From K-Pop to P-Pop: Charting the influences of Hallyu on the Filipino Pop Music Scene

Abstract

The presentation delves into the emergence of Pinoy Pop Music or P-pop as inspired by the prevalence of Korean Pop Music or K-pop in the Philippines. The emergence of P-pop in the local and international music scenes benefited from distinct geographies of K-pop cultural production and consumption. K-pop provides a framework for music production that enhances the hybrid nature of popular music, making use of varied musical influences that are sourced from many parts of the globe. The marketing practices employed by Korean entertainment companies are also employed by entertainment companies in the Philippines, heavily relying on social media and participatory publics of fandom. Aside from the popularization of a genre of music that focuses on intense choreography and distinct sounds, P-pop follows the K-pop model of the creation and training of idol groups. Furthermore, the music circuits of circulation that made K-pop globally available and popular are also utilized by P-pop producers to promote this genre of Original Pilipino Music (OPM). K-pop’s creation of a new breed of fans, both consumers and prosumers, is also evident in the P-pop fandom, gaining from social distribution that largely intensifies the scope and reach of P-pop contents. Contemporary popular music, in its intangible and tangible forms (such as the materialities of K-pop in the form of various types of merchandise) are also evident in P-pop, reflecting the adoption of best practices that made K-pop globally successful in the music industry.