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ABC News
02-06-2025
- Business
- ABC News
How have so many Australians ended up doing big things in K-pop?
With so many Australians doing big things in K-pop, a key question is why. How is it that Australia has produced so many homegrown K-pop stars? This is something Roald Maliangkay from the Australian National University has pondered. And yes, he is named after the late decorated British children's author Roald Dahl. Professor Maliangkay specialises in popular culture in East Asia and has researched the South Korean entertainment industry throughout the 20th century up to the present day. He's come up with a few reasons why Australia is fertile ground for producing K-pop stars. "I think one important reason is that a lot of the Korean Australians here speak Korean, maybe not well, but they are fairly recent migrants," Professor Maliangkay said. "It's usually their parents who migrate to Australia and that means that their parents will speak Korean at home. "I think that's one important reason so that makes it very likely for the trainees, which they are at first, to at least be familiar with the sounds so they can pick up Korean quite easily even if they didn't always speak Korean at home or outside in public. "So, I think the language aspect is quite significant." Professor Maliangkay says demographics plays a part. "Of course, we are a very small country in terms of population but if you look at cities like Sydney and Melbourne then the concentration of Asians around you will be much greater which probably provides a bit of an impetus for young people to try and establish their own identity and be noticed. "And I think that is another driver for young Australians with an Asian background to perhaps try their luck at becoming a K-pop artist." "Another factor is that communication amongst Australians tends to be rather positive," Professor Maliangkay said. "People here communicate in a very positive manner. "Australians are really good at representing themselves and in engaging in conversation so that also makes things easy for an agency. "Australians are generally very polite, they're pleasant and they use a lot of words like fantastic, wonderful and great, which when you go to Britain that is not exactly the case." Professor Maliangkay says it's unlikely there are political reasons at play, but it could be a tiny factor. "I don't think it is very likely that it's a political decision not to go with a United States-born artist," he said. "But I do think that it's a little easier for Chinese fans to fall in love with a non-US based idol than it is when you're dealing with someone born in Australia. "It's a tiny factor and the fans ultimately will fall in love anyway, but I think it might make things just a little easier." "If you're a young person and you want to go to a workshop in Korea and try your luck at an audition, at the moment, the time difference between us and Seoul is one hour only," Professor Maliangkay said. "So, that makes going back-and-forth even when you're in high school just a little easier. "Again, that's a tiny reason just like the political one but the other reasons I'm more sure of, that is, the language aspect, the greater convergence of Asian Australians and then the communication and the representation of Australians in general." So, who has made it big and who is on their way? Blackpink's Rosé made history when her collaboration with Bruno Mars APT debuted at number one on the ARIA singles chart making her the first solo female K-pop star to top the ARIA chart. "She was born in New Zealand but then she was raised in Melbourne, I think from the age of seven and then she trained herself singing in church choirs," says Professor Maliangkay. "She just suddenly had the courage when she was quite young, I think she was 16, to pack her bags and go to YG entertainment where she went to train, and it worked out. "In the beginning, she was an absolute nobody, of course, and risked a lot doing all this and spending money on this. NewJeans broke a Guinness World Record when they became the fastest K-pop act to reach a billion streams on Spotify, unseating BTS. They have two Australian members. "Danielle was born outside a big city, in Newcastle, NSW," Professor Maliangkay said. "She has an Australian father and a Korean mother. "And they moved to Korea in 2019 at around the age of 14. "She was kind of scouted by HYBE. "Hanni was born in Melbourne and she's half Vietnamese. "[She] moved to Seoul around 2020 at the age of 16 so that would make her 21 right now. "She also ended up with the same company, with HYBE." Fans of K-pop would be aware of some recent news surrounding the multinational entertainment company HYBE. "Although the company has responded to the recent allegations of insider trading by a former executive saying it is fully cooperating with the authorities, it denies any wrongdoing by chairman Bang Si-hyuk. "And yet, since December, Bang has been under police investigation on suspicion of profiting by as much as $450 million from misleading shareholders during the company's listing." HYBE has issued the following statement to ABC News on the matter. Regarding NewJeans, Professor Maliangkay says fans were distraught to learn of a stand-off between NewJeans and parent company HYBE. "What is more, following the public fallout over management rights with former CEO Min Hee-jin of ADOR that began in April last year, NewJeans's activities have now been put on hold, with ADOR last Friday winning an injunction against the group members engaging in any unauthorised individual entertainment activities until the legal process has run its course," Professor Maliangkay said. "The idols stand by Min and argue that HYBE's reorganisation of ADOR has turned it into something very different from the label they signed