Arts·Group Chat

What does it mean to create a girl group in the style of K-pop?

HYBE and JYP, two of Korea’s biggest music labels, are launching new girl groups on reality shows. Culture scholars Michelle Cho and Crystal S. Anderson talk about how the experiment is playing out on YouTube.

Michelle Cho and Crystal S. Anderson discuss the popularity of reality shows Dream Academy and America2Korea

HYBE x Geffen Records announce contestants for unprecedented girl group.
A promo image of the contestants on Dream Academy. (HYBE x Geffen)

HYBE and JYP, two of Korea's biggest music labels, are launching new girl groups on reality shows Dream Academy and America2Korea, respectively.

But, instead of casting just East and Southeast Asian performers, they're open to artists of any background. 

The move has left viewers wondering: what does it mean to create a girl group in the style of K-pop? Culture scholars Michelle Cho and Crystal S. Anderson tell host Elamin Abdelmahmoud about how the experiment is playing out on YouTube.

WATCH | Episode 1 of America2Korea:

You can listen to the full discussion from today's show on CBC Listen or on our podcast, Commotion with Elamin Abdelmahmoud, available wherever you get your podcasts.


Panel produced by Jane van Koeverden.

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