So, I wanted to weigh in on the Min Hee Jin vs. HYBE situation now that the dust has settled. If you have been paying attention to the news, Min Hee Jin, the CEO of ADOR has come under some serious fire from parent company HYBE.

Just a little background on both ADOR and Min. ADOR is a sub label of HYBE Entertainment, the behemoth agency that also owns Big Hit, which is the original home of BTS. Recently, HYBE has been very concerned with the hyper fans that K-pop caters to, and in an effort to create competition to fill the void that BTS has left, due to their military service, have deployed an interesting strategy of sub labels. ADOR is one of the sub labels that HYBE has created along with others that they’ve spun up or acquired. These sub labels include SOURCE Music, which is home to Le Sserafim, and BELIFT Lab, home to the viral ILLIT.

Min has been a heralded creative director in the industry for somet time now, starting as a designer at SM and rising to Chief Brand Officer at HYBE until she was given the opportunity to direct and launch her own group NewJeans through the sublabel ADOR.

Now, I’m not 100% sure of the exact sub label competition strategy, as it seems to run counter to the goal of HYBE, which is to build a wider and more general audience that is more sustainable. But the trouble in their strategy began when BELIFT Lab rushed to launch the girl group ILLIT. This stoked the flames of Min, who rightly accused ILLIT of copying the New Jeans aesthetic. This then led to an seizure of ADOR and an investigation into Min on allegations that she was seeking to sell the sublabel and pursue investors to buy out HYBE’s 80% ownership.

Now, all this has been heavily discussed elsewhere, so my focus is on dissecting the genius of New Jeans and how Min’s design background brings a level of detailed accumen and taste to their direction.

The first and most obvious skill of NewJeans is their saavy approach to 90s and y2k nostalgia. The 90s-esque styling of NewJeans is different from other groups for it’s accuracy and subtle updates. From the perspective of someone who lived through the late 1990s and early 2000s and had access to American trends, I can tell the NewJeans direction is done by someone who also has lived through those times. There’s a level of authenticity to when the girls are wearing is raver pants and delia’s halter tops.

Second is Min’s taste for sound production. Again, we can hear her taste for 90s R&B nostalgia, but she has brought in a battery of producers that have updated those sources with contermporary sounds from Baltimore Club, to Drum n Bass, and UK garage (all genres who are experiencing an interesting update in the electronic music scene). This brings a level of sophistication to the global pop arena that K-pop groups like NewJeans play in. To me, this level of aesthetic direction is similar to how well Teddy was able to link Black Pink to trap music trends.

Third, Min is incredibly skilled in the visual direction and the cultural partnerships she has coordinated through NewJeans. There is no denying the commercial polish and manufactured presentation of New Jeans, but Min is unabashed in linking them up to corporate interest. It’s amazing how they were able to basically write a jingle for Coca-cola and have it feel like a pop single without any question. Then there is the genius link-up with the Powerpuff Girls, a cartoon brand that I thought would never see the light of day again. Min is incredible in recognizing brand potential and creating synergy between brands.

Now, with a NewJeans comeback imminent, we see Min’s tastes narrowing in on a culturally relevant era, 1990’s Japanese Bubble Economy. The latest single ‘Bubble Gum’ and its accompanying music video is dripping with city pop and Japanese reference and many of the locations are set in the country. But it’s the domestic details that show me how much Min’s generation was influenced by Japanese and American culture, revealing in many ways the roots of K-pop as a cultural product that borrowed heavily from the two cultures in its early conception.

I’ve come around to NewJeans, and although I still think they lack soul, they are very capable of performing and casting a complete image. Also, listening to the key bits in Min’s astounding press conference rant, she does have some sound points for reforming the K-pop industry.

Signing off…

PS - this newsletter will be on a short break until June. Thanks for reading!

We sat down with Indianapolis-based designer Alec Stewart on his illustrious career designing for music. Alec has made a name for himself design band posters and t-shirts and now finds himself creating merchandise for big names like Cardi B and the Foo Fighters. Here’s what he’s got to say. Alec also was a recent guest on the Graphic Support Group Podcast, which you can listen to here.

PD: How'd you get into the merchandise industry?

Alec Stewart: Right after I finished my undergraduate degree, I moved down to Texas to pursue a job. The job didn’t pan out, but while I was down there I found a community of musicians and artists that took me in and provided me with an open playground for design. They were constantly putting on raves, rap and punk shows and needed posters to advertise them. I started out parallel to the merch (merchandise) game making posters for these shows. I just said yes to the design request regardless of what it was. 

I ended up making merch naturally. In between the posters, people started asking me for shirts. I was just the general all-purpose design guy in the crew for this small scene. From there, through word of mouth, I started to get more and more design commissions for tees until I didn’t really have time to make anything else. It was a constant stream of work that allowed me to pay my rent, so I kept doing it.

I’ve always worked through word of mouth. I’d work with one artist and they’d tell their friends, and they’d tell their friends, and on and on. I just said ‘yes’ to everything for a number of years. That’s how I built a network and managed to work with bigger and bigger acts. The longer you do something the more you move up regardless. I am eternally grateful that I have consistently failed upwards just from continuously making. 

PD: What are some artists you've worked with?

AS: Some of the big ones that people would recognize are Green Day, Cardi B, Foo Fighters, Charlie Puth and Nirvana. Dave Grohl has personally paid for a whole sleeve of my tattoos from his commission checks to me - pretty rad.

But those heavy hitters are really just the tip of the iceberg. There’s been so many across so many genres that I’m starting to forget everyone I’ve worked with. 

One of my oldest clients is Wicca Phase Springs Eternal. He is the nicest human and an absolute treat to work with. Love him & his music. He has opened a ton of doors for me and I’m super grateful for his continued trust and support.

Two of the artists I’m most proud to work with are those from my local scene. Indianapolis hometown heroes: Pat and the Passers + Inner Peace . It brings me great pride to give back to the community that I grew up in. I deeply cherish the opportunity to design for those around me and support my local community.

PD: As a designer, what's your main mission in designing a band's merchandise?

AS: When a band plays live, the majority of the money that they take home at the end of the night is not from ticket sales — it’s from merch sales. The best way to support musicians is by buying merch, and the best way a designer can support musicians is by designing merch for an artist to sell. My main mission when designing merch is to give bands the ability to make passable income and sustain themselves, so that they can continue making music and performing it live. 

Secondly, merch works as a walking advertisement for a band. People will see the shirt on the street or on socials and check out the band. Through social media, I’ve seen bands blow up super quick from a shirt going viral. A recent example that comes to mind is Zulu’s “Abolish White Hardcore” shirt. Merch that makes a splash can help spread the word about the band and bring in new listeners.

PD: What areas of merchandise do you see growing? What types of merchandise are you excited by?

AS: The area of merchandise I see growing the most currently are the quality of blanks (fabric material). I am seeing more and more artists invest in higher quality garments for their merch. This is a huge positive that I’m stoked on. All of the old, vintage merch I have was made on quality blanks. That is what has allowed it to hold up for so long and stay comfy. I want to keep any new merch I get, so a good quality blank will ensure that the garment stays comfortable and intact for a long time.

The types of merch I am most excited by are specialty items. This goes hand in hand with investing in quality blanks. Making specialty items is an investment, but when you go up to a merch booth at a show it’s what stands out. I don’t remember most of the tee designs I’ve seen at shows, but I do distinctly remember all the crazy, random products I’ve seen next to those tees. Why is this band selling a Frisbee, a skate deck, a weed grinder? Those products are what stay with me after the show and what I get most excited to make for bands. 

PD: What was your favorite band shirt growing up?

AS: Dang, this is a tough one! If I had to pick one growing up, it’d be my first Death Metal long sleeve - a vintage Dismember “Massive Killing Capacity” tour shirt with front, back and double sleeve prints. Hard as hell. I still have it lying around somewhere. Feel like I can never part with it since it meant so much to me for so long. Here’s an image of the shirt. 

If I had to pick one now, it’d be this Show Me The Body “Survive” long sleeve. Crazy DTG print running along the sleeves over the chest. I love it so much I hardly ever wear it. I see it more as a piece of art rather than a wearable garment. 

