Eurovision Song Contest

[Imperial Joseon]

So the actual question you're asking here is "why aren't they singing in Korean"?

Well, they can always sing K-Pop songs in English translations; there are a few out there. That's what I meant.

[The New California Republic]

Guess you aren't going to answer my question then Imperial Joseon.

[Imperial Joseon]

So the actual question you're asking here is "why aren't they singing in Korean"?

Well, the thing is Eurovision is an international singing contest hosted in Europe, and there were entries in Hebrew and Arabic, which aren't particularly European.

[Nekoni]

Comparing the languages of countries that are in the European Broadcasting Union and ones from countries on the completely opposite side of Asia is a bit of a stretch. I think you're being deliberately obtuse here.

[Imperial Joseon]

Comparing the languages of countries that are in the European Broadcasting Union and ones from countries on the completely opposite side of Asia is a bit of a stretch. I think you're being deliberately obtuse here.

So, all of a sudden, Hebrew and Arabic are considered European by..hmm...European standards? I don't know who's being deliberately obtuse here; certainly, i'm not the one.

[Nekoni]

There are non-European countries in the European Broadcasting Union. I feel like every year I have to explain this, and it gets more of an irritant every time. Whilst a lot of countries outside of the area do have associate status, entry to the contest doesn't apply to those outside the EBU, with Australia being a special case added in 2015 for the contest's 60th anniversary due to them having broadcast the contest since the 70s. It seems unlikely there'll be another case like that any time soon.

[Imperial Joseon]

There are non-European countries in the European Broadcasting Union. I feel like every year I have to explain this, and it gets more of an irritant every time. Whilst a lot of countries outside of the area do have associate status, entry to the contest doesn't apply to those outside the EBU, with Australia being a special case added in 2015 for the contest's 60th anniversary due to them having broadcast the contest since the 70s. It seems unlikely there'll be another case like that any time soon.

Well, I'm new to Eurovision, but, as I have stated, it wouldn't be wrong, if there can be K-Pop songs sung in English translation.

[Nekoni]

Aye, but it's about as likely as a J-Pop entry getting in when that was a big thing in the early 00s, and that didn't happen either, so...don't bet the house on it.

[Imperial Joseon]

Aye, but it's about as likely as a J-Pop entry getting in when that was a big thing in the early 00s, and that didn't happen either, so...don't bet the house on it.

You see, J-pop is nowhere near popular as K-Pop has been in the last couple of decades. The emergence of Wonder Girls, PSY, and now BTS, signifies considerable Western interest in Korean contemporary music. I guess, if I were to lawyer in your position, some K-pop songs are partially in English, using English words and such.

[Britonisea]

Tbh what does this have to do with Eurovision....? I think we're steering away from the topic of conversation now.

I see Eurovision as "which nation can send the best song" rather than it being a European culture event. It'd be nice for nations to be their own ethnic touch in their songs but let's be real, some nation's genres in Europe are a lot more liked than others which would lead to disadvantages for the nation's with genres that aren't as popular. If a nation wants to showcase their cultural identity, I'm sure there's the world expo would do them justice.

[Imperial Joseon]

Tbh what does this have to do with Eurovision....? I think we're steering away from the topic of conversation now.

I see Eurovision as "which nation can send the best song" rather than it being a European culture event. It'd be nice for nations to be their own ethnic touch in their songs but let's be real, some nation's genres in Europe are a lot more liked than others which would lead to disadvantages for the nation's with genres that aren't as popular. If a nation wants to showcase their cultural identity, I'm sure there's the world expo would do them justice.

This is why I was wondering, given the emergence of K-Pop popularity in Europe, if K-pop songs sung in English translation would garner some popularity in Eurovision as well. I might slightly be mixing this up with WorldVision, since that's how I came to know about Eurovision, but I'm by no means saying "one genre is superior to another" stuff. Nekoni got me veered off a bit about it, but that wasn't the crux of what I was trying to refer in this thread.

[Britonisea]

I don't see Korean pop making an entrance into Eurovision any time soon. Language isn't the issue here. I don't think K-pop is as popular as you might assume. Songs like "Feker Libi", sure it has Arabic and Hebrew in it, but it's a lot more accessible in Europe than K-pop in general.

[Imperial Joseon]

I don't see Korean pop making an entrance into Eurovision any time soon. Language isn't the issue here. I don't think K-pop is as popular as you might assume. Songs like "Feker Libi", sure it has Arabic and Hebrew in it, but it's a lot more accessible in Europe than K-pop in general.

The thing is, many European nations like France, England, and Hungary have radios that tune K-Pop songs, even Korean folk music, as I surprisingly found. It's slowly being entrenched into European mainstream society, as it has in the North American society. I'm not saying K-Pop is more popular than their native music now, but it certainly has more global influence than let's say, Japanese, Chinese, or other Asian pop music.

