Thank you Guam for K-pop!!
I saw the click-bait title below, rage clicked, realized it was meant sarcastic and decided to share some I love Guam stories of my own. 3rd year of my residence here btw.
This island is so special, they started K-pop without realizing it. Please take credit and as an old school OG K-pop fan & Korean who is witnessing the amazing outcome of our combined music, thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Gonna be a long story. Perfect for a rainy Wednesday morning.
‘Massive Attack’ has been covering one of our legendary rock bands (Seotaiji) in our own language and they claim ‘K-pop started in Resistance’ and got me thinking - yes the legendary UK band Massive Attack probably has a point, but, why don’t ppl talk about how K-pop started here in Guam.
I’ll share this story for whoever doesn’t know,
Or whoever is interested.
SES: The mother of K-pop, they call themselves - no one argues, the director of KPOP demon hunters mentions many times that SES is the model for all the Kpop bands in the film. Eugene hard carried SES, she was the Beyonce of Destiny’s Child)
You all know how Eugene (the mother of K-pop herself, got picked up by the CEO of SM at the GPO parking lot, right? <— one of the holy grounds of k-pop, definitely deserves a sign. Oh, she was attending JFK at the time btw.)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eugene\_(actress)
Perry, taught everything YG knew about music when they were starting off. YG is one of the core production companies of K-pop, their contribution to Kpop is immense. Guam’s own Perry taught them music and what’s cool. He basically laid down the founding principles and core values of YG music (and K pop therein).
YG is the company that produces Black Pink, 2NE1, and … as a korean guy in my forties, it is my obligation to ask you. Do you know Psy?
Anyway, Perry came to Korea worked as head producer to YG when they were starting off in the 90’s teached how to produce and make cool music. Legendary YG producers - Teddy, GD and YG himself, all students of master Perry. So influential google AI mentions him when I look up Kpop producers this day. YG loved him so much they released 2 albums for this foreigner. Basically you had a Guam boy releasing albums in Korea back in the day when K-pop was brewing)
Last but not least, Sean, rapper of YG’s fist ever rap group Jinusesn, also grew up in Guam. Can’t be bothered looking up which schools he attended, but lived here til he was 16.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jinusean
You see all the Korean tourists who’re all really geeky and somehow seem lost? They’re our cool ones. Thanks Guam for teaching Korea whats cool and birthing K-pop! It’s hellah expensive compared to back home and you have your glitches and storms but I love raising my kids here. I really can see and claim that Guam is the birthplace of K Pop. It’s not the scenery it’s the people. (Many of which are d****, like everywhere else, but the general vibe : awesome!
I’ve lived in Seoul, NY, London and also Germany, it’s pretty rough everywhere else, especially now. Brace ourselves, help each other out as you do well and I’m confident you’ll do fine.
Anyone with knowabouts to Perry? Someone please find him and contact YG Entertainment - maybe we can get a K-pop concert here or something ^^;.
Closing with awesome old school Kpop music video shot in Guam by Septaiji.
https://youtu.be/6ZTFcnRS3b0?is=swyC\_VtpR\_hcpTSU