2NE1 wins "Best New Band in the World" from MTV Iggy.

[Sprite06]

Four million of you voted, representing 168 countries around the world. Little wonder that 2NE1 is arguably the biggest group in K-pop right now, and we are proud to secure their status in the American cultural lexicon.

Over the past six weeks, America voted for all of you in massive numbers. It’s been our pleasure to introduce you to new audiences, and now we can say with confidence — America is ready.

coupled with 2NE1′s deep love of their fans, that got them where they are today. MTV Iggy welcomes you to the annals of US pop history, ladies of 2NE1. You’ve earned it.

Thoughts?
Apparently America loves 2NE1 and Kpop.  I'm American and I couldn't have told you 1 KPop group before moving to Korea.
I saw 2NE1 in concert this year.  They showed their "love" for their fans by playing 3 songs and then not playing 1 more song when everyone chanted "encore."  Which to me is Live Music 101.  You always play an extra song for your fans at the end of the concert when they chant encore.

http://www.mtviggy.com/articles/world-meet-2ne1/
http://www.mtviggy.com/best-new-band/

[actualstarfish]

I've always wondered about those polls. Koreans turn up the nationalism to the max so that whenever there is a poll for something involving Korea they promote it evvvvvvvvverywhere. It's like the "New Seven Wonders" campaign for Jeju Island. Was it just Americans voting in the polls? Or, did gyopo fansites hear the word and pour in their votes for the kpop groups? (Sounds like they did. “We [had] stay-up-all-night-and-vote parties,” claims one fansite from the article).

Honestly, none of my friends back home know who 2NE1 is. The only Kpop star people might know is Rain because of how Stephen Colbert did that bit on him a couple years back.

If its true then this is all news to me. However, I suspect reality is far different from what this poll would have you think.

[Yu_Bumsuk]

  They showed their "love" for their fans by playing 3 songs

'Played' or lip-synced?

[justanotherwaygook]

The 2NE1 facebook page was encouraging spam-voting.  People were giving advice on how to trick the system, such as screwing with settings on your computer to get more time to vote extra (different regions had different voting schedules).

It'd be cool if they actually won fairly, but once again, like Rain being Most Influential Person, it's just a joke.  It doesn't make Korea look better; it makes Korea look worse.

[donuts81]

On the plus side I got to hear about Ghostpoet

[woman-king]

The 2NE1 facebook page was encouraging spam-voting.  People were giving advice on how to trick the system, such as screwing with settings on your computer to get more time to vote extra (different regions had different voting schedules).

It'd be cool if they actually won fairly, but once again, like Rain being Most Influential Person, it's just a joke.  It doesn't make Korea look better; it makes Korea look worse.

Yeah, this.  Though I think this is unfortunately why online voting/text voting is sort of a farce anyway (oh, American Idol . . .)

But.  This line made me LOL: "proud to secure their status in the American cultural lexicon."

Though I will say, while I hate most K-Pop, 2NE1 is probably one of the ones I like the most.  And I suppose being the first people to realize you could rhyme "fiance" with "Beyonce" in a song means they deserve some kind of credit--because I mean, seriously, it took wayyyyy too long for that to happen. 

[alwaysgood]

According to Time magazine, Rain is the most influential person in the world... again.

http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2058044_2061021_2061023,00.html

1. Rain - 492,635
2 Jay Chou - 274,980
3 Susan Boyle - 240,759

46. Barack Obama - 6,627

[confusedsafferinkorea]

Who is Rain?

[alwaysgood]

Who is Rain?

Pop singer and actor.  Here is Rain on the Colbert Report:
http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/156555/may-05-2008/rain-dance-off

and in Ninja Assassin:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhYH26KTNbQ

[confusedsafferinkorea]

Who is Rain?

Pop singer and actor.  Here is Rain on the Colbert Report:
http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/156555/may-05-2008/rain-dance-off

and in Ninja Assassin:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhYH26KTNbQ

Sorry, just being a little sarcastic on a Monday. 

[Cereal]

I've never heard of them and anyone who knows me wouldn't find that the least bit surprising. I did, however, just watch 4 of their videos on You-Tube. I didn't actually see "a band" at all, just some ugly girls writhing around as if they were having a series of grand mal seizures.

Call me old fashioned, hell I am old fashioned, but I believe a band either straps on, holds onto, or sits behind, instruments and plays.

Wriggling around and lip syncing does not a band make.

[flasyb]

According to Time magazine, Rain is the most influential person in the world... again.

http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2058044_2061021_2061023,00.html

1. Rain - 492,635
2 Jay Chou - 274,980
3 Susan Boyle - 240,759

46. Barack Obama - 6,627

 
Susan Boyle. Whole continents hang on her every word. Who's Barack Obama and how's he (if indeed it is a man) relevant?

[Damien]

2NE1 is popular, but I think this is another "Kimchi all sickness" nationalism take. I'm from America and I could name one Korean before I came here, Uncle Kim. I have friends in California, high Korean population, they never mention anything about 2NE1. The only name I've heard thrown around was Rain.

[hilarity ensues]

Check it out, hipsters.
Your gods have spoken!

http://pitchfork.com/features/articles/8700-to-anyone-the-rise-of-korean-wave/

[woman-king]

Check it out, hipsters.
Your gods have spoken!

http://pitchfork.com/features/articles/8700-to-anyone-the-rise-of-korean-wave/

Interesting--the writer is a part of some indie electronic pop due from Minneapolis called Elite Gymnastics; here's an article where the group talks about their obsession with K-Pop, among other things:

http://pitchfork.com/features/rising/8553-elite-gymnastics/

It's trendy in hipster-type circles to be really into and knowledgeable about random, obscure things--the whole subculture is built around a glorification of the obscure and different and new and "I heard of them first."  Since K-Pop is NOT remotely mainstream in the U.S. and doesn't look like it will be anytime soon, despite James Brooks' affinity for it, it perfectly fits the hipster criteria for unique and unusual musical interest.

Their take on K-Pop as fresher and more futuristic than much Western pop because the whole pop music industry in Korea is so new and lacks references to the past is, I think, one of the more interesting points about it that I've read.

[Sprite06]

BBC did an interview with the leader of 2NE1

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-16212073

[Koreak]

 They showed their "love" for their fans by playing 3 songs and then not playing 1 more song when everyone chanted "encore."  Which to me is Live Music 101.  You always play an extra song for your fans at the end of the concert when they chant encore.

That's because the pre-recorded tape ran out.

[FloridaGator314]

They're certainly a music group, but I don't think they really qualify as a "band".

[Peekay1982]

Here is Rain on the Colbert Report:
http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/156555/may-05-2008/rain-dance-off

I'm honestly surprised no Korean netizen ever tried to assassinate Colbert over that.

In other news Super Junior have just been voted the most-wanted act for opening the 2012 London Olympics.

[Yegob]

I've shown that video, also the earlier one where Colbert "spoofs" and "insults" Rain to my students.

They actually get a kick out of it. Rain comes out looking "better" at the end.. (as well as being a good sport about it all. I explain it's all a gag/satire).

It's also significant that Rain gets exposure and recognition on a  very important and culturally significant among young adults US TV show.

oh yeah.. I forgot.. I actually USED that clip for an open class once.. where a bunch of middle aged Koreans were part of the observing group (not sure if they were from POE or Korean teachers, or guest parents.. etc). but they all seemed to enjoy it as well. 

I think it paints Rain/Korea in a positive light, otherwise I wouldn't have dared use it in an open class. I do remember one of the guest NET's grinning broadly in "disbelief" that I was using that clip.