PD: What's the most ridiculous merchandise you've been asked to design?

AS: I have 4 answers for this one! 1 Silly, 1 Sad, 1 Odd, 1 Gross.

First one is for my buds in Inner Peace Hardcore. They want to release an essential oil that is housed in a spent 9mm bullet cartridge. We are currently trying to find an eye-dropper top that will adhere to the cartridge casing and if the production will be feasible. I’m not really sure who the core demographic for this product would be… Militant, Anti-Vax Mommy Bloggers? Regardless, it’s a hilarious product and I hope we are able to make and release it.

Second one is a sad one. Not so much ridiculous, but unique in the ask. I was asked to design a hoodie for Lil Peep’s Mom as a Christmas present on the one year anniversary of his overdose and untimely passing. As a person in recovery myself, this one was a tough project to get through. I ended up making a 1 of 1 custom hoodie made just for his mom.

The third one is an odd one - it was for the band Lamb Of God. They asked me to design packaging for a coffee blend they were releasing. Still confused why Lamb Of God was dropping coffee. 

Last one is a gross one but it’s an easy slam dunk. Currently coordinating manufacturing with Pat and the Pissers for custom Urinal Cakes. Chances are they will not sell - like maybe 1 or 2 of them at most - but it’s worth it just for documentation and to say we did it.

PD: Are there any particular differences designing for major labels versus local scenes?

AS: The difference between designing for major labels versus local scene lies in the artists being designed for within both categories. The bands and artists signed to major labels usually already have a preexisting visual identity and language system established. Pitches are framed in, and confined to parameters that have been already been flushed out. Designs have to stay within those parameters while still creating a fresh take. With any legacy band pitch, I have to spend the first day or two studying them before I can even begin designing. You want to stay true to their history and implement heavy nostalgia while doing something new - it’s a sweet spot of navigating that history and finding it is a skill in itself.

A lot of bands at the local level don’t have that visual history or language established. You get to lay the foundation instead of building onto something already existing. There is a lot more leeway, freedom and trust involved. You also have the opportunity to do a lot more boundary pushing stuff. You can put out more crazy, wacky things when it doesn’t have to be approved by multiple layers of people / management / executives all signing off.

In terms of the actual designs themselves, it’s all the same shit. I’m gonna make bangers for anyone I design for regardless of their audience size. 

PD: What's your personal ambition with designing merchandise and designing for music in general?

AS: My personal ambition is the same reason I started making merch. I want to design a tee that means as much to someone else as my favorite band tees mean to me. I do it for the love of the game. The idea of being able to make someone’s favorite shirt continues to push me to keep designing merch after all these years.

PD: What do you hope to see in music-related design in the future? Or hope not to see?

AS: One thing I’d love to see more of in music-related design is fashion brands collaborating with artists to drop lines based around an artist’s music and vision. I’ve been seeing it more and more with brands like PLEASURES or Puma. I think there’s a lot of magic that can happen when a fashion brand, with their manufacturing know-how and production capabilities, works with a musician. For example, check out this sick piece Kappa did with Tommy Cash. 

If there’s one thing I hope not to see in the future, it’s major labels preying on young designers. A lot of major labels see young designers as a cheap workforce that is hungry for opportunities and expendable. There is a general lack of regard for the well being and growth of young designers figuring out how to navigate the space. I was in that place and experienced it myself.

The first year I started doing tees, I had a billion dollar company, *cough*, Live Nation, give me a brief for a 6-hour turnaround and gave me pennies in compensation. Looking back on it I’m still like what the fuck? 6 hours? Why did I let myself be disrespected like that? Maybe the craziest commission I’ve ever had. I wish I had known better. Thankfully, that experience helped me grow and learn that I need to set boundaries with clients. It also instilled in me a goal to support young designers and help them grow so that they don’t have to be taken advantage of in turn. Been ‘fuck Live Nation’ since day 1 baby!!!

TLDR: buy merch, support your local scene, fuck Live Nation, the intersection of Art & tight guitar riffs

PD: Thanks Alec. You heard him. Do the right thing. Signing off…

Alec kindly provided a bunch of pictures of his work. You can view the full gallery here.

Following my discovery of the Voltron Sprite commercial series featuring Goodie Mob and Afrika Bambaataa, I was reminded of the anime series Samurai Champloo. The series was a production by director Shinichirō Watanabe, who was the creator behind space noir series Cowboy Bebop. What’s interesting about Samurai Champloo and Cowboy Bebop is how intertwined the music is with the series. Cowboy Bebop is backed by an energetic bossanova soundtrack featuring sounds that fuse Giorgio Moroder with Towa Tei all orchestrated by famous anime composer Yoko Kano. Samurai Champloo sees the merging of hip hop with anime and was masterfully crafted by Shinji "Tsutchie" Tsuchida of Shakkazombie, Fat Jon, Nujabes and Force of Nature.

What’s interesting is how Samurai Champloo was a pinacle moment that united two genres that have long danced around each other. Hip Hop and kung fu has had a long intertwined history, but rappers’ love for anime has been something more whispered than rhymed about. But with Samurai Champloo, appreciation from the inspiration was shown and there was a mutual respect that felt natural and organic. There were even “hip hop” like storylines with episodes that centered around marijuana production.

After the series ran, Samurai Champloo spurred another genre of hip hop that continues to proliferate YouTube “study” channels known as lo-fi hip hop. This genre of smooth beats was led by the composers of Samurai Champloo, Nujabes. Unforunately, Nujabes would die in 2010 in a tragic car accident, but many backpack producers would follow in his footsteps crafting chill beats to rock to.

It’s funny how the union of an anime with hip hop beats would also led to a new genre, but this is what I think is the most appreciative output of “mash ups”. It’s a great case of inspiration gone right and not just reference or mood board aesthetics. You can tell that Watanabe was genuinely inspired by hip hop and the reception amongst the hip hop community felt visible. I think this mutual recognition got to the heart of what each community resonated with each other and in turn created something equally influenced by the other and truly authentic.

I hope that future collaborations and crossovers can happen and that is why I continue to deny arguments of authenticity and support hybridity. I agree that “appropriation” has goten a bad rap and in the word is an implicit ownership that feels imperialist and anti-productive. It’ll be great to see what crossovers lead to new hybrids next.

Signing off…

Recently, I’ve been doing some thinking about how certain musical and visual styles are co-opted or adapted into different forms. This began from a half-baked thought about Contemporary Christian Music and how rock styles are used in that genre. But it reminded me of how rap was used in advertising in the 1980s.

A quick search on YouTube yielded a bunch of really hokey commercials, and weirdly, a lot of middle-aged “suits” rhyming offbeat to ridiculous “lyrics”. Looking back at some of these commercials, it’s a reminder of how silly rap was in its early years and Biggie’s passion for the form, despite its zaniness. A notable one from the pack is this Miller Lite commercial with comedian Joe Piscopo imitating a Heavy D or Fat Boys-like character. This commercial borders on a form of blackface viewing it today.

Further searching uncovered a compilation of Sprite commercials. The brand has crafted a long running advertising strategy that incorporates hip hop and street culture. Sprite has cultivated this image through a variety of different types of campaigns including sponsoring artists and designers. I was surprised to learn just how many hip hop artists they’ve worked with over the years. In these commercials appear acts like the real Heavy D, Missy Elliot, and Drake. This was a pleasant discovery and Sprite continues to collaborate with hip hop artists today. Most recently, they released a limited edition flavor to celebrate hip hop’s 50th anniversary.

My favorite Sprite commercials are fromt the Sprite + Voltron campaign featuring Afrika Bambaataa, Common, Fat Joe, Goodie Mob, and Mack 10. The commercials combine animation and live-action sequences taking place in the Voltron universe. It’s also a fun example of the crossover between anime and hip hop culture. Each mini adventure to save the world urges us all to “Obey Your Thirst”.

This all begs the question, what is the best way to adapt different musical and visual styles for commercial message? Intent and motive is a big part of the equation. One can hear the disingenuous character of middle aged men rapping about how great their car dealership is. Even Smokey the Bear understands how contrived this can be in this meta commercial. However, I do believe that when done appropriately, crossover adaptations can yield innovative results. Of course, this idea needs a lot more articulation and there are many writers who’ve contemplated this type of cultural exchange. For further reading on the mechanisms of co-option and subculture robbery by corporate interests, I recommend the book “The Conquest of Cool” by Thomas Frank.

