K-pop Diaspora

Abstract

AbstractFor young Korean Canadians, K-pop (Korean idol pop music) is presented not only as an ethnic media form but also as a highly global media practice. The diasporic youth’s consumption of K-pop may partly fulfill their cultural nostalgia and contribute to enhancing their ethnic ties with their ancestral homeland. Moreover, they appreciate K-pop as a global sound that is considered to be youthful, kaleidoscopic, hybrid, and relatable. While feeling ethnic and cultural affinities with K-pop, the diasporic youth engage with this genre as a cultural resource for questioning the mainstream cultural frame that takes Whiteness as a norm for granted.