you've hit the nail on the head with what's uniquely attractive about KATSEYE- they're able to use the visuals and promotions of K-pop while existing outside of the K-pop industry, allowing them to satirize it. it's all very tongue in cheek while still being fun and catchy as fuck. banger article as always king
i’ve been thinking a lot about this song, and though i like it and understand the lyrics, i’m not sure the satire comes across as satire enough. this is because with touch and debut, katseye fell exactly into the mould of “meaningless, boring” kpop that gnarly criticizes. i see it as more of a self-caricaturing than anything else, but that depends on if the girls caught that meaning too. you can only mean a song given to you if you attach meaning to it/understand it.
however if they suddenly release more lyrically complex songs, then maybe they’d be far enough from less meaningful kpop to satirize it. we’ll wait and see.
Something that fascinates me is KATSEYE existing in the k pop world but by virtue of being a western group they are able to eschew the typical purity culture rules female k pop idols are held to; they’ve got an openly queer member, they talk about dating in their lives, they cuss in their music. Yet they’re still performing clean versions of their song on Inkigayo, chatting on WeVerse, and appearing on variety shows. It’s so interesting!
Such an interesting dichotomy - I considered writing more about it in the piece but decided against it, though maybe I’ll return to it!! Still, you raise a good point, and I’m so excited to see where Katseye are headed from their unique place in the industry!
you've hit the nail on the head with what's uniquely attractive about KATSEYE- they're able to use the visuals and promotions of K-pop while existing outside of the K-pop industry, allowing them to satirize it. it's all very tongue in cheek while still being fun and catchy as fuck. banger article as always king
Took the words right out of my mouth!!
i’ve been thinking a lot about this song, and though i like it and understand the lyrics, i’m not sure the satire comes across as satire enough. this is because with touch and debut, katseye fell exactly into the mould of “meaningless, boring” kpop that gnarly criticizes. i see it as more of a self-caricaturing than anything else, but that depends on if the girls caught that meaning too. you can only mean a song given to you if you attach meaning to it/understand it.
however if they suddenly release more lyrically complex songs, then maybe they’d be far enough from less meaningful kpop to satirize it. we’ll wait and see.
Something that fascinates me is KATSEYE existing in the k pop world but by virtue of being a western group they are able to eschew the typical purity culture rules female k pop idols are held to; they’ve got an openly queer member, they talk about dating in their lives, they cuss in their music. Yet they’re still performing clean versions of their song on Inkigayo, chatting on WeVerse, and appearing on variety shows. It’s so interesting!
Such an interesting dichotomy - I considered writing more about it in the piece but decided against it, though maybe I’ll return to it!! Still, you raise a good point, and I’m so excited to see where Katseye are headed from their unique place in the industry!