The Metamorphosis of 2NE1
Back in 2008 when 2NE1 was preparing to debut, YG Entertainment rigorously advertised them as being the next ‘Big Bang’ or the ‘female’ Big Bang’. As a result, audiences had a pre-conceived notion of what they thought 2NE1 was going to be. In essence, even before their debut, people were already forming an image of them as a basic reflection of their predecessors. How have they changed that image throughout the years? And how has that image gained them success both nationally and overseas?
Since 2NE1 is bound to comeback this month, I think it is relevant to discuss their story of success, which I argue, is directly related to their music.
Although Big Bang is exclusively a hip-hop group, with some variations here and there, 2NE1 is much more experimental and we’ve seen this through the years. Take, for example, their songs (in chronological order) ‘I Don’t Care’, ‘It Hurts’ and ‘Falling In Love‘. Although not authentically, these tracks have distinct Reggae characteristics that remind audiences of the genre. They also attempt to explore punk rock with songs like ‘Ugly‘ and R&B with ‘Love is Ouch’, ‘You and I’ and ‘Missing You’. This is 2NE1‘s weapon for success: the integration of universal and trending genres in their music.
2NE1‘s music, therefore, is not only appealing to South Korean audiences but also to international ones. They are the representation of the Hallyu wave. Their collaborations with foreign artists such as will.i.am and Snoop Dogg (on stage) further legitimizes their overseas appeal. 2NE1 is responsible for being an outlier in South Korea’s idol girl groups, which in turn leads to them to success through a distinct color.
But what about the international success of other girl groups? Arirang TV’s ‘Showbiz Korea’ ranked the top 5 most loved k-pop songs overseas in 2013. Girls’ Generation’s ‘Gee’ ranked 2nd place. So maybe music genre is not the only factor of success? Maybe the Hallyu audience is much more accepting?
Please keep your eyes peeled for 2NE1’s comeback this month!
Credits: KpopStarz
oh-dara.com 
Comments on: "Article: KpopStarz – The Metamorphosis of 2NE1" (2)
I like it…..
Their immediate appeal to me was that they were not like the rest of the k-pop girl groups who seemed to play heavily on their sex appeal and clone syndrome. 2NE1, to me, came out swinging with a double-statement from the get-go with the two mv’s of Fire, showing that they could be swag or savvy, whichever they preferred. They’ve been doing it ever since, doing things their way and setting trends rather than following them and showing that being sexy is not about wearing skimpy clothing and oohing and aahing on stage. It’s about confidence in who you are. Equally important to their success I believe is the likeability of the four women themselves who comprise the group and the relationship they have with each other. They are four women who many modern women can relate to and would love to have as their best friend. Since we can’t all know them in person we instead hold them up as our standard of what our ideal 21st century girl group / women is all about both on and off the stage. I think that’s what their appeal is to the women in the US and other countries. When I have a free afternoon I still love to go back and watch their different performances, always reveling in their individuality and kick-ass performances. They’re simply awesome and I’m always looking forward to seeing what they’ll come up with next.