Signing off…

PD: Describe your current role as a designer.

GM: I'm the Senior Design Lead at Something Special Studios in NYC and I occasionally take commissions as an independent studio.

PD: Describe your relationship with music today and in the past.

GM: I grew up listening to classical, jazz, rock from the 70-80s, and an array of eclectic but older music and didn't get a lot of exposure to more contemporary stuff until I was in my teens. I never listened to Drake until I was in my 20s. This carries over in a lot of ways to my tastes and my relationship with music today. I keep up with current music but I have a comfortable familiarity with old shit. I'd rather see the symphony than a DJ set.

PD: What is the most influential piece of music you've heard?

GM: Michael Jackson's "Rock With You"

PD: Describe how music integrates into your design life and career?

GM: In design, a lot of work or styles or gestures can be described in music terms. Musical vibes so easily get attached to visual ones and so musical genres or even specific songs or albums serve as really useful reference points when positioning work or trying to guide work into a specific area.

PD: What kind of music do you usually listen to when working?

GM: Depends on the type of work. Music really sets a tempo for my work and can really influence an outcome. If I'm grinding on production or trying to create a lot of energetic gestures really quickly I can work with something high energy, but if I'm working on concepts or writing or really need to focus, I prefer something without vocals or [something] I can really sit back.

PD: What designer do you think is most like a musician?

GM: Every designer is a DJ

PD: What musician is most like a designer?

GM: Beyoncé

PD: If you could have an "intro" song for when you come into the office or studio, what would it be?

GM: This is hard. This would change almost daily. Maybe some heavy trap. "Act Up" by City Girls was a go-to commuting song a couple years ago for me. My top 3 songs on Spotify this year were "Sleepy Time Gal" by Jackie Davis, "Ella Baila Sola" by Eslabon Armado, and "Rich Spirit", by Kendrick Lamar, so maybe one of those.

Thanks for sharing Gabe!

Signing off…

I recently watched the Amazon Prime show “Mr. and Mrs. Smith”. Admittedly, I was skeptical of this series that was reviving the Bradgelina action, romance movie, and so were many other viewers. However, I’m a big fan of Donald Glover and the teams he puts together for his TV projects (of which Malia Obama is a member for her work on “Swarm”). Donald Glover and fellow show runner Francesa Sloane came to the defense of their show shortly after release, explaining the novelty of the thought experiment that Glover proposed. All that said, I was interested also to see how the show’s leaders, Donald Glover and Maya Erskine, would articulate the delicate balance of romance, intrigue and action.

One thing I was surprised by was the typography used in the opening sequence and end credits. A little internet search revealed that the typeface is Grotesk Remix by French type designer Benoît Bodhuin (bb-bureau). The distinctive ‘&’ and R stand out, but the overal structure is a tall grotesk. It reminds me of the work of Optimo, and a cursury comparison of Bodhuin’s portfolio and Optimo’s reveals many similarities. Grotesk Remix has heavy Programme vibes.

I wrote a poorly researched paper that was ultimately rejected about the decline of title sequences. Although my observation is relevant, my initial stance proved to be incorrect. Title sequences are not completely obsolete, but their presence has been severely reduced thanks to the “skip intro” button on streaming services. However, it is always delightful to see that producers recognize their importance by creating a strong typographic solution. This is definitely the case of “Mr. and Mrs. Smith”. Another great example of this was the series “Killing Eve”, which utilized a heavily condensed, tall grotesk with light animation.

I hope to revisit that paper, because my initial assertion is interesting typographically. Despite the fact that intro sequences take up precious time in the attention economy of binge watching audiences, the title sequence remains a key branding component for two reasons. First, it still must create a visual image in the minds of viewers. Second, it has to create a unique imprint within the sea of thumbnails in a streaming platform’s interface. That said, the trend for tall, condensed grotesk typefaces is very apparent and a bit overused. This is why I found the typeface for “Mr. and Mrs. Smith” unique, because it was a strong, tall, slightly condensed grotesk, but had nice quirky details. Unfortunately, they did not use this for any of the front-facing materials and opted for a more humanist sans-serif, which is of equally funky character (still yet to be identified).

Anyways, I enjoyed this typographic detail to a rather entertaining TV series. It does suffer from being on Amazon Prime, not only in terms of access but also quality, but they clearly had a huge budget and the focus on the intimate relatinoship within an international spy setting was surprisingly detail and emotional. Glover and Erskine proved that they can be funny, stylish, and vulnerable all in the same moment. I do recommend the series to any couple looking for something to watch.

Singing off…

A recent criticism that was leveled at me when writing this newsletter is that I haven’t been writing much about design. Maybe it’s because I’m so deep in my obsession with K-pop right now, I just haven’t been paying much attention to design. Thinking about this I started a list of designers who deal with music who I admire. At the top of that list has always been Brian Roettinger.

I came across Roettinger’s work by way of the bands he was designing for. Particularly, I was drawn to the covers of the band No Age, which is a two-member punk outfit from Japan. Brian has many firm opinions about L.A. hailing from the city, and the work he did with No Age was a harmonious union that represented the city of angels. The two would publish a book archiving their collaborations called No Age & Brian Roettinger: Graphic Archive 2007–18.

Roettinger would make a name for himself with the work he created for the bands on his label, Hand Held Heart. He would publish some coveted publications, namely Slash: A History of the Legendary LA Punk Magazine: 1977-1980, and build a robust career of publishing, designing, and art directing. He built this over the years alongside being a designer at SciArc, the infamous California architecture school with a counter culture edge.

In an interview with Slanted magazine, Roettinger charts the trajectory of his career starting from a “strict” graphic designer, into a creative director, which seems to be his M/O today. What’s interesting about his explanation is that it seems like an organic process of involving other disciplines.

Roettinger now is a partner at Perron-Roettinger, a firm that does all things design from interiors, to graphics, to live experiences. Roettinger has brought his celebrity studded client list and it seems like Perron has brought a portfolio of luxury developers.

The form presented in Perron-Roettinger is admittedly much more restrained compared to his more gritty early works. However, Roettinger has always presented a restricted and highly curated vision of the dirty L.A. streets that he has so heavily drawn from. I always felt like this was his design-version of straightedge and thought that he was making a deliberate aesthetic statement against the exuberant post-modern graphics of L.A.’s design history.

I’m very happy to see how Roettinger’s career has evolved. He has moved along with the development of L.A. as a craetive hub and seen it grow it’s own energy outside of Hollywood. Again, Roettinger succinctly articulates how L.A. has a combination of a hard-edged independence alongside a grossly commercial backdrop. In this way, I feel like Roettinger has fiercely edited out the aspects that ruin the scene and preserved the energy that fuels him, and in my opinion, has done that with fairly little compromise. I’m excited to see what comes next for the L.A. designer.

Signing off…

After much speculation, the four members of YG Entertainment’s global charting girl group Blackpink renewed their contract at the close of 2023. However, it’s important to note that the four members renewed their group contract, but did not extend their deals to encompass their solo endevours. What’s even more suprising is that all four members launched their own individual agencies shortly after re-signing.

Blackpink, as a group, handles a tremendous amount of power and influence. They have the most YouTube views in history and each members has coveted brand ambassadorships with worldwide luxury brands like YSL, CELINE, and Dior. Each member not only saw the tremendous potential to capture their influence as individuals, but also saw how they could start building empires for themselves.

So, let’s look at the four new agencies… and their logos. First, off we have Jenny’s Odd Atelier. I find this logo to be the most on-trend and accurately captures where Jenny wants to go creatively and who she wants to speak to. She definitely wants to get those New Jeans stans.

Next we have Lisa, who I think has the most global impact as of recent things like her rumored relationship with LVMH son Frédéric Arnault and performing at a scandalous Paris burlesque show. Also, I think that Lisa has the most crossover appeal for those not fully engaged with K-pop. Lisa’s agency is called LLOUD.

