Foreigners enjoy a concert featuring popular K-pop singers at a stadium in Incheon, west of Seoul, in this August 2011 file photo. A growing number of foreign K-pop fans complain about the use of awkward English words or expressions in lyrics, saying they only lower the quality of songs.

/ Korea Times file



‘English lyrics hardly fit in the context. They are just fillers'





By Park Si-soo

Finding a K-pop song with lyrics entirely in Korean is getting increasingly difficult.

Behind the change are musicians and producers who seem to regard the mixture of Korean and English fancy and, more importantly, are trying to make K-pop more appealing to the global audience in the name of the Korean wave or "hallyu."

Yet English lyrics aren't always worded properly so foreigners, in many cases, have to rely solely on rhythm to feel the vibe of K-pop. Many international K-pop fans say they are even frustrated by what they call "awkward" English terms or expressions in K-pop.

"They (international K-pop fans) become annoyed with strange English lyrics," Mimsie Ladner wrote in an article she posted on the Huffington Post under the headline, "K-pop and the Future of Korea." She went on to say they are also frustrated by "seemingly identical tunes that blare from just about every storefront of the country."

Another foreign K-pop listener echoed the view, saying, "If they (K-pop musicians) are going to use English, they should use real English." The listener, who refused to be identified, said, "It's always random, meaningless words like ‘man,' ‘girl,' ‘you,' ‘baby,' ‘Come on,' which only lower the quality of the songs."





K-pop fans in the United Kingdom. / Korea Times file



Netizen Buzz, an English blogger, had harsher criticism on the careless use of English.

"The only English used in K-pop songs are on the level of elementary school grammar" was a comment found on the website. "What I hate the most are lyrics that are in Korean with only one or two words written in English. What's the point of that? Just pick one or the other."

Another comment, written seemingly by a teenage student, said, "My English teacher burst out laughing when she heard a K-pop song, asking what kind of lyrics are they."

Critics say the music of much-touted idol stars and teenage newcomers to the music scene are considered most vulnerable to this.





K-pop fans in Spain



"Stupid in love," sung by Soyu and rapper Mad Clown and ranked fifth on the country's biggest music chart Melon as of Saturday, is without English lyrics during the first two minutes. Shortly after, the rapper abruptly chants "Now we can go back" and then resumes rapping in Korean. Later in the four minute song the rapper croons, "Somebody got to say goodbye." Considering the lyrics of the song, the two English sentences don't fit in with the context of the music and play as "just filler words," said a music critic.

Top star IU's new song "Pink Shoes," ranked second in the chart, is no exception.

In a typical K-pop dance tune whose introduction is mixed with Latin beats, the singer says "Summer time" and "Slow the time, stop the time" several times. Later in the song, IU also says, "Oh my pink shoes, Oh my..."





K-pop fans in Peru. / Korea Times file



"What's worrisome is that English lyrics in K-pop songs hardly fit in the context. They are just fillers," said Kang Tae-kyu, a music critic. "I was told from composers or lyricists that they use English words because it's easier than Korean to fit them into beats, which mean they don't care about their contextual harmony."



But Kang noted that English lyrics are not always useless. "Though they (English words) may sound awkward, sometimes they are helpful in making music ‘cool.'"

Another critic argued that the careless use of English will remain unchanged as long as K-pop musicians try to appeal to international fans with stage performances and their looks.