Pop+Idol+Celebrities+CK

East Asian "Idol" Celebrities

__Introduction:__ Entertainment plays a big role in defining a country's culture and this is no exception for the three East Asian countries: Korea, China, and Japan. Each of these countries' music/film cultures posses their own unique characteristics that makes it distinct from each other but a common feature that unites all three countries is the prevalence of "idol" celebrities. "Idol" celebrities refer to singers who are usually young and form a group with other like celebrities to entertain through various means such as dancing, acting, and singing. They are dubbed "idols" for their features which their fans might look up to whether it be appearance, acting skills, or singing skills. The three different countries' idol celebrities have much in common such as in their influence over their fans but are also vastly different in issues such as freedom. Therefore, through observing the commonalities, differences, and interaction between the idol celebrities of the three countries, one will be able to apply them to the general relationships and ideas of each of the three countries.

__Korea:__ media type="youtube" key="oDKuYAxUA-s" height="390" width="480" In the late 1990s, Korea was first introduced to the concept of idol celebrities through the debut of Seo Taji & Boys, a boy band comprised of three members, in 1992. After the group's immense success, Korea saw a sudden surge in the number of idol celebrities ("Seo Taji"). However, the prevalence of idol celebrities in Korea plummeted by the early 2000s, mainly due to the separation of many popular idol groups at the time such as S.E.S, HOT, and Sechs Kies.

Nonetheless, by the mid 2000s, idol celebrities have returned stronger than ever, beginning with the debut of T.V.X.Q. in early 2004. Many other idol groups such as Super Junior, SS501, Wondergirls, and FT Island followed after T.V.X.Q.'s success. However, the real breakthrough for idol celebrities came in 2009 with the incredible of success of idol celebrity group, Girl's Generation, with its song Gee, which had topped Korean music charts for nine weeks straight. Shortly after, numerous idol celebrity groups, both boy bands and girl groups, appeared, all with the hope of emulating Girl's Generation's or T.V.X.Q.'s success ("Korean Idol Group Rankings").

Today, idol celebrities in Korea make up a vast majority the entertainment industry as not only singers but also actors/actresses, dancers, MCs, ambassadors for different causes and trend setters. Some of the most popular idol celebrities include 2PM, Girls Generation, Super Junior, T.V.X.Q., Wondergirls, B2ST, Kara, Shinee, and Boyfriend. (Kayne) These celebrities have very little freedom and are bound to their long contracts as they live in facilities provided by their agencies where their activities are heavily watched. They are also paid according to the amount of money they bring into their agencies so it is vital that they are able to star in as much television shows and commercials as possible. This sometimes builds up incredible pressure for the idol celebrities, leading to many short-lasting idol celebrity groups. The members of these groups are also especially young, some members even being in middle school. Thus, the activities of idol celebrities in Korea are limited to around the age of 30, when they must become another type of entertainer, such as an actor/actress. However, when they are still young, these idol celebrities are more well-known and popular to the public than other entertainers and are undeniably the most influential entertainers in Korea. They especially maintain a heavy influence over teens and those in their twenties or perhaps the early thirties, who are the idol celebrities' main supporters. In fact, in a survey conducted in December of 2010, 28.7% of Korea's teens showed that they respect entertainers/idol celebrities the most in comparison to while a mere 4% answered with politicians and 12.7% with teachers. Moreover, the number of Korean teens wanting to become idols have considerably increased with over 45,000 members in a Naver Cafe for these teens ([]). In response, the number of entertainment agencies for these Korean teens wanting to form new idol celebrities groups have also increased, and the numbers of new idol celebrities have grown exponentially. ("아이돌 문화")

Thus, in conclusion, in Korea, even though the lives of idol celebrities are strictly limited, the entertainment they provide for their audience have a strong influence on them, which has caused a significant rise in the number of teens who want to become idol celebrities and idol celebrities themselves.