Admittedly, this is the weakest logo of the bunch. I’m not sure if this is a music agency, social media platform, or a tech company. Maybe that’s the point that the three areas they want to target? Who knows.

Jisoo’s agency Blissoo probably has the most domestic potential. Jisoo’s father is reportedly the former CEO of Mamamoo’s agency and has many connections in the Korean entertainment world. Also, after Jenny’s OA, Blissoo will probably be the most dynamic as it will encompass acting activities to cover Jisoo’s thespian endevours. The symmetrical ‘B’ works better in BLISSOO than it’s symbol form, but it’s overall pretty hip.

Finally, Rosé, the member who hsitorically has the lowest earning potential of the four, will also be opening her own agency. However, we have yet to see any identity materials of plans other than an ambition to form. We’ll patiently await for the YSL ambassador’s logo.

Signing off…

A recent IG post brought to my attention the heyday of Sony design. In the late 90’s and early 2000’s the Sony design team had a holistic vision for how music devices really could drive lifestyle.

Often the term lifestyle design is used to describe an aspirational tone that fits into the “lifestyle” of a consumer, but rarely do we see a universe of products that defines a vision for how products can drive your life.

Although the “vintage” aesthetic that is drawing much attention is centered aroud the pop art like music devices (walkmen, cd players, mp3 players and cameras) what’s amazing is that the Sony design team had a holistic program at work.

At the time, Sony was also trying to assert dominance by controling the media that was used in its devices. They invested heavily into the MiniDisc, which wasn’t their proprietary form, but they also had the MemoryStick, which was essentially a predecessor to flash memory. So, there must’ve been a corporate agenda to try and convert Sony consumers into a world of their own.

But this was carried out to the T on all fronts from advertising ideas like the Sony alien Plato, to the individual logos for the various lines of products. The logos, which are being archived on the X acccount @sonylogos, are real gems. From the Sony VAIO logo to the lesser known logos for their karaoke machines, these logos have a distinct flavor unto themselves, but fit within this design-forward world that Sony was crafting.

Looking back at this era it makes me really crave for design-driven product strategies that are less about meeting consumer needs and more about defining how a consumer’s world can look and behave. It feels a whole lot less mangement driven and demanding than the world that the Vision Pro puts forth. I really think Apple is just a giant management company now and it’s sad to see how Apple’s design has become more of a restrictive pen than a universe of “thinking different”.

Signing off…

PD: Describe your current role as a designer.

IL: I run a small practice in Tokyo working across identity design, interior graphics, type design & design research—writing and making things related to history & criticism as much as something akin to memoir. I also teach graphic design, typography, Japanese graphic design history and Japanese design history at Temple University Japan.

PD: Describe your relationship with music today and in the past.

IL: Currently, I co-curate a monthly experimental music event here in Tokyo called Bad Head. There is no set genre involved—we just ask that no laptops, tablets or smartphones are used when folks play live. (Nothing makes me more sad than watching people make music on the same things that they use for work.) We’ve had a wide range of folks play sets of experimental music, electronic music, amplified acoustic music, improvisation, and other genres. 

I also play experimental electronic music that is dance-oriented but hard to dance to these days. I deejay regularly using vinyl records, as well. I really like playing hip hop and beat matching/scratching/etc because it is both fun and challenging—making mistakes seem intentional, for the most part.

I sang and played bass in a bunch of hardcore-adjacent bands in the 90s through the 2010s in Oakland, Portland & Tokyo, played some pop electronic stuff along the way, deejayed at clubs, ran a cassingle micro-label, put out a few records, and acted out in some noise bands.

In regard to the “relationship“ aspect, I have always been very passionate about music—I listen too closely and read too much into it. Music is important to my inner life.

PD: What musician is most like a designer?

IL: These questions are difficult as I know a number of folks who do both very well and whose practices are inseparable as to visuals and music. 

The first that comes to mind is Evan Mast—he makes music under the name E.VAX, is a popular producer, and is half of the duo Ratatat. Evan designs his assorted projects’ packaging and also makes video installations that function as music videos and vice versa. 

Second, John Wiese is a graphic designer, composer and musician whose work intermingles—much of his graphic design for his solo and collaborative projects function as scores for the projects themselves. 

Both Evan and John work in ways that are highly anachronistic to others in the present moment.

PD: What is the most influential piece of record art you've encountered?

IL: The “Victory Rök” cassette by Berkeley punk band Juke. It was released in an edition of 50 and packaged like a 7” record. The sleeve contains a dozen highly illustrated and designed hand-colored lyric sheets, and stickers. It was just a ton of work for the band. 

Only one side of the tape featured the band’s actual music. The other side featured retro rock music with “Victory“ as the underlying theme, interrupted by various home-recorded non sequiturs from the members of Juke. 

The whole thing is just preposterous.

PD: Describe how music integrates into your design life and career?

IL: Historically, I have experienced weeks of working—notably teaching abroad— where the schedule is so intense that I don’t have the opportunity to listen to music. These are the times in my life that feel the most haunted to me—a life without music feels like half of a life.

Professionally, I occasionally design album packaging for assorted musicians and labels. I try to work the angles of design and music together when I can. I’m currently working on a career retrospective feature for Idea magazine about the lifework of late musician and designer/illustrator Rick Froberg of the bands Hot Snakes, Obits and Drive Like Jehu. He is someone whose work across music and design is incredibly singular, and in many ways idiosyncratic, particularly his visual work.

PD: If you could have a "intro" song for when you come into the office or studio, what would it be?

IL: If driven by historical influence and affinity, it’d be “Hand Over Fist” by Pitchfork. If it was just the intro for the lead episode of the 2023 season, it’d be “Time For You” by Cable Ties. Both are urgent enough.

Thanks for sharing Ian!

Signing off…

This is part 2 of a 2 part series on branding and market creation in K-pop and fashion.

The Creative Orbit of Yohji Yamamoto

Keeping to the analysis of the NCT brand as a market-driven construction, the fashion industry has many parallel examples. For examination, this researcher has focused on the Japanese designer brand Yohji Yamamoto. The namesake designer launched his career with the brand Y’s in 1977 in Tokyo. The brand was designed to “reengineer” menswear. This brand was subsequently followed by a woman’s wear main line Yohji Yamamoto. Through the branding one can see a consistency in the naming. Similar to NCT, they retain the essence of the umbrella brand, but re-introduce a new take on it.  The next sub brand would be Yohji Yamamoto Pour Homme, and this next iteration would be a key development in the logic of Yamamoto sub brands. This sub brand takes the main elements of the higher end Y’s menswear brand and creates more accessible lines for a wider market. Thus, through a sub brand Yamamoto is able to create a “generous” offering of his creative talents for a wider audience.

Yohji Yamamoto would go on to adeptly respond to changes in the fashion market with various sub brands. Of note is S’YTE, a genderless online-only “entry-level” brand. We see Yamamoto responding both to culture and market changes in the industry. GroundY and Regulation Yohji Yamamoto see the brand take on a younger customer base in both exuberant street style and restraint (former and later).

Yamamoto’s other great innovation is the Y-3 label, which is a collaborative effort with Adidas. Here we see a genius for brand naming which unites the Yohji Yamamoto name with the “3 stripes” of Adidas. Yohji asserts his relevance by directly naming Y-3 with a “Y” and only hinting at Adidas with the symbolic number of the brand. Y-3, really brought Yohji Yamamoto to a wider audience, expanding out of its fashionista conscious recognition.

Of course, the early sub brands of Yohji Yamamoto were attempts to expand the creativity of Yamamoto. They allowed the brand to produce a greater range of fashion for different target customers without having to carry them all at once. But the more recent developments are quite transparent in their customer and market driven motivations. Yamamoto is a savvy brand creator who knows the value of his “Y”.

The Worldview of NCT

Similar to Yohji Yamamoto NCT has unique constructions of its sub units other than the reconfiguration and additions of different members. First, let us clarify what NCT symbolizes. A core tenant of NCT is that through “dreams” we find empathy and through “music” we become one. The group has communicated from the very beginning through their debut video and through the ‘NCTmentary’ series. They have gone on to emphasize similarly ethereal concepts such as “resonance” through their different musical and video releases.

