Modern K-pop was born in April 1992 with I Know by Seo Taiji & Boys, a song that changed music’s trajectory in South Korea
- 30 years ago a trio performed a song that, with its combination of popular lyrics, hip hop and breakdancing, paved the way for modern K-pop as we know it
- Teenagers could talk about nothing else and the group, who became opinion leaders as much as musicians, formed an intense bond with their fans
Nowadays, K-pop groups such as BTS and Blackpink are household names around the world, and numerous other K-pop acts have millions of global fans.
Yet 30 years ago, on April 11, 1992, when the first recognisable modern K-pop song – Nan Arayo (“I Know”) by Seo Taiji & Boys – had its premiere in a television contest on South Korean channel MBC, it received a panning from the show’s jury and the country’s music critics.
It was a song that was to change the course of South Korean popular music and its entertainment industry, though, with its infectious lyrics and blend of dance music genres from new jack swing to hip hop. It would ultimately set the stage for K-pop as we know it today.
“I was in the eighth grade when I watched their performance on TV, the famous MBC show that they were [on, and it was] criticised by critics and older musicians,” says Gyu Tag Lee, associate professor of cultural studies at George Mason University Korea.
“I really liked it, [though] they were not treated in a good way by musicians and critics.”