K-Pop Dreaming - Solid

Thank you for listening to Yeah No, I'm Not OK. The team at LAist Studios would like to share our latest podcast, California Love: K-Pop Dreaming. It's a story about the rise and history of K-pop in the United States, as told from the point-of-view of the Korean diaspora in Los Angeles by host Vivian Yoon.

The underground hip-hop scene in Los Angeles was thriving in the late 1980s. And there, soaking in the vibe, was a Korean American college student by the name of Jae Chong. He was also making music on the side, but didn’t think much was going to come of it. That is, until an out-of-the-blue invitation brought him and his friends to Korea when K-pop was taking off. Their group, Solid, would become the Kings of R&B and the first Korean American act to make a splash in the Korean music industry. Vivian reflects on the importance of Solid and sees the group's Korean-Americanness as the cornerstone of their success.
(Originally published March 16, 2023)

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