with. "Conflicts between idols and their management over contracts are not uncommon. Groups like Fifty Fifty, Loona, and TVXQ have faced serious disputes, some of which have led to their disbandment. "While the high stakes of investment and intense competition help explain the often inequitable nature of contracts, fans typically rally behind the idols, so the companies almost always stand to lose from public disputes. "I suspect that quite a few fans will respond to the scandals either by not investing as much money in HYBE products, or embracing the idols of other agencies, or both. "Despite the negative reports surrounding HYBE's management, however, fans' excitement for BTS's long-awaited return — marked by SUGA's military discharge on June 21 — will likely remain undiminished." HYBE subsidiary ADOR has issued the following statement. "We express our sincere gratitude for the court's judicious decision to grant the preliminary injunction. Bang Chan was born and raised in Sydney and Felix grew up in Sydney. "Felix is the fashion icon, partly, of Stray Kids and he's doing really well in that sense in addition to of course being a very talented performer," Professor Maliangkay said. "Bang Chan is also very much a composer. "He has his own kind of composing agency as well. "So, he's composed quite a lot of music for Stray Kids. "He's also the leader of [the group]. "If I had to pick the top K-pop groups at the moment, NewJeans and Stray Kids would be in that list. "It's quite something to have both groups having two Australian members so it is significant and that's why I think it's very good to ask indeed why is it? "Because you do wonder why is it that there are so many Australians [in K-pop]." NMIXX's Lily is returning home this month to perform in Melbourne and Sydney. "Lily was born in Marysville, Victoria to a Korean mother and an Australian father," Professor Maliangkay said. "About 10 years ago, she left to work for JYP Entertainment. "She signed a contract in 2015 and eventually then into 2022 she then debuted with NMIXX, which means seven years of training and preparation before you actually end up being a frontline act. "It's a long time to just be training, it's a bit like doing a PhD." "Jake was born in South Korea but then grew up in Brisbane,' Professor Maliangkay said. "He moved back to Seoul in 2019 and then trained under HYBE. "Roughly after one year he was made part of Enhypen and I think they're doing quite well. "Of course, Brisbane also has a very large Asian community, so I suppose there's a little bit of an impetus for young Asian Australians to kind of stand out a little bit and do something different, be noticed, and then of course with all trainees the lure of fame, money, fashion, and perhaps cosmetic surgery, which is definitely one of the perks, because the agencies will help you arrange that." Others to watch out for are Robin from who has debuted, and who said on TikTok that he went to the same school as Felix from Stray Kids and cites the whole group as role models. And Mackiah from ampers&one who is from Western Sydney and debuted in 2023.
CBS News
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Artist from South Korea details her upbringing, culture at Dallas art gallery
EDITOR'S NOTE: CBS News Texas is celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month this May by highlighting a North Texas woman who shares childhood memories of growing up in South Korea through her art. ----- Brenda Turner's living room is filled with bottles of paint, coming together to create a vision that began in a dream. "I am working on this piece that came to me in a dream," Turner said. "It's very nostalgic because the memories start flooding back in." Turning memories into art CBS News Texas The artist recreates her childhood memories through a series of old pictures brought to life on canvas. "The exact piece I'm working on right here is a baby picture of me on my first birthday, and I'm looking crazy and cranky," Turner said. The photograph, taken by Turner's mother in 1987, served as inspiration for her latest work. "My mom was born in Seoul," Turner said. Turner's journey is on display at Perspective 6 Art Gallery in Dallas' Deep Ellum neighborhood, where she showcases three pieces. Exploring culture and family dynamics One of Turner's works highlights an aspect of Korean culture. "The little dolls are actually little magnets. That's popular in Korean culture," she said. Another piece captures her experience growing up on a Korean military base and the complexities of her family background. "She's a Korean woman. My father is a Black man, so there were a lot of issues with that in society, especially in the '80s," Turner said. She recalls hearing derogatory comments about her father as a child. "When they saw my dad, being a tall, dark-skinned man, I would hear more people referencing him in a derogatory way," Turner said. Art inspired by history and resilience Turner's second piece captures the essence of her nephew, while the third reflects a tragic event in Asian history. "This is the linoleum print that I did in regard to the tsunami that triggered the earthquake in Japan in 2011," Turner said. The artwork represents resilience and strength. "The people in the community in Japan still mustered and figured out how to get it together—working to bring life back into their community," she said. A lifelong passion for storytelling through art For more than two decades, Turner has shared her Asian heritage through painting and has no plans of stopping. "Growing up, it was always a question of, 'What are you? Who are you?'" Turner said. "I think if you look at my art, I'll tell you what that is and who I am in that way." The artist hopes to bring her Asian heritage to the people of Dallas-Fort Worth, using her history to shape the future of her work.