__China:__ In comparison to that of Korea and Japan, China's idol celebrity culture is yet in its developing stages. Therefore, idol celebrities in China are not as well known as they are in Korea and Japan and do not take up a big part of the Chinese entertainment industry. Instead, entertainers in other areas, especially actors and actresses, such as Zhang Ziyi are far more prominent and influential in China ("아이돌 문화").

However, although China has been late in its emergence of idol celebrities, recently the country has seen a rise in it numbers and popularity. This is due to the prevalence and success of idol celebrities in other East Asian countries, especially Korea. Therefore, Chinese idol celebrities resemble Korean idols very closely to the extent that they appear very similar or the same as the original Korean idols. For example, the Chinese boy idol group, OK-Bang has copied Korean idol group Big Bang and a Chinese idol group, Idol Girls have totally copied Girl's Generation's concept, song, style, and dance ("SNSD copy cats in China?!"//).// What you see in Korean entertainment that is popular right now, you will most likely see it again through the Chinese idol celebrities

media type="youtube" key="HkbsUWiHwbA" height="390" width="480"__A comparison of Girl's Generation's Gee Dance (original) and its Chinese copy__

Accordingly, many characteristics of Korean idol celebrities apply to many Chinese idol celebrities. They are all very young and are under the watchful eye of their agencies where they constantly practice. However, what makes these Chinese idol celebrities different from the Korean idols they are trying to imitate is that they have not yet seen the light that the Korean idols have seen and not as embraced by the public ("아이돌 문화").

Aside from these idol groups that wish to emulate Korean idol groups that exist in China are Taiwanese idol celebrities. Taiwan's idol celebrity culture is far more developed than that of mainland China, so those living on mainland China often look to Taiwanese idol celebrities for entertainment. These Taiwanese idols are much more well known to the public, appearing in several commercials and starring in many famous television shows and dramas as well as fulfilling their original jobs as idol group singers. Such Taiwanese idols include Fahrenheit, a four person boy idol group that debuted in 2006 and S.H.E, a three person girl idol group that debuted in 2001 ("Fahrenheit (Taiwanese Band)").

Although Chinese idol celebrities are not as prominent or successful as their counterparts in Korea and Japan, as the Chinese idol celebrity culture is still in its beginning stages, we must wait and watch its development before we can make a clear judgment regarding it.

Japan: Of the three East Asian countries mentioned, Japan was the first to experience the era of idol celebrities. It began in 1985 with the debut of Shonendai under the all- boy's entertainment agency Johnny's Entertainment and reached it's peak during the mid to late 1990s with the booming popularity of the idol celebrity girl group Morning Musume. Along with Morning Musume, numerous boy bands from Johnny's Entertainment, such as Kinki Kids, came to fame. Naturally, Japan's early successful idol culture heavily influenced the entertainment culture of nearby country Korea, and this accounts for why early Korean idols in the 1990s seem rather strikingly similar to Japanese idols.

Today, due to Johnny's Entertainment's success to appeal to the public, it completely dominates the idol culture of Japan. Therefore, the most popular and influential idol celebrities in Japan are male who are affiliated with Johnny's Entertainment, such as idol groups, SMAP, ARASHI, KAT-TUN, and Kinki Kids. ("Johnny's Entertainment"). However, female idol celebrities such as AKB48, Morning Musume, and Amuro Namie do exist and are still very popular and influential but mostly not to the extent of Johnny's male idol celebrities. In the case of male idols, it is very different from Korean idols in that they are able to continue their career as an idol celebrity well past their thirties. For example, a member of one of Japan's most prominent idol groups, Kimura Takuya from SMAP is thirty-nine as of 2011 and even has a daughter. However, the case is extremely different for female idol celebrities in which the length of their idol career is similar to that of Korean idols' and even the slightest whisper of a scandal may jeopardize their entire idol career. Nonetheless, Japanese idol groups tend to resume their activities for a far longer period of time than Korean idols as shown by Arashi, which celebrate its 12th anniversary this year. ("Johnny's Entertainment") This is due to the fact that most Japanese celebrities, especially idol celebrities, are paid on a monthly basis regardless of the amount of television shows or commercial shows they star in and therefore puts less pressure on them in comparison to Korean or Chinese idols. Moreover, Japanese idol celebrities have much more freedom than Korean or Chinese idols in that they are allowed to live in their own homes and have the power to pull their contracts if something dissatisfies them. Another key difference in Japanese idol celebrities in comparison to that of Korea and China is that the age of their fans vary vastly and even women and men in their forties and fifties are avid fans of them, which allows them to have a longer idol career ("아이돌 문화")

