Trot is Hot: It's Not Just K-pop in South Korea

Fans of South Korean singer Lim Young-woong pose for photographs with banners bearing his name, before watching a movie featuring ‘trot’ singers including Lim Young-woong, at a theater in Gunpo, South Korea, October 22, 2020. (Reuters)
Fans of South Korean singer Lim Young-woong pose for photographs with banners bearing his name, before watching a movie featuring ‘trot’ singers including Lim Young-woong, at a theater in Gunpo, South Korea, October 22, 2020. (Reuters)
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Trot is Hot: It's Not Just K-pop in South Korea

Fans of South Korean singer Lim Young-woong pose for photographs with banners bearing his name, before watching a movie featuring ‘trot’ singers including Lim Young-woong, at a theater in Gunpo, South Korea, October 22, 2020. (Reuters)
Fans of South Korean singer Lim Young-woong pose for photographs with banners bearing his name, before watching a movie featuring ‘trot’ singers including Lim Young-woong, at a theater in Gunpo, South Korea, October 22, 2020. (Reuters)

In a film theater near Seoul, scores of middle-aged South Korean women in matching baby-blue T-shirts, hair bands and face masks inscribed with the word “Hero” are screaming, singing along and taking selfies.

They are some of the 135,000-member fan club of top male South Korean singer Lim Young-woong, gathering to watch “Mr. Trot: The Movie”, a movie featuring him and other singers who perform the country’s oldest form of popular music, commonly called trot.

Lim’s fan club is called “Age of Hero”, after the singer’s name which means hero in Korean.

Once ridiculed as music for grannies, trot is making a comeback and many South Koreans, mostly in their 40s and above, are cheering an alternative to K-pop idol music in one of the world’s fastest ageing societies.

K-pop is a multi-billion-dollar global music industry with bubbly bands like BTS and BLACKPINK enjoying huge fan bases outside South Korea.

But at home, trot signers performing old ballads have seen the biggest increase in fans, according to top portal website Daum that analyses growth rates of fan clubs and their social media activities.

“Our country is ageing, but it is hard to find songs that bring emotional empathy for the elderly population because the music is too idol-oriented” said Park Woo-jung, 54, a member of Age of Hero.

“But listening to Lim Young-woong, I find his voice beautiful and comforting,” said Park, wearing the sky-blue Hero mask. Lim’s new single topped online music charts earlier this month.

Although considered uncool by youngsters, trot music has a broad national following with a storied history of success going back before the birth of modern K-pop. The music’s melancholic lyrics of unrequited love or yearning played to a repetitive beat has resonated with babyboomers and retirees, the generation that helped build Asia’s fourth-largest economy.

Money and time
Today, fans of the genre have become an economic force to reckon with and many use their unlimited data plans to plug into streaming sites or vote for their favorite stars at awards, embracing ways of K-pop followers.

“Fandom of the middle-age and elderly is unconditional,” said Jung Duk Hyun, a pop culture columnist. “They have time to listen all day. They have money, and think their stars energize their life, then aggressively invest by buying and clicking.”

When Lim of Mr. Trot became the model for a Ssangyong Motor SUV this year, sales surged 63% in May and 98% in June compared to the vehicle’s monthly average sales between January and April this year, the carmaker said.

Song Jong-choon is a fan of trot singer Song Ga-in whose songs, he says, “heal his broken soul,” especially one about lost hometowns that remind him of the countryside home he left. He doesn’t hesitate a moment to support her career.

“We are old, and many of us are in 50s who have economic power, so normally don’t mind the spending. But, if you are a (K-pop) idol fan, you have to do a part-time job to buy a concert ticket.”

Song is head of Song Ga-in’s fan club “AGAIN” with 57,000 members and six regional chapters. The club has its own guide book to show how to subscribe to streaming sites, and click likes for her music videos.

The living room of his apartment is decorated with giant photos of the singer and merchandise in her signature pink ranging from aprons to cushions with the singer’s pictures.

Trot is unlikely to reach the global success of K-pop largely because of the language barrier, but fans believe their fandom as something special, treating their stars as if they are their own children.

