Promoting Korea soft power:
This article written by Emmanuel Ozoemena, special correspondent in Abuja in Nigeria, and provided by The Korea Post Correspondent Yuccee Uwawa, deals with the rising popularity of K-Pop music genre in Nigeria and how KCCN is spreading the message of friendship and solidarity through music.
Established in May 2010, the Korean Cultural Center in Nigeria (KCCN) remains the best example of how to facilitate bilateral relations through ‘soft power’ diplomacy through cultural exchange between Nigeria and Korea. KCCN is a brainchild of Korea Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism collaborating with Korea Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Korean Embassy, Abuja, Nigeria to advance relations between both countries. KCCN continues to deliver services to the government and people of Nigeria through education and arts.
It is pivotal in promotion of awareness of Korean culture through music, arts, and education as well as engagement with Nigerian institutions of higher learning. KCCN, remains an expression of Korea’ ‘soft power’ diplomacy in Nigeria and working with young people through mentoring and capacity building, groom talents in music and arts.
It has organized the annual music talents’ hunt, which serves as veritable platform for spotting talents and potentials, as well as providing capacity and knowledge sharing with experts in music training them of various rudiments of music. Advancing cultural and educational between Korea and Nigeria is positive indication of robust partnership between them. In 17 years, KCCN remains purveyor for friendship and solidarity between Korea and Nigeria.
Several musical groups have in Nigerian, especially among the youth population have benefited from programs of the Centre through capacity building, talents hunt where notable and established Korean artists and trainers to mentor young Nigerians from basic from basic to technical knowledge of music.
KCCN is a brainchild of Korea Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism collaborated with Korea Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Korea Embassy, Abuja, Nigeria to advance relations between both countries through education and cultural exchanges. The KCCN continues to deliver services to the government and people of Nigeria in many ways.
It continues to play pivotal role in promoting greater understanding of Korean culture through music, arts, and education encouraging engagement and partnership on Nigerian institutions of higher learning. KCCN is an excellent expression of Korea’ ‘soft power’ diplomacy in Nigeria and beyond, working with young people through mentoring and capacity building, groom talents in music and arts.
It has organized an annual music talents’ hunt, which serves as veritable platform for spotting talents and potentials as well as providing capacity and knowledge sharing with experts in music training them of various rudiments of music. The cultural and educational between Korea and Nigeria is a strong indication that the partnership between the two countries will continue to grow rapidly than we expect.
Growing Fanbase for K-Pop Music Genre--23 Nigerians receives vocal training:
In furtherance of its commitment to advance education and cultural relations between Korea and Nigeria, Korean Cultural Centre in Nigeria (KCCN) trained twenty-three students from a pilot K-Pop Vocal Training class organized for young and upcoming Nigerian artists.
At the graduation ceremony held in Abuja, Nigeria, September 14, 2023, participants noted this it marks a significant step forward in an effort by KCCN to elevate knowledge sharing, improve capacity and capability of musicians, and create opportunities for young people.
Amidst a growing fan base of K-Pop genre in Nigeria and Africa, as more people embrace this genre music, and need to prepare young people for an emerging opportunity in the music market.
The training is aimed at preparing participants at gaining mastery of technical aspect vocals management for K-Pop music genre as complimentary to the dance style which has been the focus previously. Now, KNCC is focusing on aspects of training that will elevate the music in Nigeria via vocals training.
The KCCN organizes the annual Global K-Pop Dance competition in Korea, where selected groups from various countries compete for prizes and positions of the Best K-Pop Dance group. Nigeria music groups had won the Global K-Pop Dance Competition in the past. K-Pop genre popularity continues to grow as more people embrace across global, with prominent K-Pop groups including BTS, Big Bang, EXO top music chats, attracting positive reviews.
The vocal training for Nigerian musician facilitated by KCCN was delivered by expert-trainers from Korea and Nigeria taking participants on basic and technical knowledge of vocal components of K-Pop music genre.
Also, the emergence of non-Korean K-Pop idol groups such as Black Swan, Way V, XG, and EXP Edition, KCCN Abuja is shifting attention to another aspect of K-Pop music, singing.
While reiterating the importance of vocal training, Vocal Coach and K-Pop Idol Trainee at Rendezvous of Dream Voicers (RODV), William Kim said “You cannot talk about K-Pop without the vocals (singing). The role of K-Pop vocals is huge as well.”
A graduate of Contemporary Music at JMC Academy, Australia, he has collaborated with artistes from top K-Pop agencies including SM, HYBE, FNC, QEntertainment, among others. He revealed that the students received quality voice training as obtainable for prospective K-Pop idols in Korea.
“I tried to bring in what I do in Korea with my artistes and trainees to the vocal class. I wanted the students in Nigeria to experience the Korean K-Pop Idol Training System,” he quipped.
“We did a lot of stylistic vocal technique for them to sound trendy as in K-Pop. K-Pop is at the forefront of trendy music styles. We also worked on the foundation of singing, which is vocalization. In order words, how to produce sounds in a healthy manner, so as to produce nice healthy sound/voice,” he added.
It is instructive to note that K-Pop vocals are different from Afromusic, with the former focusing on ‘pronunciation, keys, notes and ‘glottal attack,’ and the latter leaning more on the natural (raw) voice, Kim believes there is a convergence between K-Pop and Afro Pop.
“K-Pop is influenced a lot by African music – the rhythm of it, the feel and groove of it. One can dance to it. We cannot talk about dance and the joy of music without K-Pop. Same with African music, which is heavily influenced by the dance element,” said Kim.
Chidimma Ibezim, a vocal trainee graduate and Grade School Teacher, who participated in the program notes that the song, “TXT’s ‘Tinnitus’ is the first time K-Pop and Afro Pop have smoothly converged for me. The combination of both forms of music in that song was strong. The song made me move my body.”
“Tinnitus” incorporates aspects of Afro Pop/Beat, with its heavy emphasis on percussion and a catchy, repetitive chorus. It deviates from the typical high notes of K-Pop and instead features a more relaxed and alto vocal style. “Tinnitus” is a testament to the endless possibilities of collaboration between K-Pop and Afro music, beyond the students’ aspirations to debut as a non-Korean Idol group.
In a remark on the success of the training, KCCN Director, Kim Chang Ki, expressed optimism about expansion of the reach and experience of K-Pop in Nigeria, adding that he envisions hosting various K-Pop classes and even inviting K-Pop vocal girl groups to perform in Nigeria in the future.
“I want to host several K-Pop classes. A month ago, we had a K-Pop dance class for children, and a year before that, we had a K-Pop dance.
KCCN has organized music competitions where the best performing groups receive prizes money that enable them to be established as music entities that provide services to the public. In 2023 it took it a notch higher by providing vocal trainings for 23 Nigerians on technical components of vocals. Experts were brought from Korea and Nigeria to deliver trainee- participants in a month-long capacity-building sessions running into several person-hours.