Beyond idols: How well do indie, hip-hop reflect Korean identity?

“We don’t feel represented by K-pop, but we’re part of it, too,” two underground musicians in Seoul said. While K-pop dominates global charts with its high-gloss image and meticulously produced idols, another current runs deeper through the city's music landscape, expanding the definition of what Korean music can be. The Korea Times sat down with Jun Bum-sun, leader of indie rock band the Yangbans, and Moolompyo, a hip-hop and neo-soul artist, to question whether K-pop genuinely reflects Korean culture or if other genres have a stronger claim. Determining the authenticity of a specific subculture is a complicated task, especially in the case of Korea, where history has played a major role in shaping collective identity. Due to its 1910-45 colonization by Japan, periods of Chinese influence and the U.S. military presence after the 1950-53 Korean War, Korea's cultural identity has undergone rapid and hybrid transformation. This raises the fundamental question, "What counts as authentically Korean?" K-pop is often treated as the forefront of Korean culture, given its widespread popu