On the streets,in parks and garages, seven Cuban youngsters spent seven months practicingK-pop moves to secure a spot on their dream stage: an appearance in South Koreato imitate their idols. At the grandly titled and government-funded ChangwonK-pop World Festival contestants from around the globe perform imitation dancesor sing cover versions of the genre's biggest hits-with thousands of fanscheering them on.
In terms of global heft, South Korea is overshadowed by its much largerneighbors China and Japan, but the event is a way for Seoul to derive softpower from one of the country's biggest cultural exports. Cuba's Communistgovernment is one of North Korea's few remaining allies: when President MiguelDiaz-Canel, successor to the Castro brothers Fidel and Raul, visited Pyongyanglast November he was only the third foreign head of state to do so since leaderKim Jong Un inherited power in 2011.
But rather than geopolitics, Havana performer Karel Rodriguez Diaz-whosemannerisms and sleek hairstyle could easily be mistaken for those of a K-popstar-is more motivated by high-tempo beats and superslick dance moves. "Wenever had a place with a mirror or a choreographer who could teach us thesteps" but they kept on practicing, he said.
His team-mate Elio Gonzalez added: "We are so excited to represent notjust Cuba but also the whole of Latin America." Some 6,400 teams from morethan 80 countries entered the competition, according to organisers, with 13groups from places as diverse as Kuwait and Madagascar winning through to thefinal in Changwon, where they appeared on stage waving their national flags."This is like watching the Olympics, a K-pop Olympics," said theevent's host Lia, a member of K-pop group ITZY.
Soft spot
K-pop-along with K-drama soap operas-has been one of South Korea's mostsuccessful cultural exports to date. A key part of the "Korean Wave"which has swept Asia and beyond in the last 20 years, the K-pop industry is nowestimated to be worth $5 billion, with boyband BTS its latest high-profileexponent. The South Korean government has financed a variety of K-pop themedevents in what CedarBough Saeji, a visiting professor at Indiana UniversityBloomington in the US, said was a form of long-term "soft powerdiplomacy".
"When you are covering you get to 'become' those idols for the three and ahalf minutes of the song," she said, adding that performers will go so faras matching their clothing, accessories and hairstyle to their heroes andheroines. "The cover dancers of today will be diplomats, news reporters,and business leaders in forty years," she went on. "And hopefullythey'll still have a soft spot in their heart for Korea. Korea can't win the worldthrough hard power - armies, economic bullying - but with soft power even asmall country like Korea has a chance."
The music also provides an artistic alternative for overseas fans, especiallythose in developing countries, Saeji added. "The West, especially theUnited States, has been so dominant culturally for so long, and having adifferent cultural pole to look to provides hope that one's own country canexperience similar success in the future."
Be who you want
Beneath its glitz and glamour, the K-pop industry is also known for itscutthroat competition, a lack of privacy, online bullying and relentless publicpressure to maintain a wholesome image at all times and at any cost. Sulli, apopular K-pop star and former child actress who had long been the target ofabusive online comments was found dead on Monday, with her death sendingshockwaves through fans around the world.
"I think a day where (people) would be ashamed of the K-show business willsurely come," a South Korean online user wrote in the wake of the star'sdeath. "I think an industry that makes money by (making people) sing,dance, undergo plastic surgeries and go on a diet to please the gaze of otherssince they are teenagers should really go bankcrupt." But for Kenny Pham,a finalist from the US at last week's contest, K-pop's diversity-with sometunes having dark themes, while others were "cute" or sensual-is whatgives him a sense of liberation.
"I like how expressive you could be," the 19-year-old told AFP lastweek. "I feel like it's a place where you could show the passion you havefor music, dance or fashion. No one is bashing you for what your likesare."-AFP