Moving down into the sub-units, some of their market-driven motivations are revealed. The two most obvious units are WayV and NCT New Team. WayV is essentially the Chinese iteration of NCT and has no Korean members. The six members Kun (쿤 Chinese), Ten (텐 Thai), OneOne (원원 Chinese), Xiaojun (샤오줜 Chinese), Hendly (헨드리 Macao), and Yang Yang (양양 Taiwanese) debuted in 2019 and were the fourth group to emerge from NCT with a concerted target of the Chinese market.

NCT New Team is a six-member team that will debut in 2024. They were formed through the NCT Universe: LA START program. The six debut members for this fourth and supposedly last NCT formation are Sion (시온 Japan), Riku (리쿠 Japan), Yoyoshi (유우시 Japan), Daeyung (대영 Korea), Ryo (료 Japan), and Sakuya (사쿠야 Japan). There are few details on their exact identity, but they appear to have a similar strategy in their formation as WayV but will focus on the Japanese market.

The other two iterations of NCT are NCT 127 and NCT Dream. NCT 127 is a 10-member group and the ‘127’ stands for Seoul and Gyeonggi-do province. They proudly proclaim Seoul as the heart of Korea and K-pop. This seems to indicate that they approach a “major market” identity and borrows from the cosmopolitan identity of Seoul and surrounding Gyeonggi-do province cities.

NCT Dream is a 7-member ensemble that directly targets a younger audience. Borrowing from the dream motif of NCT, NCT Dream directly proclaims that they represent the hopes and dreams of teenagers and bring this positivity upwards to adults. NCT Dream was initially committed to this teen composition where they proposed to “graduate” members when they age over 20, essentially leaving their teens and entering adulthood. However, they seem to have abandoned this format and chose to keep their debut members, who are now all over the age of 20.

Conversations on markets and creativity

This researcher is curious to imagine a conversation between SM Entertainment chair Lee Soo Man and designer Yohji Yamamoto. The K-pop music industry has started to understand the brand dynamics that can be observed in Yohji Yamamoto’s diverse brand configurations. There are also many other examples of sub brands and “diffusion” brands in fashion, including Masion Margiela and Comme Des Garcons, but Yohji Yamamoto seems to be the master of sub branding.

These parallels are curious and are a testament to brand allegiance in the new MZ generation. As shown in the recent rebranding efforts of fashion houses like Celine, Burberry and Ferragamo, the monolithic brand mark has less and less relevance. Rather, the fashion world, which is constantly plagued by changing trends in culture and market forces, has adapted by offering variety. The key to such dilution is to keep the central essence of the core brand. Both NCT and Yohji Yamamoto clearly understand this, but time will tell how affective such constant dilution will be as attentions of audiences and consumers shift.

The key observation this researcher would like to conclude with is the delicate balance between the financial and economical motives of sub brand sublimation and the narrative of creative diversity that is orchestrated by both Yohji Yamamoto and NCT. Both brands are adept at creating an aura or creative diversity and generosity to justify their strategic dilution of the main brand. Through their communications and divisions, they are able to convince the consumer that these sub brands bring more to the overall creative vision of the mother brand, rather than weaken the image. This is a very masterful act because many brands suffer from dilution when subdividing into different brand units.

Signing off…

This is part 1 of a 2 part series adapted from a paper written on sub brands in K-pop and fashion.

The “Creative Potential” of Sub Brands: a comparison of NCT and Yohiji Yamamoto brand structures

Introduction

Branding is a constantly evolving practice that mixes the dark arts of marketing, design, commerce, psychology, and content in an alchemical combination of communication. As various industries continue to innovate on how they express their institutional identity, brand professionals are continually evolving the craft of branding. This is a provisional research essay on brand construction and sub brand creation in the spaces of fashion and K-pop. The researcher attempts to outline comparisons to market-driven sub-units of brands between the fashion industry and the K-pop industry. The primary sources of examination are the Yohji Yamamoto fashion lines and the K-pop group NCT. Both have diverse configurations of the main brand, Yohji Yamamoto and NCT, but this researcher’s observation is that this dilution of a creative universe is primarily driven by market forces more than creative reach, which is a by-factor of this kind of re-composition of brands.

To elaborate on this “by-product” both NCT and Yohji consumers or fans perceive these brand reconfigurations as expansions and adaptations of the singular brand’s creativity. Whether knowingly or not, these configurations serve the greater Capitalist motivation of capturing different markets. This is a kind of ironic strategy, where the dilution of a main source brand leads to greater overall recognition and theoretically more sales. This researcher considers this a type of “divide-and-conquer” strategy and in the categories of fashion and K-pop, the creative “by-product” image is more beneficial.

Lee Soo Man’s Cultural Technological Dream

NCT is a boy group that debuted in 2016 from SM Entertainment. The group’s name contains SM Entertainment Chairman Lee Soo Man’s central cultural philosophy, “cultural technology (문화기술)”. Lee has been touting this kind of creative manufacturing process for many years and he has written prolifically on the subject. Lee’s version of “cultural technology” differs slightly from the policies of the Korean government, which has worked for many years to build culture and technological infrastructure to create both soft and hard power.

NCT stands for “Neo Culture Technology”. The group currently has 26 members, but this is a deceiving number as rarely do all 26 members come together for a single performance or track. Rather, from the outset NCT was meant to have a free form configuration, which allows for several key advantages.

First, the group can reconfigure into various sub units as different fan groups are targeted and the agenda of SM Entertainment changes. Conceptually, this allows for conceptual diversity as shown in how NCT U and NCT 127 have very different musical concepts and visual direction. Physically, this format also allows for various members to slide in and out of the group, and this “무한개방 (infinite)” concept is central to the worldview of NCT. The second, related concept of NCT is “무한확장 (infinite scaling)”. This domination strategy is very well demonstrated in the country-focused sub units of WayV (China) and NCT-New Team (Japan).

Second, K-pop groups face a real problem in terms of audience aging. Most group contracts last seven-years after debut. Over the course of a group’s seven-year career, many idols begin to “age-out” from the public eye. This problem is worsened by the mandatory military service of males, a particular issue for boy groups which BTS is suffering as of this writing. So, the solution that NCT has come up with in their infinite freeform construction, is the endless creation of subunits. Through this method new members can create new subgroups that attach to the larger NCT brand and can easily and fluidly bring in new, younger audiences. The critical advantage of this fluid formation also handles member scandals quite well.

NCT is composed currently of NCT 127, NCT Dream, WayV, NCT New Team, and the units NCT U and NCT DoJaeJung. All the groups act both independently and in unison of the main NCT brand. As if fulfilling their own prophecy of expansive and adaptive fan growth, the NCT brand has up to four official operating fan groups (NCTzen, NCTzen 127, NCTzen DREAM, and WayZenNi). To this researcher, NCT is a unique innovation on the J-pop AKB48 format, which is a girl group of up to 120 members at its peak.

Signing off…

Part 2 will be released next week.

Happy New Year!

We are back for another edition of Pudding 005 - Newsletter. After a much needed break, we are diving back into our forays into design and music cultures.

Over the break, I had several unique and profound conversations around what design is. I was particularly struck by a colleague’s admission that she no longer is interested in graphic design, despite having worked as a designer and taught design for many years. She broke down her definition of design as 1) creating a message, 2) encoding that message (i.e. language), 3) sending that message, 4) decoding that message, and 5) receiving that message. Now, the various tools and processes of graphic design that are employed and intervene in that process are what make up the practice of graphic design (this is what I added in my head). I think this is a very semiotic based definition, but it does help break down the essential qualities of design. In many ways, this basic process make it easier to make ties into music.

This got me thinking of how I define design, especially now as someone who is admittedly a bit jaded about the profession. What are my current interests in graphic design and what got me interested in the first place? Music definitely was one of those main avenues, and so was the internet. Now, both genres and platforms feel different and mutated to proportions that feel uncomfortable, but they both provide avenues back to the original passions.

