The other K-pop: Trot! (pt. 1)

We all know about BTS and Blackpink, they are the current symbols of contemporary K-Pop. But do you know that there is another style of K-pop called 'trot'? Trot (트로트) is an older form of Korean popular music that began in the earlier 1900's when Korea was a colony of Japan. Traditional Korean music along with Japanese and American influences came together to create a new genre of music that is more popular among older people in South Korea than what the rest of the world knows as K-pop. Trot in many ways is comparable to American country music. It has a much more 'Asian' sound and the themes are very different, often about failed love affairs. This music is played by taxi and truck drivers and you can hear it being played when riding on public buses and in the marketplaces. I am posting some examples of Trot below for you to get a taste of this music, In future articles I will introduce more examples of trot and explain more about its history. Although this music appeals to an older crowd in Korea, it is a very popular form of music and some K-pop singers also sing some trot songs. In many ways it is a form of popular music in Korea that is much more authentic and 'Korean' than K-pop.

Hot for trot What’s bigger than K-pop?

Question: how does trot compare to K-pop?

The first video is two famous trot singers, Nam Jin and Jang Yoon Jang