“BTS has (its fanclub) ARMY but we are Mommies,” said Hwang Eun-jeong, a 52-year-old housewife and a member of Lim Young-woong’s fan club.



BET Awards to Honor Mariah Carey, Snoop Dogg, Jamie Foxx and Kirk Franklin

Snoop Dogg is seen at an event at the Paris Olympics. (Reuters)
Snoop Dogg is seen at an event at the Paris Olympics. (Reuters)
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BET Awards to Honor Mariah Carey, Snoop Dogg, Jamie Foxx and Kirk Franklin

Snoop Dogg is seen at an event at the Paris Olympics. (Reuters)
Snoop Dogg is seen at an event at the Paris Olympics. (Reuters)

The BET Awards will celebrate its 25th anniversary by honoring four legendary performers — Mariah Carey, Snoop Dogg, Jamie Foxx and Kirk Franklin.

Carey, Snoop, Foxx and Franklin will receive the Ultimate Icon Award at next month's awards show, where Kendrick Lamar is the leading nominee.

BET says the Ultimate Icon recipients were selected due to their impact on entertainment as well as their community impact and advocacy.

Here’s more to know about the show:

Who's nominated at the BET Awards?

Lamar earned 10 nominations earlier this month, including an album of the year for his highly-acclaimed project “GNX.” His ubiquitous diss track “Not Like Us,” emanating from the Drake feud, received nominations for video of the year and viewer's choice award.

The rap megastar made waves with his Grammy triumph, winning song and record of the year for “Not Like Us.” He followed up with a groundbreaking halftime show, becoming the first solo hip-hop performer to headline the coveted slot. He is currently on the Grand National Tour with SZA.

Doechii, Drake, Future and GloRilla tied for the second-most nominations with six. Metro Boomin pulled in five nods, while SZA and The Weeknd each scored four.

Who are the show's performers?

Rap icon Lil Wayne, rapper GloRilla and singer Teyana Taylor will hit the BET Awards stage.

The lineup of performers also includes rapper Playboi Carti and singer Leon Thomas.

Who will host the show?

Kevin Hart is expected to bring the funny as host of the awards show, celebrating its 25th anniversary.

The comedian-actor, who hosted the BET Awards in 2011, called this year's ceremony a “black-tie affair.”

“It’s a chance to reflect, cherish and honor life’s unforgettable moments,” Hart said in a statement. He has a history with the network, hosting “Comic View: One Night Stand” in 2008. He was an executive producer and one of the stars of “Real Husbands of Hollywood” and launched adult animated comedy “Lil Kev” on BET+.

Will there be any tributes?

The BET Awards will offer tributes to former popular hosts and performances, including the network’s once-flagship program “106 & Park.”

“'106 & Park' was more than just a music countdown show; it was the heartbeat of Black youth culture and one of the highest-rated BET programs for over a decade,” said Scott Mills, BET's president and CEO. The weekday show launched in 2000 and lasted for more than a decade.

The show thrived with a video countdown, interviews and performances.

The show will reunite past hosts A.J. Calloway, Free, Julissa Bermudez, Keshia Chanté, Rocsi Diaz and Terrence J. The tribute will feature performers such as Bow Wow, Amerie, B2K, Jim Jones, Mya, T.I. and Mr. 106 & Park.

It is not yet known whether Carey, Snoop, Foxx and Franklin will receive individual tributes during the ceremony.

The awards will air live on June 9 from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles at 8 p.m. EDT.

Are there any other standout nominees?

There's a competitive list of top-notch actors looking to take home the top award in their category.

For best actor, the category includes Aaron Pierre, Aldis Hodge, Anthony Mackie, Colman Domingo, Denzel Washington, Jamie Foxx, Joey Bada$$, Kevin Hart, Sterling K. Brown and Will Smith.

For best actress, the nominees include Andra Day, Angela Bassett, Coco Jones, Cynthia Erivo, Keke Palmer, Kerry Washington, Quinta Brunson, Viola Davis and Zendaya.

Stephen Curry, LeBron James, Simone Biles, Angel Reese and Jalen Hurts are among the sports stars competing for awards.