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American missionary, Henry Appenzeller teaches American and British folk songs in school, these songs had an upbeat western melody with Korean lyrics. These songs were referred to as changga.
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During the Japanese rule, (1910-1945) many Koreans used changgas as a way to express their feelings of oppression. One of the more popular songs being called "humangga" meaning the song of hope.
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After Korea was separated into different parts, western style bars and clubs began to open. These bars and clubs played western pop music and it gradually became more accepted and appreciated.
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After the Korean War, soldiers stayed for protection from 1950-1953. During this time, popular American singers such as Marilyn Monroe and Louis Armstrong visited and performed for the soldiers. These performers caught the eyes of many Korean citizens.
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Following many preformances done by American singers, Korean companies began to find local singers to sing for larger audiences. Some of these reformers went international, such as the Kim sisters and Patti Kim.
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Many Korean musicians and their listeners enjoyed music that expressed peace and love, this mainly being influenced by the hippie era happening in North America at the time. With Korea facing ongoing issues of oppression, people found comfort in being able to express their feelings through music.
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In todays day and age, Kpop is becoming increasingly popular, and not just for those living in Korea. Kpop has reached youth across the globe, with social media being a huge part of it's success. The asian music industry has been dominated by Kpop and has increased cultural exports by over 2 billion dollars.