Because the duration of Japanese idol celebrities are so long, their impact is prolonged over a rather long period of time in a more profound and longer lasting way that truly change the Japanese society. For example, Amuro Namie, a female idol celebrity who debuted in 1992, created a phenomenon called the Namuro Effect in which Japanese women emulated the way Amuro Namie dressed and acted. This effect was so profound that it was listed in the official Japanese dictionary, and it accounts for the popularity of leather boots and miniskirts even today in Japan ("아무로 나미에").

__International Activities & Interactions:__ Beginning with the debut of Korean idol celebrity BoA in Japan in 2001, the three East Asian countries have seen a great amount of international activities of their idol celebrities. The leader of this interaction is undoubtedly Korea with many idols releasing songs in either Chinese or Japanese and appearing in Chinese or Japanese television programs or dramas. For example, Super Junior has deputed in China and has topped the Chinese music charts for a whole year, and numerous idols such as BoA, T.V.X.Q., Girl's Generation, B2ST, and 4minute, and Kara have made their debuts in Japan. This has caused the second Hanyu (Korean Wave) of idol celebrities not only in East Asia, but all over Asia even in countries such as Thailand and Singapore. Idol celebrities such as Super Junior, BoA, Kara, T.V.X.Q., and Girl's Generation have actually gained quite a bit of popularity in China and Japan, and this has allowed Korean idol celebrities to interact with other idols from different East Asian countries and influence the idol culture there. For example, after Kara's popularity in Japan, a group called 9nine copied Kara's concept and style in hopes of emulating Kara's success. Also, from a broader point of view, these burgeoning international activities and interactions between the idol celebrities of the three East Asian countries have been extremely beneficial to all parties as they have allowed the citizens of each country to understand the other countries better and perhaps even form an interest in them ("Korean Wave)". Impact of the interaction of idol celebrities from different countries: Kara (Korea) VS 9nine (Japan)

__Conclusion:__ Idol celebrities are a unique aspect of the entertainment culture, especially in the three East Asian countries Korea, China, and Japan. Although they appear to be similar to each other on the mere surface with their repetitive songs, stylish outfits, and catchy dances, if one analyzed them in depth, one will see that they are fundamentally different. Idol celebrities in Korea and Japan have a profoundly bigger influence on the public than in China, because the Chinese idol culture is not yet developed. Moreover, Japanese idols tend to have more freedom than Korean and Chinese idols, and the list goes on. However, recently, striking similarities between the idol celebrities in different countries have arose, due to the international activities of mainly Korean idol celebrities and the resulting interactions that occur. This has been for the better of all three nations as they have brought cultural unity among their people and has allowed East Asia to take crucial steps in collaboration and unity. Therefore, it is to my hope that through developing and sharing the idol celebrity culture of the respective countries, Korea, China, and Japan will be able to form stronger ties with each other.

