AILSA CHANG, HOST:
K-pop has attracted audiences around the world. But in Santiago, Chile, a new generation of artists is taking K-pop's influence and creating something distinctly Latin American. John Bartlett reports.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)
JOHN BARTLETT, BYLINE: What was once a niche interest in Korean culture in Latin America is now undisputedly mainstream.
Today is the K-pop challenge, part of Santiago's Korean Cultural Week. All around me, there are hundreds of young Chileans rehearsing their energetic steps before the competition kicks off, counting in Korean and mouthing the words along with their idols as they flash across a giant screen.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "DYNAMITE")
BTS: 'Cause I'm in the stars tonight.
BARTLETT: BTS's arrival in Santiago this October will only amplify the excitement, but the K-pop wave here has already taken on a life of its own.
BENJAMIN ROLDAN: (Speaking Spanish).
BARTLETT: Twenty-year-old Benjamín Roldan says he remembers the day back in 2018 when a video by Blackpink, another K-pop band, appeared in his YouTube feed. From then on, Korean music, television series, literature and food took over his life, and he has never looked back.
ROLDAN: (Speaking Spanish).
BARTLETT: Japanese anime has long been popular in Chile, but he says that now it is being replaced by Korean music and series.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "1313")
Q ARE: (Singing) Q are. (Singing in Spanish).
BARTLETT: And Roldain is far from alone. Now, the K-culture wave is morphing into something altogether new.
SEBA: (Speaking Spanish).
BARTLETT: "We are merging our cultures and bringing them to the world," explains Seba, one of the members of the K-pop-inspired Chilean boy band Q Are. "We want to create something new that feels fresh and Chilean and, above all, with our own personal touch," he says.
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #1: (Non-English language spoken).
BARTLETT: At a dance studio in Santiago, the boys - who call themselves Jamin, Jota (ph), Seba, Bin, Aiden and Fabi - are being put through their paces.
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #2: (Non-English language spoken).
BARTLETT: They say that while all six of them settled on this style through a shared interest in K-pop, their hybrid sound is unique. The group do their own songwriting, choreography and visuals.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "FU!")
Q ARE: (Singing in Spanish).
BARTLETT: Last month, they launched a new single, "FU!" Their first album will be released later this year.
JOTA: (Speaking Spanish).
BARTLETT: "The model for a boy band to follow has evolved thanks to K-pop," says Jota. "In the K-pop industry, literally every detail is planned, from the outfits to facial expressions to the dances themselves. I think K-pop set the rules for boy bands, and there's no turning back."
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)
Q ARE: (Singing in non-English language).
BARTLETT: Q Are have already toured Chile and Brazil. They say they have fans - who call themselves the Qniverse (ph) - write to them from all over the Spanish-speaking world, as well as Korea, Europe and the U.S.
FABI: (Speaking Spanish).
BARTLETT: Fabi, one of the members of Q Are, says that several members of the band will be in the audience for BTS' show.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "PALA")
Q ARE: (Singing in Spanish).
BARTLETT: While Q Are may not share the spotlight with BTS this October, one thing is clear. In Latin America, K-pop is no longer just being consumed. It's being reinvented.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "PALA")
Q ARE: (Singing in Spanish).
BARTLETT: For NPR News, I'm John Bartlett in Santiago, Chile.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "PALA")
Q ARE: (Singing in Spanish). Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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