A brief history and look into the future of kpop’s complex relationship with eSports in Korea and around the world. I discuss the hallyu wave, kpop performances at esports events, games with kpop elements and kpop songs about gaming.
Korean Pop Culture
Interview: eSports casters Bil “bcJUMPman” Carter and Joshua “PiscatorJosh” Lee
Last week, I had the privilege of interviewing two of the English casters for the League of Legends: Ladies Battle in Korea. We talked about women in e-sports, the job of a caster and cultural differences and challenges that come along with the job. You can watch Bil and Josh in action on the Ladies Battle AfreecaTV channel where you can also find more details on the league. I talked with Bil and Josh separately on Skype text chat on July 30th 2015.
South Korea Series: K-pop sells, but who’s buying?
The fascination for Korean pop culture has spread across the world, currently being dubbed, the hallyu wave. Being an avid listener of Korean pop music (K-pop), watcher of Korean soap operas (K-dramas) and films, I was on the lookout for all things hallyu during my trip, but ended up leaving quite disappointed. Korean media is less about the content it produces and more about selling a very particular look, seemingly attainable through participation in Korean consumer culture.
Alexandra Orlando 