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'Collaboration of K-pop, K-literature is a win-win for both'
By Dong Sun-hwa
The experimental spirit of the K-pop industry is already well-known, and industry insiders are always enthusiastic about finding innovative new ways to add new value to their music offerings. Most recently, the eyes of some of the biggest players have been focused on Korean literature, with many of them seeking collaborations with high-profile novelists.
Last month, rookie K-pop girl group Le Sserafim ― comprising of Sakura, Kim Chae-won, Huh Yun-jin, Kazuha and Hong Eun-chae ― and its management company HYBE made headlines for teaming up with Kim Cho-yeop, a novelist known for her best-selling 2021 science fiction "Greenhouse at the End of the Earth." The writer wrote a prologue for "Crimson Heart," a fictional story featuring the five Le Sserafim members. The story was made into a booklet that was included in the quintet's second mini-album, "ANTIFRAGILE," which hit shelves on Oct. 17.
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| Scenes from "Crimson Heart" / Courtesy of HYBE |
Novelist Kim revealed in a recent interview with Weverse Magazine ― an online magazine published on Weverse, HYBE's fan community platform ― that she decided to partner with Le Sserafim and HYBE because the synopsis and concept of "Crimson Heart" reminded her of animated adventures that she loved as a child.
"I particularly liked the fact that it was a story about girls," Kim said. "Its prologue depicts how these girls lived safe yet highly controlled lives in their community before starting their adventure. I must admit that I have a penchant for characters who question the status quo. It was also interesting to craft a story about characters that I did not create."
She added that she hopes her fans find it gripping, too.
"I want to give them a chance to read a bright and bubbly story that has a different color from my previous works," she said.
Even before Le Sserafim, Kim has been collaborating with HYBE ― which also houses other A-list stars like BTS and Tomorrow X Together (TXT) ― since the beginning of this year to create original stories featuring its artists.
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In August, novelist Chung Se-rang joined forces with K-pop girl group IVE for its third single, "After LIKE," with its members reading some lines written by Chung in a teaser video titled "I'VE SUMMER FILM." The video, which intended to show the members' friendship, has racked up 1.78 million views on YouTube.
In the short clip, member Liz narrates, "I thought it would be cold on a rainy day, but it was not. I am not afraid of anything when I am staying with you. I did not know how brave I was until we became friends."
Chung is the writer behind best-selling books like "The School Nurse Files" (2015) and "From Sisun" (2020). The former, in particular, was made into a six-episode Netflix series in 2020 and ranked first on Netflix Korea's top 10 list upon its release.
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| The posters for the 2020 Netflix series "The School Nurse Files" / Courtesy of Netflix |
"I accepted the collaboration as I am a fan of IVE and K-pop," Chung was quoted as saying. "Working together with people in the K-pop industry was a fresh experience for me. I will continue to take on new challenges if I get the opportunity."
According to Ko Jeong-min, a professor at Hongik University's Graduate School of Arts and Cultural Management, the team-up of K-pop and K-literature is a win-win for both.
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| Ko Jeong-min, a professor at Hongik University's Graduate School of Arts and Cultural Management / Korea Times file |
In the case of the novelists, they have the opportunity to raise their profile and promote their writing thanks to the global clout of K-pop.
"In this regard, Korean literature can reach a wider audience and seek further growth," Ko explained. "So, it seems collaborations between K-pop and K-literature will be seen more frequently in the days ahead."
However, Ko pointed out that K-pop singers should not focus just on making fascinating stories.
"The quality of their music should be guaranteed first before they work on their stories," he noted. "It is also vital to search for a novelist who is the right fit for them and create an engaging story that anyone can understand and enjoy. It will be better if they come up with content that can have a positive influence on teenagers, their major consumers."
