 Overview
- In 2023, VCHA, a diverse girl group formed through A2K and backed by JYP Entertainment and Republic Records, is set to debut in the U.S. with a K-pop style.
- They represent the evolving essence of K-pop, defined by musical characteristics, fan culture, and the unique trainee system, paving the way for future global K-pop groups like HYBE’s rumored all-foreign debut in 2024 and 2025.
In 2023, a highly anticipated six-member girl group under JYP Entertainment is set to make their debut in the United States, aiming for global success. This project originated from the American reality show competition called A2K (America 2 Korea), a collaborative effort between JYP Entertainment and Republic Records.
VCHA, also known as “비춰” (pronounced as “Blycha”), went through a rigorous K-pop training system in Korea, where they honed their skills under the guidance of K-pop producers, choreographers, and mentors, including Park Jin-young. They are slated to debut in the United States with a K-pop style, while also starting their music show activities in Korea before their official debut. Interestingly, even though they are collaborating with Republic Records in the U.S., their pre-debut song “Y.O.Universe” lists Park Jin-young as the executive producer, highlighting JYP’s significant involvement in shaping the group, similar to NiziU.
1 Diversity of the group VCHA is very unique
One unique aspect of this group is its diversity, as it comprises members of various racial backgrounds, including White, Black, Hispanic, and Asian. The six members consist of four Americans, one Canadian, and one dual citizen of Korea and the United States, forming a truly multinational girl group.
The group name, VCHA, draws inspiration from the Korean word “비춰,” which means “to illuminate.” They represent this concept in English with “V” and “CHA,” signifying shining and bringing light to their fans and the world. Fans seem to affectionately pronounce it as “Blycha.”
All members have limited experience living in Korea, and their Korean language skills are still developing, as they are primarily North American natives. Given their plans for activities in the United States, there is anticipation and concern regarding how they will navigate the stark cultural differences between Western and Asian pop industries, including the demanding K-pop training, dormitory living, strict dating rules, extreme dieting, and the critical Western media perspective on K-pop idol culture.
While all members currently reside in Korea and are learning Korean, one member, Kaeli, who has Korean-American heritage, already has proficiency in the Korean language.
Before their official debut, the group released a three-track pre-debut single album titled “SeVit (NEW LIGHT),” along with a music video for its title track, “Y.O.Universe.” With their impressive talents and catchy tracks, VCHA has generated high expectations within the K-pop fandom, leaving netizens eagerly anticipating their official debut and promotional activities.
2 So is VCHA a K-pop group?
When the debut news of these individuals was revealed, the related search query ‘is VCHA a K-pop group?’ began to appear on Google search. In fact, with the globalization of K-pop, many questions started to arise about the boundaries and essence of K-pop. Traditional K-pop was generally about Korean artists or groups created by Korean entertainment companies singing songs in Korean and primarily targeting Korean audiences. It was, quite literally, Korean from start to finish.
However, at some point, it no longer seemed unusual for songs to mix Korean with English or other languages. Not only a portion of lyrics, but entirely Korean-free songs started to emerge. Even before the language barrier crumbled, Korea expanded its reach to Asian countries, and the word ‘K-pop’ became synonymous with Psy’s ‘Gangnam Style’ worldwide.
Groups with foreign members also began to emerge. Having foreign members allows them to gain interest, recognition, and linguistic and cultural resonance with fans from those countries, often intentionally including foreign members for this purpose. Surprisingly, the inclusion of foreign members in K-pop idol groups had the effect of reducing anti-Hallyu (Korean Wave) sentiment overseas. At some point, there were even groups composed entirely of foreign members.
So, what defines a song or group as K-pop? Korean members? Korean lyrics? Korean entertainment companies? Activities in Korea?
My answer to that is this: K-pop is defined by a combination of musical characteristics, fan culture, and other non-musical elements. Musical elements include catchy melodies, hook-filled lyrics, unique music styles blending various genres, and the flow of music infused with rap lyrics. People who listen to K-pop often describe it as colorful and vibrant music, likely due to the influence of synths and beats.
The unique trainee system in Korea is another defining factor. Typically, Korean singers spend at least one, often up to ten years, as trainees. According to YG Entertainment, the cost of investing in one trainee for a year is approximately $100,000, a substantial amount. During their trainee period, they undergo basic training in dance and vocals, as well as training in songwriting, composition, foreign languages, and physical fitness. Nowadays, they also attend ethics classes to become idols who fulfill social responsibilities. The result is the ability to perform rigorous choreography while maintaining stable vocals.
Distinctive fan culture is also a key factor that defines K-pop. Especially, you can mention idol culture. Idols, often considered as role models, become objects of admiration for many fans. Through fan meetings, fan clubs, and social media platforms, fans have the opportunity to interact directly with the idols. Fanfiction, fan art, and the unique language and words created by fans, such as BTS fans saying “I purple you,” contribute to this culture. To communicate with a broader fan base, stars are fluent in at least two or three languages. Recently, they even allow fans to vote for trainees who auditioned, actively involving fans in shaping the idols they want. This active participation sets it apart from merely consuming groups created by entertainment companies.
3 Conclusion
As Muzic Bank deals with K-pop, we have deeply pondered the essence of K-pop. The result can be seen through the K-pop Nature series. I hope VCHA continues its active activities. HYBE, which produced global groups like BTS and TXT, is also rumored to debut an all-foreign K-pop group in 2024 and 2025. I support VCHA in paving the way first and showing a great example as senior groups.
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