First, music was a cultural and sensory experience that provoked. Through music I channeled my teenage angst and found philosophical reasoning in the voices of pop punk bands like the Queers and punk outfits like Propagandhi. Through electronic and house music I found modern craft and the expansion of the mind through sound and composition. Then came the visual expressions of these cultures, from rave posters, to punk t-shirts and album packaging. For me, music was access to unfiltered expression, and I felt a part of that music culture through my abilities and interest as a visual creator.

Second, the internet provided a platform for experimentation and also community. The link sites that were my daily visits, were a chance to peer into the cultures of others and also see their technical skills on display in an interactive way. The internet in the late 90s and early 2000s was an exciting place that was just beginning to be monetized, but not yet fully motivated by ROI. Also, the age of blogs that followed the flash sites made access to a diverse set of divergent voices easy as well as form a kinship with different minds. I truly miss this time on the internet and it’s something I’ve written about here before.

So, if I combine these two origins, I find myself back at a place searching for expression and community, and community less in the sense of connection of people and more in the linking of minds and ideas. Then where are those two things for me in graphic design today?

A side note on this topic, I also began to question the value of an expansive definition of a graphic designer. I’m in a space in academia where I’m constantly asking that question of myself and my students. What if a designer was a cook? What if a designer was an accountant? What if a designer was an activist? How can these hybrid definitions help up and coming designers find pathways to new practice?

But the truth is, a lot of this type of expansive thought doesn’t really help students get jobs. They are privileged thoughts for people who are not financially obligated to practice and who can theorize the various directions designers can take their skills. However, there is a need to mix the utopian and practical visions of design practice, in hopes that newer designers can create new spaces to work and thrive.

Back to finding my own definition and vision of design today, I do find potential and power in the essay, “Designer as Author” by Michael Rock of 2x4. It’s a great reminder that we can step up to the challenge that has been presented to us by scholars in the humanities, that designers, as crafters of language and visual form, have the authority for authorship. Rock also returns back from a tale of insecurity, to a place of empowerment. Designer = Designer. It’s pretty rad to be a designer when you break it down.

So, I’ll conclude with a personal urge to myself to find those origins of expression and community. What are the needs to enable both those things in graphic design today? Pudding is a major avenue for this and I think everyone for reading this space. Hopefully, I can find my way back to this place in the near future.

Signing off…

BoA - No. 1

Radiohead - The Bends

Ian Lynam - Start Somewhere (a handy workbook on being a designer who writes)

Ray Masaki - Why is the salaryman carrying a surfboard?

Linkin Park - In the End

100 Gecs - Hollywood Baby

Twice - Moonlight Sunrise (House Remix)

Fuji Kaze - Kiari

Uptown - Let’s meet again

Graphic designer Mira Joyce

Yunjin of Le Sserafim killing at #2023 MAMA

Jeon Somi - Fast Forward at #2023 MAMA

Simon Reynolds - Everything is a Remix (lecture at the now defunct Strelka Institute)

New Jeans - ASAP

Eric Timothy Carlson’s Bon Iver design archive at Typojanchi 2023

Everyong enjoy the holidays and happy new year!

Signing off…

I attended a lecture a couple weeks ago where I was unexpectedly introduced to a curious initiative in mid-90’s K-pop. At the time, K-pop hadn’t even been coined as a term, and popular Korean music fell under the terms “gayo” (가요). This intiative was the “내일은 늦으리 (Tomorrow will be too late)” concert. This event was held in 1992 and starred the top artists in Korea at the time. It was a concert and compilation album to promote environmental protection and awareness.

I’m sure the Korean singers were riding the environmental awarness wave of the time, but looking back this was a very conscious move from the often criticized commercialism of K-pop. The concert event would last for years and became a major showing ground for top Korean musicians. Among the many performing artists were Seotaiji and Boys, and the moody Korean rock group 봄여름가을겨울 (Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter).

In lieu of the concert, all performing artists recorded a “We are the world” type song titled “더 늦기전에 (Before it’s too late)”. The song is a classic 90’s anthem with a strong gayo inflection with powerful verses and an uplifting rhythm. The song was written and produced by the boundry pushing rock musician Shin Hae Chul.

The next three editions would see Korean talents perform as they started to debut and emerge. Notable acts like H.O.T. DJ DOC, Deux and R.ef would perform as they quickly rose to the peak of the charts. Just looking at the timeline of these artists and their appearance in the concernt series, seems to indicate that it was a sort of music industry acknowledgment of their relevance.

You can view the whole concert from 1992 on YouTube. Viewing back on it you can really feel the contrast that Seotaiji and Boys were compared to their contemporaries. Also, you can hear the loud reception as they put on the last performance of the night. You can hear the loud shrieks and screams from the crowd as they take the stage and put on a stellar show.

The music festival is a time capsule of a time when Korean musicians were more involved in politics. The festival’s song would be followed by a similarly politically conscious track called “하나되어 (Become one)” in response to the IMF economic crisis of 1997. Then for a while, Korean musicians would stay relatively out of the political arena. Recently, they’ve been brought back into the fold as Seventeen and BTS have recently been to the UN as sort of pop ambassadors for Korea. But these types of actions are different from those of the 내일은 늦으리 Festival.

I’m curious to see whether K-pop will take a more culturally and politically conscious step in the future. I doubt this, as it’s not a big part of their industry make-up, but even actions like idols in support of LGBTQ rights, is a sign of awareness.

Signing off…

1. Describe your current role as a designer.

RM: Lately, I wonder if I'm better at thinking about design than actually designing stuff. I run my own design practice called RAN based in Tokyo, and I also occasionally write about design and other things. 

2. What designer do you think is most like a musician?

RM: Music has artistry, collaboration, and audience, which is quite similar to design in a lot of ways. I often think about Berton Hasebe's work for Commercial Type and how he not only has his own unique perspective, but also clearly understands his relationship with the designer, who is the end user of his work. I remember when his typeface Druk was released in 2014, it felt almost clairvoyant in the sense that he knew what designers wanted before we asked for it. Of course, Richard Turley plays a significant role, because he was the person commissioning it, but there's always a pretty special touch to Berton's work that feels virtuosic. 

3. What musician is most like a designer?

RM: Maybe someone like JPEGMAFIA? Or he's the kind of designer that I aspire to be, at least. I would say that he's pretty irreverent, but smartly puts together references via sampling and lyrical content. It can get a bit abrasive at times, but overall compositionally satisfying. He's not afraid to try things and understands how to amplify his own message.

4. What is the most influential piece of record art you've encountered?

Honestly, my uncool answer is that the most influential art for me was Linkin Park's “Meteora.” I was unbelievably hyped for that album, and my start in graphic design was very much informed by Meteora-style Photoshop grunge texture packs and brushes for my Myspace and forum signature graphics. 

5. What is the most influential piece of music you've heard?

I don't know if it's been recognized as such, but I genuinely think that Young Thug's "Barter 6" is one of the best albums of the last decade. Listening to any of Thug's output from that era is revolutionary.

When I heard "Danny Glover" for the first time, I felt that I was listening to something new, and that feeling is becoming increasingly rare. I still often return to his Slime Season series, and it's incredible how much you can hear his influence over the current hip-hop landscape.  

6. What kind of music do you usually listen to when working?

I have a playlist called "Kaleidoscopic Music," which is how I describe albums that have a central theme that shifts and transitions over their track list. Floating Points' "Promises" is a great example of this and is for sure my most listened-to album in the past year. I find it so beautiful that I can listen to it every day. Kaleidoscopic music is usually simple enough that I can still think and focus on my work, but not so minimal that it is disengaged and becomes background noise. 

7. If you could have a "intro" song for when you come into the office or studio, what would it be?

Fujii Kaze – Kirari (Naken Remix)

8. What are you listening to these days?

Right now, I'm listening to the girl group XG a lot. For hip-hop, I like what Griselda is doing and Houston rapper Maxo Kream. I also did some work for PAS TASTA, a hyperpop-adjacent group based in and around Tokyo, and their production is on another level.

Thanks for sharing Ray!

Signing off…

I wrote in a previous post about the differences in K-pop creative directions. I’d like to expand upon that a bit by contrasting two third-generation groups that represent the open and closed world types: Red Velvet and Black Pink. Red Velvet represents the closed world type of creative direction and Black Pink the open world.

