The Most Influential Musician in Korea

Every few years, a new president of Korea is elected. However, there is one kind of president whose status remains. Seo Tai-ji is known as “the president of culture” of South Korea. Without a doubt, he is one of the most influential figures in modern Korean music. He transformed the music industry in various aspects.

Prior to Seo’s debut, Korean musical industry had trot, ballad, and dance as the three major genres. Heavy metal also existed but it was only small-scale. With Seo’s debut in 1992 in a trio called “Seo Tai-ji and Boys,” the musical paradigm shifted. The trio introduced their first song titled “I Know.” They got the lowest rating from the jury on a talent show they debuted on. It was only a minor setback in what would be a musical revolution. The song became a great hit and a sensation among teenagers, making the top boy band dominate the Korean music scene in the 1990s. In fact, the band became one of the highly successful modern boy bands in the Korean music industry.

The boys’ songs revolutionized the dance genre. The trio’s street and hip-hop dance brought change to the genre. Different genres were also introduced. “I Know” has rap which was a fresh musical form. The song also incorporated dance and vocals. The fusion of the three musical aspects can easily be heard in modern K-pop.

Seo also shifted the balance between musicians and media corporations. To concentrate on the production of the third album, he temporarily minimized his TV appearances, something that was unheard of and uncommon during that time. His bold action brought autonomy to musicians, tilting the balance of power between artists and media corporations. It emphasized musical perfection over popularity. Since then, taking breaks from media presence became common among celebrities.

Seo is called the president of culture because his arrival sparked a revolution in Korean music. Of course, he was not free from criticisms like many other musicians.

Nonetheless, it is not an exaggeration when we say anything he did became a trend and brought new standards in the music and entertainment industry. He established the cornerstone of the modern K-pop. These are the reasons why he is truly one of the most influential musicians in Korea.