Not a fan of idol songs or Taylor Swift? Discover Asian pop

Filipino singer-songwriter Ena Mori / Courtesy of Asian Pop Festival

Asian pop music gains traction in Korea as Japanese, Southeast Asian musicians shine at major festivals

This summer, musicians from Southeast Asia, such as No Party for Cao Dong, 9m88 (both from Taiwan), Golden Mammoth (Malaysia), Ena Mori (Philippines), Ali, Girl Gang and Isyana Sarasvati (all from Indonesia), have performed or are scheduled to perform at various music festivals in Korea.

Traditionally dominated by musicians from Korea, the United States and Europe, these large music festivals have recently seen a significant increase in the presence of Japanese artists and a gradual rise in Southeast Asian musicians.

This shift indicates the growing influence of the Asian pop market as the absolute dominance of Anglo-American pop music diminishes.

On Saturday and Sunday, Paradise City resort on Incheon's Yeongjong Island will host the Asian Pop Festival, which will bring together musicians from across Asia.

This festival is an expansion of the Asian Pop Stage, which started in 2017 as part of the Live Club Day event near Hongik University in Seoul.

For the first time this year, the festival will feature performances by Taiwanese band No Party for Cao Dong, Indonesian singer Isyana Sarasvati and Filipino artist Ena Mori, offering audiences a diverse and vibrant musical experience.

Isyana Sarasvati, a top Indonesian singer, recently garnered attention for covering BTS member Jimin's song "Promise." Courtesy of Asian Pop Festival

Park Jung-yong, CEO of APF Company, which organized the festival, said, "Nowadays, audiences do not perceive or discriminate between Western and Asian music differently; they listen to both. Although the popularity is not enough to sell out 1,000 to 2,000 seats quickly, running the Asian Pop Stage has made me realize that interest in Asian music is growing."

Asian pop began expanding its reach in the late 2010s when Taiwanese band Sunset Rollercoaster and Thai singer-songwriter Phum Viphurit gained popularity.

Since then, Taiwanese musicians like Hush, Elephant Gym, Wendy Wander, OVDS, KST and Yonlapa, as well as Thai band Slot Machine and singer-songwriter Numcha, have performed at festivals, solo concerts and special events in Korea, building their recognition.

At the DMZ Peace Train Music Festival held in Cheorwon County, Gangwon Province, on June 15-16, 9m88 and Ali performed. Upcoming music festivals will feature Girl Gang at the "Have a Nice Trip" music festival next month and Golden Mammoth at the Pentaport Rock Festival in August.

With the rise of platforms like YouTube and Instagram for music consumption, traditional boundaries are fading, allowing for a more global music experience.

Taiwanese band Sunset Rollercoaster / Courtesy of Live Nation Korea

Growing popularity of Japanese, Asian indie music

The popularity of Japanese music has surged around the COVID-19 pandemic, increasing interest in indie musicians with niche followings.

Amid a series of concerts by famous Japanese musicians, the Asian Pop Festival featured legendary artist Shintaro Sakamoto, city pop band Never Young Beach and rising star Ayano Kaneko, who filled the highly coveted late afternoon and evening slots at the festival.

The expansion of Asian music's reach is significantly influenced by the shift in music consumption to mobile and social media platforms.

As music consumption through platforms like YouTube, TikTok and Instagram increases, opportunities to encounter Asian music have greatly expanded.

Kim Young-hyuk, CEO of Gimbab Records, said, "Customers seeking Asian music in our store are mostly not music enthusiasts but general consumers. The influence of new media has accelerated the discovery of new Asian music, broadening the range of artists being listened to beyond a few famous names."

The growing presence of Asian music at festivals and in everyday consumption reflects the diminishing boundaries in global music culture, propelled by the widespread use of social media and digital platforms.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, sister publication of The Korea times, is translated by generative AI and edited by staff of The Korea Times.