__Sources:__ "AKB48" //Hello Cho!.// NAVER, 9 June 2011. Web. 13 June 2011. "ARASHI." //TOKYO BIOTECHNOLOGY PROFESSIONAL SCHOOL.// NAVER, 10 May 2011. Web. 13 June 2011. "Fahrenheit (Taiwanese Band)" //Asianpopcorn//. n.p., n.d. Web. 13 June 2011. "Johnny's Entertainment." //Generasia//. n.p., n.d. Web. 13 June 2011. "KARA." //MASKARA.// NAVER, 29 Sep. 2010. Web. 13 June 2011. Kayne, Shane. "Super Junior chosen as the Ambassador of Seoul Summer Sale 2011." //Daily K POP News.// n.p., 30 May 2011. Web. 13 June 2011. "Korean Idol Group Ranking." //Asian Shows//. India-Forums, 5 Feb. 2010. Web. 13 June 2011. "Korean Wave." //Scribd.// n.p., n.d. Web. 13 June 2011. " MTV 2010 top korean idols." 29 Dec. 2010. Online Video Clip. YouTube. 13 June 2011. "Seo Taji." //Comeback.// Kyungpook, n.d. Web. 13 June 2011. "SMAP." //TOKYO BIOTECHNOLOGY PROFESSIONAL SCHOOL.// NAVER, 10 May 2011. Web. 13 June 2011. "SNSD copy cats in China?!" //Girls Generation//. Fanpop, n.d. Web. 13 June 2011. " SNSD GEE dance copied in a Chinese Folk Song MV - Comparison Video." 8 Aug. 2009. Online Video Clip. YouTube. 13 June 2011. "아무로 나미에." //Crazy in Love.// NAVER, 30 Jan. 2010. Web. 13 June 2011. "아이돌 문화." //Political Science//. Happy Campus, 10 Dec. 2010. Web. 13 June 2011. "9nine."//MASKARA.// NAVER, 29 Sep. 2010. Web. 13 June 2011.

__ Self-Evaluation __ 1. What did you contribute specifically to your project? As East Asian idol celebrities is a topic I am familiar in, I contributed my prior knowledge and interest to my project. However, I also did some additional research and organized all the information in my writing on the wikipage.

2. How successful do you think you conveyed your research to your audience? I feel that I was very successful in conveying my research in a clear way to my audience. I divided my wikipage into clear distinct sections where I talked about the characteristics of each country’s idol celebrities. I also had an introduction and a conclusion where I introduced and concluded the idea of my topic. I also included statistics, photos, and videos that emphasized the content of my research.

3. What would have made your presentation more successful? While I did have some other forms of media in conveying my information, I felt that my presentation was heavily based on words. Therefore, I think that if I had included more visual and verbal presentations of my points, the audience would have gotten a better grasp of the different characteristics of the different idol celebrities especially as their activities are very visual and showy.

4. How successful do you think your technology-based materials were in conveying your research? I feel that I was pretty successful in using technology-based materials in conveying my research as aside from the writing on this wikispace, I included photos and videos that helped prove the facts mentioned in my research. For example, the video regarding Chinese idol celebrities strongly highlighted the situation of the Chinese entertainment industry and the photo comparing KARA and 9nine clearly showed some of the effects of the interactions of different idol celebrities in East Asia.

5. What would have made your technology-based materials more successful? I think my technology-based materials would have been more successful if I had created the materials myself. I think that making a podcast, a video, or a photo essay highlighting the distinct characteristics, similarities, and differences would have made my project even more successful because I can specifically choose what I want to depict in my materials.

6. What did you learn from this project? Submit any other comments after this question. Although I knew some basic information about idol celebrities in the three East Asian countries, through this project, I learned a significant amount of new material regarding them, especially in how they are similar and different. Before I did this project, I thought that the idol celebrities and idol culture in the three countries are similar as they are all classified under the category, "Idols." However, I found out that their roles, influence, and aspects of lives are very different in each country especially in the case of comparing Korea and Japan. Therefore through this, I was able to get a better understanding of the different entertainment cultures, how they affect life in the countries, and therefore a general idea of the characteristics of each nation that accounts for the differences. Moreover, through researching about the recent interactions between the idol celebrities of different countries and the collaboration and similarities that arose from it, I learned that the previously distant and different three East Asian countries that were not as close to each other are now taking crucial steps in strengthening their relationships with each other.