K-Pop: Idols in Wonderland
Asking 'What is Better K-Pop' at Sweden's 'Heavy Metal Mecca' Rock Festival

[비즈한국] K-Pop has become South Korea's premier export. However, behind the glamour lie deep shadows. Idols, the face of K-Pop, are scouted at a young age and subjected to grueling trainee periods. In this process, labor rights and human rights are frequently ignored. What happens to the countless trainees who never even make it to their debut? Through the 'K-Pop: Idols in Wonderland' series, Bizhankook aims to highlight the problems that have been overlooked during the growth of K-Pop and examine various alternatives. We believe that only when those who create K-Pop are healthy can those who enjoy K-Pop be truly happy.

Sweden is the world's third-largest music exporter. In terms of population, it ranks first, surpassing even the United States and the United Kingdom. It has produced numerous successful musicians across various genres, from pop to metal, including the legendary pop group 'ABBA', the alternative rock band 'Kent', and heavy metal acts like 'Yngwie Malmsteen' and 'In Flames'.

Regarding why metal, a niche genre globally, remains popular, some say that the cold, long winters of Northern Europe align with the unique sensibilities of heavy metal music, while others point to the correlation between the intense imagery of heavy metal and the Vikings in Scandinavian history. Some even cite Sweden's music infrastructure. The music magazine Rolling Stone analyzed, "Wealthy nations not only have the media and fan bases needed for heavy metal to be consumed, but they also have the resources to provide young musicians with the means to become competitive in technically demanding music like metal."

Bizhankook visited the Sweden Rock Festival, held in Sölvesborg, Blekinge, Sweden, from June 5th to 6th (local time), to learn about the unique band culture of Sweden and the factors behind its popularity.

Mild Weather Perfect for Festivals… Famous Bands Gather in One Place

June is the favorite month for the Swedish people. It is the time when the weather is at its brightest in the Swedish climate, which is characterized by long winters. The Sweden Rock Festival is held in June, when the climate is at its mildest. The festival, which took place over four days from June 5th to 8th on the outskirts of Sölvesborg, Blekinge, in southern Sweden, brought together famous Swedish and international bands spanning various genres such as classic rock, hard rock, metal, and blues.

This year's festival featured 97 bands, ranging from top-tier artists like 'Alice Cooper', 'Journey', 'Judas Priest', 'Megadeth', 'Evanescence', and 'Extreme' to up-and-coming groups.

The band culture in Sweden is exceptional even when viewed across all of Europe. In the past, the pop band 'ABBA' firmly imprinted Swedish music on the world. Even heavy metal and death metal, which remain the exclusive domain of enthusiasts in Korea, are beloved as mainstream music in Sweden. The Sweden Rock Festival, where diverse bands from Northern Europe and the rest of the world gather, began in 1992. It is a long-standing musical event that has continued steadily, with the exception of 2020 and 2021, which were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

We asked a Swedish man in his 50s drinking beer on a broad grass field why he attends the festival. He said, "I visit here every year with my friend. Setting up chairs, drinking beer with my friend, and listening to rock music is the happiness of my life. I felt that band music was getting a bit distant from young people these days, but coming here, that's not the case. The age range of the audience seems to be lower than last year."

From the first day of the festival, long queues stretched endlessly. What stood out was the wide age range of the audience, from children to seniors. Everyone from parents with children in strollers to rock enthusiasts covered in tattoos gathered in small groups, surrendering themselves to the powerful sound. Despite the large crowd, order was remarkably well-maintained.

On one side of the vast venue, there were audience members watching the performances in a relaxed manner while lounging in camping chairs in the warm sunlight, and others enthusiastically headbanging in front of the main stage; everyone had their own way of enjoying the festival. Families who had come for a picnic with live music as a backdrop could also often be seen.

The notice that children under 13 must wear earplugs also drew attention. It is a gesture of consideration by the organizers to protect children's hearing. A Sweden Rock Festival official stated, "The Sweden Rock Festival started in 1992 and has held 31 festivals so far. Swedish rock encompasses both rock and metal. Our goal is to provide memorable fun and a safe experience for all fans and staff attending the festival."

Every year during the festival, a wedding ceremony is held on Thursday. We met the groom, Caesar Ralph, and the bride, Vanessa Gedes, at the wedding held on the hill in the center of the three stages; they identified themselves as rock enthusiasts. They said, "We are happy to be able to get married and listen to our favorite music at a rock festival held during the sunny summer."