Daily Mail
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Squid Game season three trailer includes shock hated characters' return - but in 'interesting' new form
Netflix fans' prayers have been answered as the Squid Game season three first look trailer included the surprise return of old characters. The teaser, released earlier this week, for the next installment of the Netflix show, sees the so-called VIPs make a comeback on our screens. The South Korean dystopian thriller, first released in 2021 to massive acclaim, sees 456 players in financial difficulty play a series of life-or-death games, with the survivor winning a cash prize. The masked VIP characters were the anonymous wealthy spectators the games were designed for, but they were not seen in the second season. But now they are back for the highly anticipated third season, set for release on Netflix on June 27. Fans were not keen on the VIPs in the first series, with their strange masks and unnatural voice acting - but with the characters seemingly overhauled, they are feeling more open-minded this time round. The VIPs speak English in an otherwise entirely Korean-language TV show - and fans felt show creator Hwang Dong-hyuk did not write the most natural-sounding English dialogue in the first series. It was also felt the show had not been able to cast as high-quality English actors as they might have wanted. Though pop and Korean culture commentator Kayti Burt did note: 'The phenomenon of bad foreign-language acting is not specific to Squid Game, nor is specific to Korea. 'It's logical to assume that any country's entertainment industry would have a harder time casting good actors in a language that is not native to that country, especially when you think about how that pool is further diminished by work visa requirements.' But with the massive success of the show since the VIPs last featured in series one, it is thought among fans that season three might have had better luck recruiting more convincing English talent for the roles. The new VIPs are different from the previous all-male cast, with at least two women in the group. The characters' outfits are also different, with smaller masks and less ornate, gaudy clothes in some cases. The VIPs (pictured in the upcoming third series) speak English in an otherwise entirely Korean-language TV show - and fans felt show creator Hwang Dong-hyuk did not write the most natural-sounding English dialogue in the first series Fans took to Reddit to speculate about how the casting changes will come across on-screen, with one saying: 'Two female VIPs this time. Interesting.' Others added: 'Adding a female VIP was definitely an interesting move. 'I've got a feeling she's going to be way more twisted and vile than the 69 VIP [named for betting on Player 69] from series one'; 'About time a female VIP is present'; 'There are more VIPs than the original series one VIPs'; 'It surprised me that there is a completely new set of them and no one from series one returns. It's like they are aware of the criticism of the original VIPs and decided to replace them.' As to the outfits, one user said: 'These seem to dress more like a wealthy/powerful person would and not the loud, gaudy colours like season one.' The characterisation seemed to be much more genuinely scary and serious than silly this time round, one noted: 'They seem crueller and more serious than the ones in series one.' Another agreed: 'I think they [will] be more serious and mature compared to the goofy guys from series one', while someone replied to them, 'Way more creepy too'. Some Reddit commenters were really positive (pictured) Fans took to Reddit to speculate about how the casting changes will come across on-screen Squid Game fans were left 'sobbing and emotionally destroyed' after Netflix revealed the 'devastating' twist in the season three trailer (pictured Seong Gi-hun as Lee Jung-jae Some were really positive, with one saying, 'They look cool, really cool', and another adding, 'The one with the bird mask looks cool'. But a small number of users were just as sceptical of the VIPs as they were when watching series one, saying: 'They're bald as hell and masks are so small lol, seems funny.' Another simply said: 'Lunatics.' Squid Game fans were left 'sobbing and emotionally destroyed' after Netflix revealed the 'devastating' twist in this same first season three trailer. The first look at the upcoming season - which will premiere on the streaming service on June 27 - was dropped on YouTube earlier this week and it looks like it is definitely not one to miss. Protagonist Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) was seen being brought back into their sleeping area in a coffin, to which the remaining players twist a silver button to receive a ball - which appeared to indicate what team they will be in. One heartbreaking scene showed Geum-ja (Kang Ae-sim) and Yong-sik (Yang Dong-geun) with different coloured balls - highlighting that they will be against each other. Right at the end Kim Jun-hee (Jo Yu-ri), who was secretly expecting a baby while playing the game, looked straight into the camera with a tear down her face... which was followed by a baby's cry.
