Korean Music in 1980: The Beginning of a New Era in Popular Music Hello everyone, After watching “Our Ballad” , I found myself going back and listening to songs I used to hear when I was younger. That experience made me want to start documenting the music from that era. The year 1980 stands as a major turning point in the history of Korean popular music. The era dominated by folk and trot in the 1970s gradually came to an end, giving way to a new wave of emotional depth and refined musical expression. At the same time, Korean society was rapidly changing with the acceleration of industrialization in the 1980s. As the emotions and perspectives of younger generations evolved, music also transformed—becoming more honest, more intense, and more widely accessible. A Year Where Emotion and Sophistication Coexisted The musical landscape of 1980 in Korea can be summarized in three major trends. First, there was a shift from trot to ballad. Until the late 1970s, trot remained the domi...
BTS ‘2.0’ Music Video Teaser Sparks Buzz With a Bold ‘Oldboy’ Nod — What the Park Chan-wook Reference Signals
BTS teases ‘2.0’ music video with nod to Park Chan-wook’s ‘Oldboy’ BTS has ignited fresh anticipation after unveiling a music video teaser for “2.0,” a track from the group’s fifth LP, “Arirang.” Released Wednesday, the teaser delivers a short but highly stylized preview that directly evokes director Park Chan-wook’s 2003 film “Oldboy,” instantly triggering fan discussion around the concept, symbolism and cinematic ambition behind the comeback. Rather than relying on a typical performance-heavy preview, the teaser leans into atmosphere: a worn-down corridor, an elevator, and a tense lineup of intimidating figures. The moment the elevator doors open on the second floor, BTS members appear in sharp, clean-cut suits—an intentional contrast that reads like a visual “collision” between refinement and menace, and sets up a narrative question the full video is expected to answer. BTS ‘2.0’ music video teaser: why the ‘Oldboy’ homage matters The decision to reference “Oldboy” is not a ca...