[Britonisea]

I'm not sure where you are in the world but as someone from England, I'd struggle to find K-pop being played on the radio and struggle to find it on the UK Top 100 or Spotify charts etc. You've got to also think about the audience watching Eurovision. I have friends that are into K-pop, but I don't think they're Eurovision's target audience.

I'd agree that it has more influence that Chinese/Japanese music, which where I am is basically doesn't exist. The main argument as well is what actually qualifies as K-pop? Because if it's a song produced in one of Eurovision's participating nations with people who don't have descent from Korea, then is it really k-pop? I dunno...

[Imperial Joseon]

I'm not sure where you are in the world but as someone from England, I'd struggle to find K-pop being played on the radio and struggle to find it on the UK Top 100 or Spotify charts etc. You've got to also think about the audience watching Eurovision. I have friends that are into K-pop, but I don't think they're Eurovision's target audience.

I'd agree that it has more influence that Chinese/Japanese music, which where I am is basically doesn't exist. The main argument as well is what actually qualifies as K-pop? Because if it's a song produced in one of Eurovision's participating nations with people who don't have descent from Korea, then is it really k-pop? I dunno...

Do you have to compose and produce your own songs for a Eurovision entry. Is that what you mean?
If you mean, in general, that is somewhat debated, because most of those songs are produced and composed in a team comprised of both Koreans and foreigners, but the lyrics, which are mainly in Korean and which mainly reflect Korean emotions and culture, are mostly composed by Koreans. If that's put in English translation to abide by the Eurovision policies, I think it shouldn't be much of a problem.

Perhaps, in a British perspective, as I will assume by your nation name, K-Pop isn't quite as prevalent as I would think, but one thing I'm certain is that its influence is slowly growing from hit songs from newer generations of K-Pop singers like BTS. Wonder Girls took years to barely get into 66th place in the Billboard Charts, whereas, PSY's music, after the advent of Gangnam Style, came into Top 20 or Top 30 in the charts, then BTS nailed it by getting #1. K-Pop is slowly getting prevalent, and you can occasionaly hear K-Pop songs in BBC radio.

Further note about the identity of K-Pop, Americans attempted to create a popular K-Pop group, composed of Americans only, and they have been criticized by most Koreans as "losing identity", because K-Pop should only be originally created by Koreans. It's different from Eurovision, though, mind you, because singers are only singing K-Pop songs; they haven't composed nor produced them.

[Britonisea]

I'm not sure where you are in the world but as someone from England, I'd struggle to find K-pop being played on the radio and struggle to find it on the UK Top 100 or Spotify charts etc. You've got to also think about the audience watching Eurovision. I have friends that are into K-pop, but I don't think they're Eurovision's target audience.

I'd agree that it has more influence that Chinese/Japanese music, which where I am is basically doesn't exist. The main argument as well is what actually qualifies as K-pop? Because if it's a song produced in one of Eurovision's participating nations with people who don't have descent from Korea, then is it really k-pop? I dunno...

Further note about the identity of K-Pop, Americans attempted to create a popular K-Pop group, composed of Americans only, and they have been criticized by most Koreans as "losing identity", because K-Pop should only be originally created by Koreans. It's different from Eurovision, though, mind you, because singers are only singing K-Pop songs; they haven't composed nor produced them.

I know of that group.

Bottom line is that there's no demand for K-pop, really, in Eurovision (at least yet). I, personally, don't see a reason for a nation to go out of their way to get Korean writers (a totally different market) to enter a k-pop song at the contest.

I'm assuming you listen to a lot of BBC radio though to make such an assumption it's played a lot?

Either way, there's much more pressing topics to discuss regarding Eurovision like the possibility of it being cancelled...

[Imperial Joseon]

Eurovision will be cancelled:

https://twitter.com/BBCWorld/status/1240273803734921217

[Djeusland]

Frequently Asked Questions

[Djeusland]

Make Eurovision 2020 an online contest

[An Alan Smithee Nation]

Make Eurovision 2020 an online contest

You would think Youtube could step in to host it.

[Britonisea]

Well at least WorldVision Song Contest 81 isn't cancelled....yet...

So sad to hear about Eurovision but we move!

[Djeusland]

Make Eurovision 2020 an online contest

You would think Youtube could step in to host it.

I'm not sure how will this go...

[Djeusland]

We could still proceed with our usual "fan voting" for this year's entries.

[Darkmania]

We could still proceed with our usual "fan voting" for this year's entries.

As the guy who hosted last year`s Fan Vote, my plan was to start the vote when the running order was announced. I am willing to make a running order and then hold the vote as if Covid-19 didn't canned Eurovision.


Ill open the vote when the running order "are announced" and then hold it here (instead of the 2020-thread as its dead).

[Djeusland]

We could still proceed with our usual "fan voting" for this year's entries.

As the guy who hosted last year`s Fan Vote, my plan was to start the vote when the running order was announced. I am willing to make a running order and then hold the vote as if Covid-19 didn't canned Eurovision.


Ill open the vote when the running order "are announced" and then hold it here (instead of the 2020-thread as its dead).

Thank you