Red Velvet is a five member girl group from SM Entertainment. When they debuted, they were directed by Min Heejin, who now runs the ADOR label at HYBE, and is the creative director of New Jeans. I believe it was with Red Velvet that Min Heejin really started to sculpt her creative direction, particularly in the vein of that 90s nostalgic girl aesthetic.

If you look at the early looks of Red Velvet, specifically on songs like “Russian Roulette” and “Dumb, Dumb”, they are well coordinated and express a young femininity. Red Velvet has a look that is well conceived and blends high-teen movies and school girl outfits with a slight edge. They come from the same universe of groups like Twice, but they have a level of composure very typical of SM that is very poised and “perfect”.

In terms of the closed world vision, Red Velvet album covers also describe this fantasy girl world. Even in terms of fashion, Red Velvet has a mix of unified looks and individual styles, but they stick closer to consistency over variation. I would argue that Red Velvet emphasizes each member less than they present themselves as a group. What’s interesting is that you can see the roots of newer generation SM groups like aespa when looking back on Red Velvet’s early years.

Red Velvet continues to release songs with a recent release called “Chill Kill”. They have come back in a way that has more edge and a bit of cynicism about their earlier innocence. They have started to implement a more loose direction, which seems to be reflected across SM in general. I think the reason for this can be found in the success of Black Pink.

Black Pink needs little introduction, but to the unexposed they are a four-member girl group from YG Entertainment. They quickly found fame and success not only in Korea, but across the globe. One of the distinguishing factors of Black Pink, to me, is that each member has an incredibly strong profile and character. Additionally, the group was primed to be global in that each member represents a global background (Rosie is from Austrailia, Jennie was raised in New Zealand, Lisa is from Thailand, and Jisoo holds down the Korean roots).

In order for Black Pink to maintain these four strong characters, they crafted a world view that was strong and feminine, but had little restrains in terms of expression. Their looks are not unified in form, but color is a dominant organizing factor. Even their choreography relies less on synchronized movements and creates many moments for individual breaks.

Their singing also has a level of variation that pronounces their individual skills. Jennie is the main rapper, Rosie is the voice, Jisoo is the background, and Lisa brings choral attitude in addition to her raps. Jennie speaks candidly about the release she feels from rapping on Dua Lipa’s podcast. This high focus on individual attitudes and character allows for a deeper connection for fans according to their biases.

I believe that recognizing the efficacy of defining individual characters is starting to influence the newer groups. However, there is still a contrast between groups that have a closed vision opposed to groups that have a more open vision. As previously stated, New Jeans represents the former and Le Sserafim the latter. I find these sorts of creative direction choices fascinating and I’m curious to hear how fans feel about it. If you have any insights please share.

Signing off…

** Correction note - the initial post of this writing labeled the two groups in discussion as “second-generation”. That has been corrected to “third-generation”.

Derrick Gee is a podcaster / DJ who actually happens to occupy a similar space as Pudding. He first caught my attention on TikTok because he was doing reviews of high-end stereo equipment and he‘s built a following around his audiophile product design reviews and music criticism.

On his podcast, Derrick Gee Speaks Volumes, he recently broke down several key areas where K-pop is excelling and I found his insights quite compelling. They are things that I‘ve been researching and I‘d like to share and expand upon some of his points (you can read my PhD dissertation on K-pop music design here).

Gee hesitantly labels his insights into K-pop by comparing their innovations to the porn industry and how porn has led every cutting edge media technology. A funny catch, but slightly problematic considering the sexualized nature of idols and other sexual scandals in the industry. Below are the points that he makes with time stamps from this YouTube episode.

1. 02:20 - the Money

2. 03:40 - R&D

3. 05:30 - Artist treatment

4. 10:40 - Promotion

5. 14:13 - Live Events

6. 18:30 - Tech

7. 22:00 - Merch

8. 26:22 - Fans

I’ll start digging into several of his points, while adding my own insights.

Derrick says that K-pop's industry structure allows for a lot of focus on several artists, rather than the spread out system of the Western music industry. This has its pros and cons, but overall it allows for a well oiled machine to be built around a group, providing them with all the media and PR resources they need to survive in the current media landscape.

To add to this idea of R&D in the K-pop industry is the concept of “Cultural Technology” or 문화기술 in Korean. This is a policy term and also a sort of philosophical concept that has been championed both by the K-pop industry as well as the Korean government to bolster creative soft power. In the case of K-pop industry ideas, the founder of SM Entertainment, Lee Sooman, heavily developed this idea and made it a central pillar in how he sculpted SM’s talent manufacturing process. Here he is expounding on the concept. Lee has manifested this idea in many ways, namely the trainee process and his belief that like technology, culture can also be sculpted by similar means.

On the side of the Korean government, they’ve applied this thinking to how they can apply systematic structures alongside technological advancements to help bolster cultural manufacture. In the case of the Korean music industry, the government’s early investment in broadband infrastructure allowed for a quick adoption of online music services and helped the industry weather the Mp3 era into the streaming era.

Gee goes on to expand upon his observations of K-pop artist treatment by explaining how artists have the potential to gain tremendous financial reward through equity in their labels. I don’t have a lot of evidence for this, but I don’t think this is a widely adopted incentive practice. In the case of BTS, they got extremely lucky with their equity in Big Hit Entertainment when HYBE, the parent label, became a public company.

One observation that Gee really nails is how K-pop groups can form sub-units. NCT is an SM Entertainment group that has really invested heavily into creating this type of adaptable structure. The NCT group has sub units NCT U, NCT 127, WayV, NCT DoJaeJang, and NCT New Team. These are reconfigurations of the main group that can suit specific market needs and create a diverse set of allegiances amongst fans. It allows for fans to buy into various versions of the group and find a unit and group of biases that suit their identities.

The JYP group Twice has also seen success in sub units and solo careers. The “J-Line” in Twice, which is composed of members Mina, Momo, and Sana, have formed a provocative group MiSaMo and have had a string of hits this past year. The solo activities of members like Nahyeon and Jihyo have also allowed for members to branch out without breaking from the group. I think this is a great system, which benefits both the artists and the fans.

I’ll skip ahead to the innovations that the K-pop industry has made in terms of merchandise. This is quite a wildcard for the industry, because they’ve essentially stumbled upon a real golden treasure item. The introduction of the photo card is something that I’ve spent some time researching and have found that they are products with a high level of symbolism for fans. In the way they are acquired, sold, and traded amongst fans has been insanely successful and like many of the other facets of K-pop, its manufacture and sales have been highly controlled by official channels.

Although K-pop merchandise has a history and provenance from fan made goods, the K-pop industry has really capitalized on the fan imagination through the photo card product. These cards, which are mainly distributed through album packages, are business size cards with one single member on each. They are not highly produced affairs, rather they are ways to directly connect to a fan’s bias. Each member of the group has a set of two versions in each album release. There are a series of other methods to acquire the cards including fan meetings, lottery draws, and after market sales. The quest to collect these cards is a serious endeavor for fans. It is the high level of meaning and symbolism that each fan adds to their collection that makes them a lasting and meaningful product.

Finally, Gee shares some insights into the fans of K-pop. One particular observation that he makes is that K-pop fans are not disillusioned by the “manufactured” quality of K-pop artists. They are in for it and they are part and parcel of the capitalist nature of the industry. They have no qualms about how K-pop artists are created through a rigorous training system, rather they have a high level of admiration and appreciation for their rigor. Also, the various ways by which one can become an idol adds to their aura and their mythology. Some come through official training programs, others come through audition shows, which adds a level of narrative to the idol’s career, and others are discovered talent along the way. Fans are also highly encouraged and engaged through the various official channels that have been created by the industry. Gee sights the New Jeans app, which adapts many of the platform features of competitors like WeVerse, which is a social media platform for idol groups created by HYBE. However, the New Jeans app is dedicated to the group.

WeVerse also has created technologies to attend various events including live concerts and fan meeting interactions. Some of these events are sold through the platform, others are acquired through hidden album prizes, which creates a fervor of collection amongst fans. But it’s amazing how the K-pop agencies have really taken advantage of the social media age of connection, bolstering accessibility to create exclusivity for live events. They know that fans can buy quite an expensive e-ticket to an event, but that only adds value to the live event attendance and can drive up the price of the tickets.

