K-pop takes over Guanajuato

First call, said the local sound of the Esplanade of the Alhóndiga de Granaditas, and the immediate reaction of the public gathered to see the Korean group of K-pop, CARD, as part of the Guest of Honor country delegation at the Cervantino, was an absolute hubbub. And with each new call, the noise increased until it was deafening.

Hours before the concert, scheduled for this Thursday night, in the streets of the Guanajuato capital, groups of young people who came from other nearby cities walked to witness the performance of CARD. Some of them practiced choreography with the songs of the South Korean quartet, and replicated them during the presentation on the steps and the side street of the esplanade, which was also packed with the public.

South Korea has known how to position its global image through its musical and entertainment culture, and the K-pop it has been the entrance key to the whole world. It is estimated that in recent years K-pop generates contributions to the South Korean economy of more than 10 billion dollars per year, according to figures from the Ministry of Culture of the Asian country, and the figure is expected to climb beyond 40,000. million dollars in the next decade.

Currently, it is estimated that there are about 200 groups of K-pop active, including CARD, whose rhythms bear recognizable similarities to contemporary Latin rhythms. It is the second time that the band has performed in our country in the last two months. The group seems to be built for the Latino public. And although only one of its members speaks English and the rest know how to say some constructed phrases in Spanish, such as “viva México bastards”, they have a song in Spanish, “Dímelo”, which goes like this: “I want to tell you, that I love you just for me… tell me, tell me, tell me”.

But the language difference is not a barrier. The bulk of the group’s songs in Korean were sung by the young people gathered in the Guanajuato capital exclusively to leave their voices in front of their idols.

It is proof of the successful positioning strategy of the South Korean music industry.

ricardo.quiroga@eleconomista.mx