A harmonious lineup of old and new is also a factor in its popularity. Since rock has occupied the mainstream for a very long time in music history, it has a wide spectrum ranging from long-standing bands with classic sounds to young bands attempting genre fusion. The headliner on the first day was the legendary American thrash metal band 'Megadeth'. Megadeth, led by Dave Mustaine, has been active since 1983 and marked the finale of the day's performance. Even late at night, a cloud-like crowd did not leave their seats and responded to their performance with sing-alongs.

Starting Musical Activities Voluntarily Within the Framework of Public Education

Heavy metal was started by young people in the neglected British industrial areas, but now there are more heavy metal bands in the wealthy welfare states of Northern Europe. Sweden, in particular, prefers extreme genres such as death and melodic metal, which boast extreme sounds and messages. Diverse metal bands showcased spectacular performances at this Sweden Rock Festival as well, captivating the ears of the Swedish audience. What is the reason why the popularity of this band culture is still being maintained?

First of all, the performance level of rock bands is high. Is it because band music shines especially brightly on live stages compared to other musical genres? Rich live performances are unfolded as they interact directly with the audience on-site through overwhelming vocal ability and instrumental sounds, such as guitars and drums, that carry far. Karl Kramer, the leader and vocalist of the famous Australian rock band 'The Southern River Band', shared his feelings about the performance: "When our band's name was called in Swedish as we did the opening show, many people on the hill cheered so loud that it could be heard back to the stage. It was the most amazing feeling I've ever experienced in my life. After finishing our performance, we were treated like royalty wherever we went in the venue. Even though we are a band from the other side of the world. The best part is being able to be with so many people. When I get on stage, I can see the happy looks on people's faces."

Bands prepare music and performances through a process of playing instruments directly and practicing to harmonize. In this process, co-creation occurs naturally. Joel Alex, drummer for the Swedish band 'Truckfighters', introduced their roles, saying, "The first album was created by all members improvising. For the recent album, the member on guitar did the producing." Samuel, vocalist of the new Swedish band 'Velveteen Queen', also said, "We have been composing music together since our debut. Lucas, who is on guitar, comes up with riffs and song ideas, and then we write melodies and lyrics together and arrange the songs. When releasing an album, we select the songs we like the most and release them as singles along with music videos."

Band formation is also voluntary. Often, students who get along well form teams at school, and these days, teams can even be formed with people far away through social media. Velveteen Queen started with high school friends in 2021. Despite their young age (currently 20-23), they are attracting attention by producing their own single albums and touring rock festivals. Lucas, who plays lead guitar, introduced, "Most members met in high school, and later, the team's lead vocalist, Samuel, connected through Facebook and came to Gothenburg to join our band."

Sweden's robust public music education system is also one of the secrets to maintaining band culture. Starting in elementary school, pop and rock are actively encouraged, and if they wish, students can even learn sound editing technologies like mixing and mastering. This is possible even in regular schools, not just specialized music schools. Noah, the rhythm guitarist for Velveteen Queen, recalled, "I found out that members Lucas and Isaac had similar musical tastes while studying music in the same class in high school. We became close while practicing songs by Alice Cooper, Guns N' Roses, and Velvet Revolver together during our school days."

The practice process is also creative and autonomous. Velveteen Queen's vocalist Samuel said, "I was influenced by Aerosmith's vocalist Steven Tyler and Guns N' Roses' Axl Rose. I think my own vocal style was created by listening to their songs and practicing a lot on my own. The other members are also practicing on their own, not by anyone's instruction."

At the Sweden Rock Festival, bands emphasized that the popularity of rock, metal, etc., will return to the mainstream in the global market before long. Truckfighters drummer Joel Alex expressed strong confidence and pride in rock, saying, "Last year, many people were interested in 'house' or 'techno'. But in the future, Swedish people will fall back into 'real music'." Velveteen Queen's Samuel also said, "I believe rock music will be a hit all over the world once again. Isn't there a saying that trends go around and come around? The era of 80s-90s heavy metal that we loved will strike the world again."

※ The next installment will feature an article on the rising J-Bands.

※ This project was supported by the Press Promotion Fund created through government advertising fees.