These innovations and insights on the K-pop industry are endlessly fascinating to me and I’m excited to see how the industry continues to innovate. Recently, HYBE founder Bang Sihyuk and his close previous employer / collaborator JYP President Park Jinyoung had an interview on 유퀴즈온더블럭, where they reminisced but also expressed concern for the industry. They both reflected on the lack of a clear K-pop identity and how that will hinder the genre from having a lastly place in global culture. I’m not 100% convinced by this doomsday perspective, and tend to think it was an admission of guilt for their own creative limits. Whichever way the cookie crumbles, it will be exciting to see how K-pop evolves.

Signing off…

CL is an interesting figure in K-pop the industry spanning the second and the third generations. She continues to fight for relevancy as she grows her solo career. She has also taken an interesting path into her “Korean-ness“.

CL, born Lee Chae-rin, grew up abroad living in Paris, and Tokyo after being born in South Korea. She herself has admitted to her mixed identity by saying "culturally, I'm not 100 percent Korean. I'm very mixed, and very open." And her musical output and brand identity reflect this ease of traversing between K-pop and global pop and hip hop.

At age 15, she returned to Korea and auditioned for YG entertainment. She would debut as CL in the group 2NE1, a four member ensemble from YG. Despite her age, she became the leader and was a serious force in a powerful female group. 2NE1 presented an image in contrast to contemporaries such as Girls Generation and Wonder Girls.

From 2014, CL would venture out into her solo career and quickly saw success as she expanded into the states. Part of her ease into the US market was due to her signing with Justin Beiber‘s manager, Scooter Braun. She would have a slew of hits and collaborate with artists like Diplo and the enigmatic “rapper“ Riff Raff.

During this time, YG decided to disband 2NE1, despite CL and fellow member Sandra Park remaining on the label and renewing their contracts. What felt like a sign of loyalty would later turn into a strained relationship.

From 2017 to 2019 CL would be mired in a series of delays of her album, frustring fans and herself. She would start to rebel and blame the label for these delays, eventually leading to her leave YG in 2019 by not renewing her contract.

Finally, in 2021 CL released her album ‘ALPHA‘, which would be her first official full length album. The single ‘Spicy‘ has a curious vocal by the American actor John Malkovich as he yearns for that “Korean“ spice. Overall, the album was a hit and had some powerful singles. However, I don‘t think it received as much attention as her previous solo singles and her songs with 2NE1.

For me, I find CL fascinating in several ways. First, her diverse international background is of interest to me personally. She‘s a third-culture kid, like myself and Yaeji, who is both comfortable but also alienated in Korean culture. Then there is her image. CL has struggled with her own troubles with her weight and body image, but with the release of ‘ALPHA‘, she has started to embrace her more bodacious body and added a great amount of sex appeal to her curves. I think this is a very brave and commendable protest against the outrageous beauty standards that plague Korean women, especially those in the public spotlight.

Expanding upon her global fluidity, CL possesses a hip hop diva identity and character that makes her equally comfortable in a Vogue interview as much as a performance on MNet in Korea. I especially enjoyed her Pisick University interview where she fearlessly stakes her ground, similar to someone like Jessi.

Although CL‘s K-pop relevancy is in a state of flux amidst the many new generation girl groups, she still is a powerful bridge between cultures as well as generations of K-pop. I look forward to seeing how her career continues.

Signing off..

If you have been paying any attention to Korean news lately, the country is in drug-related peril. In response to growing drug use amongst younger Koreans, the conservative government is cracking down. And where best to start then with celebrities?

In loose affiliation with the actor Lee Sun Kyun’s drug related charges, Kwon Ji-Yong was pulled into the fray. For actor Lee, this was his first run with the law in relation to drugs. But for Kwon, better known was G-Dragon, this was not the first time.

In 2011, G-Dragon was suspected of drug use, and he admitted to taking the drug, but said he was unaware of it being a narcotic substance. The charges were eventually dropped and YG Entertainment’s influence was suspected to be highly involved.

Over the years, the members of Big Bang, who G-Dragon is the defacto leader, has been embroiled in many scandals. They have been heavily protected by YG Entertainment, but also the police have surprisngly come to their defense on several occaisions.

On the theme of drugs, fellow member T.O.P. was also involved in a marijuana scandal in 2017. In a very dramatic series of events, which involved a hospitalization due to sedative use (another popular drug amongst Korean celebrities) eventually, T.O.P. admitted to using marijuana on 4 occaisions and servered two years in prison.

However, the group of bad boys of the 2nd K-pop generation, has weathered many storms. The most dramatic and controversial scandal was the “Burning Sun” night club and sex trafficking case surrounding all the members, but mainly implicating Seungri. This scandal is particularly abhorent and has made it very difficult to support Big Bang for me personally. Seungri was implicated as a orchestrator of a massive human trafficking operation through the nightclub, but he only got a slap on the wrist serving only a year and half. Through a loophole he was able to serve prison time without it being on his permanent record. The Rotten Mango podcast has a comprehensive rundown of the scandal, which I highly recommend.

Despite these many scandals, the group has survived, and I believe this explains G-Dragon’s almost defiant cooperation with the police on his recent marijuana charges. He voluntarily submitted himself to questioning and drug testing. There is even a meme of him walking out of the police department skipping, making him look like he’s performing the “slickback” trend.

My appreciation for Big Bang actually came after their reign over K-pop. (Actually, most of my interest in K-pop comes after the wave and I’m just now trying to keep up with the new 4th and 5th generation groups.)

The bad boys really brought to K-pop, I think, a unique and fresh take on the genre. They were able to blend hip hop with mutant fashion styles from the end of the world and also add global dance music into their toxic mixture. They had the looks, attitude and the performance energy to really pull a lot of attention to themselves. Not to mention that they engineered a lot of the current fan interaction innovations such as the light stick and naming their fans “V.I.P.s“.

Their music videos are where I think they shine the most and where their creativity really shines. Of course, this is aided by a team of stylists and directors, but their vision seems to be at play on full display in music videos like “Fantastic Baby”, “Bang, Bang, Bang”, and “Bae Bae”. These three videos, in my opinion, form a triology of Big Bang and were all directed by Seo Hyun-seung.

Around 2017, their careers started to wind-down as each member started their mandatory military services. Seungri even officially retired from the “entertainment” industry in 2019 in response to the issues around the “Burning Sun” scandal. So, for several years the members all took a low profile. However, recently they have started to pop back up.

They came together in early 2022 with the single “Still Life.” This song took heavily from the Guns n’ Roses playbook and tried to stir the heart strings of fans. However, maybe too much time had passed for the bad boys to be received with warm arms by fans and it failed to strike a cord with the new generation of K-pop fans.

What has been interesting is to see G-Dragon play a quiet background roll. He took interesting brand ambassadorships with several brands, namely BMW. Unlike other YG labelmates like Blackpink, G-Dragon’s relationships to his ambassadorships have been quite low-key.

Yet, despite the swirling scandals, G-Dragon has held a certain poise, which he’s always had, but he’s conveniently displayed in this recent scandal. However, I have a feeling that despite his negative drug test results, his image just isn’t as fun anymore. As mentioned above, as a fan of Big Bang, it was incredibly hard to swallow the “Burning Sun” scandal and I find G-Dragon’s attitude quite uncomfortable.

I think it comes down to how the government, press and industry has treated them. They are the first real bad boys that were widely accepted for their rebellious attitude. They unfortunately took this reception as a reason to behave without abandon. In an already patriarchical society, Big Bang was given license to use their male privelege in ways that bent the laws and gave them a sense of immunity. In comparison, the guard rails around girl groups are so strict that they cannot even venture close to the scandalous actions of Big Bang. This is further evidence that so many exceptions are made for males in Korean society.

On one hand, I appreciate his defiance because the marijuana laws in Korea are ridiculous. Especially in a country that should actually take a few chill pills and edibles. But on the other hand, G-Dragon’s attitude just doesn’t help the understanding of drug use in Korea, making it something for the bad boys.

Signing off…