltrating the markets in Japan and China, with English speaking markets coming in as an after thought. However, groups such as NH Media's U-KISS were created with consideration for the English market.

U-KISS members Kevin and Eli are Korean-American, while AJ is currently enrolled at the prestigious Columbia University. During their January 9th concert, the members with English proficiency acted as hosts and translators for the remaining members, Hoon, Kiseop, and Soohyun who had more difficulty when speaking English. The format of the concert was consistent with a Korean pop showcase in terms of the unique methods of fan engagement such as question and answer session and brief skits. These types of engagement are often left out of concerts in the United States due to the awkwardness of translating during such segments. Although, the heart of K-Pop is the fact that it is Korean pop music, U-KISS is an excellent example of how English can effectively be incorporated into K-Pop to create a unique product.

CNBLUE does not have any Korean-American members however, Jung Yong Hwa and Lee Jung Shin engaged with English-speaking fans at their New York City concert with grace, even if it was derived from lots of practice. Members Lee Jong Hyun and Kang Min Hyuk also interacted with the audience, but with more limitation due to the English sequences. While CNBLUE performed their some of their most loved songs such as I'm Sorry and Intuition, the group ended the concert with the English version of Try Again, Smile Again. Jung Yong Hwa and Lee Jung Shin, in particular, included ad-libs of American pop and hip-hop songs throughout the concert, including a very spot on impression of Jay-Z. The show had enough of an American indie rock show feel that audiences displayed surprise during the times when Jung Yong Hwa spoke in Korean to engage fans.

Ohio resident Nina Prozzo and her friend Juliana Nine traveled to New York City for CNBLUE, which was their first Korean concert. New Yorker John Panchoo who has attended six K-Pop concerts, with his first being the concert with Son Dambi and Brian Joo, waited alongside Nina and Juliana in the blizzard conditions to see CNBLUE. The efforts for all three fans were worth it, as they were amongst the audience that were closest to the stage. When asked about her feelings regarding the use of English during the concert, Nina Prozzo said, "I had seen clips of them on variety shows speaking limited English, so listening to them at the concert was a surprise and a treat". Juliana Nine commented on the Jung Shin's command of the English language when speaking about the way in which the weather effected the concert. Juliana stated, "Jung Shin used the word arduous involving the weather. I was impressed that he knew such an obscure word that isn't used very often nowadays".

As Korean pop concerts continue to travel to the United States, it will be interesting to see how the format of concerts shift from those that are performed throughout Asia. U-KISS and CNBLUE have both proven that fan interaction are an integral component of performance in the United States, however, it helps to deliver these segments in English. By not using a translator separate from the group, both acts remained connected with audiences in a way that differentiates them from other idols and musicians that have visited the U.S. Do you think it is inappropriate to expect K-Pop and Korean pop rock acts to interact with the audience in English in the United States or should the concerts continue to be delivered in Korean?

cr. http://www.kpopstarz.com/articles/75697/20140125/cnblue-blue-moon-tour-u-kiss-k-pop-in-the-united-states-jung-yong-hwa-lee-jung-shin.htm