Adrian Besley - EXO: K-Pop Superstars

EXO

For Nora, whose love of EXO and K-pop is boundless

First published in Great Britain in 2019 by
Michael OMara Books Limited
9 Lion Yard
Tremadoc Road
London SW4 7NQ

Copyright Adrian Besley 2019

All rights reserved. You may not copy, store, distribute, transmit, reproduce or otherwise make available this publication (or any part of it) in any form, or by any means (electronic, digital, optical, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise), without the prior written permission of the publisher. Any person who does any unauthorized act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

ISBN: 978-1-78929-114-8 in paperback print format
ISBN: 978-1-78929-115-5 in ebook format

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CONTENTS

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

T heres absolutely no doubt that when EXO exploded on to the stage to perform Power at the closing ceremony of the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, their high-energy performance made an incredible impact and won the group legions of new fans. However, EXO were already stars not just in their members home countries of South Korea and China, but across the world too.

Their hit singles Growl, Call Me Baby, Monster, Ko Ko Bop, Universe and Tempo have topped the charts everywhere from South East Asia to the Americas, Europe, Australia and the Middle East, and each of their five albums has sold over a million copies; their most recent, Dont Mess Up My Tempo, went to number one on the iTunes album charts in forty-six different countries.

EXO are hugely popular, but they werent an overnight sensation. Theyve had to deal with disappointment, hardship and even scandal, but their success is a result of their wealth of talent, their willingness to work hard and the continual support of their management company, SM Entertainment. However, as EXO themselves are the first to admit, none of their triumphs could have happened without the love and dedication of EXO-Ls.

These are the fans who stood by them during their dark days, who sell out their concerts in record time, and who chant, wave their light sticks and hold up banners declaring their love at every performance. These are the fans who send video view-counters into the millions and EXOs music to the top of the charts. There are now more than 4 million official EXO fans worldwide and, via social media, EXO-Ls have come together as a genuine community. They help each other, support charities in the groups name and make lasting friendships as they follow the boys ongoing success.

Every EXO-L has their bias (favourite). For some its the charming and articulate Suho, the groups leader; for others its the maknae (youngest member), the eternally stylish Sehun; or the rapper and multi-instrumentalist Chanyeol, the self-appointed happy virus of EXO. His fellow beagle liners (a K-pop term for mischievous band members) the ultra-handsome Baekhyun, and Chen with his infectious smile have more than their share of devotees. Other fans favour lead dancer Kai, who just oozes sensuality; D.O., who has the softest eyes and perfect heart-shaped lips; Lay, the sole Chinese member, who just slays with his killer dimples; or Xiumin, the eldest, who, once considered a cute boy, is now a ruggedly handsome man.

However, as is evident in interviews and TV variety-show appearances, each of these boys has his own unique charms, and all are supremely talented individuals, rated among K-pops very best vocalists and dancers. Some are songwriters in their own right and some are also acclaimed actors, while others have had hits as soloists or duetted with other artists. In dedicated chapters covering each of the nine members in turn, this book captures the personalities and achievements of each one.

EXO have a reputation for pushing boundaries. They are musical chameleons with a sound that is impossible to pigeonhole. Their recordings feature elements of R&B, EDM, hip-hop, tropical house, trap and pop music; and on their albums emotionally charged ballads sit beside funk-fuelled stomps, with melodious tracks enlivened by exquisite harmonies, catchy choruses, refreshing raps and, occasionally, unusual chants and yells.

But all this would stand for little without the stunning performances that bring the songs to life. Each time EXO reveal a comeback on the Korean TV music shows their singing is pitch-perfect, their incredibly complex choreography is completely on point, and they look awesome. That doesnt happen without weeks if not months of preparation, but EXO always give their all. This book highlights some of their famous live routines, which you can find on YouTube and other online video sites.

A concert is all this multiplied by a hundred: a two- to three-hour extravaganza featuring thirty or so songs, dazzling dance moves, solo performances, multiple costume changes, amazing backdrops and lighting, specially made videos and stage sets that enable the band members to walk right out into the crowd. The audience are part of the show too, their co-ordinated light sticks casting waves of colour across the venue. Its an emotional rollercoaster for everyone as the group genuinely bond with the audience, fooling around, playing games, chatting to them and picking out their favourite banners.

This book tells the extraordinary story of EXO. A story of how hardworking trainees were launched as a group of aliens with superpowers, transported to Earth from a far-off world called EXO Planet and split into two units: EXO-K and EXO-M. It tells of the merging of the two groups into EXO, the years of hard graft, all the way through to the impact of that Winter Olympics performance in front of a global TV audience of millions and a long-awaited comeback at the end of 2018. We follow them from debut through their setbacks and their successes, chronicling the relationship between the group and the fans.

EXO-Ls have certainly embraced the mythology, and perhaps some really believe EXO are extraterrestrial beings the group are definitely super-talented enough but there is one aspect of the story that EXO-Ls all agree on: EXO are truly out of this world.

F ormer musician and producer Lee Soo-man had been creating hit K-pop acts for his company SM Entertainment since the late 1990s. His success rate was unmatched in the K-pop industry.

He had launched acts such as H.O.T., Shinhwa and the solo artist BoA, as well as Super Junior and Girls Generation. However, since SHINee had arrived on the scene in 2008 and f(x) a year later, SM had failed to successfully launch a new act. Some said Soo-man had lost his touch

Lee Soo-man knew how K-pop worked. He had all but invented the genre. When he returned from a spell in the USA in the late 1980s, enthused by Michael Jackson and the MTV revolution, he found a South Korean pop scene that was beginning to change. Koreans were embracing American music hip-hop, R&B and pop and acts were integrating these genres into traditional Korean popular music. Lee Soo-man was the right man at the right time and he devised a system for creating (some would liken it to a factory and say manufacturing) pop stars that would also be adopted by SMs main rivals, JYP Entertainment and YG Entertainment, and other K-pop music companies.

Lee Soo-man knew how K-pop worked. He had all but invented the genre.