‘The Top Tens‘ website is a host to all your top ten lists, where netizens (Internet citizens) get to choose their own list and have people vote from all over the world. Although not an official site where everything that has been voted will be followed through, the website supplies a good insight to what people want. The newest addition to their list has attracted a fair amount of attention, causing a big stir among Western music fans and Kpopper’s, as it asks people to vote on ‘Singers You Would Like To See Perform At The 2012 London Olympics Opening Ceremony‘ .
A few days ago a reader sent me the link to the ‘Top Tens’ website exclaiming “Kpop is on the list to be performed at the London Olympics.” Baffled I proceeded to look, and was greeted with the sight of Super Junior in 9th place, and Girls Generation and Big Bang in the top 20. I will say I certainly had a smile on my face as it was a big achievement out of 100 competitors and big names to be that high in the ranking. As the days went past I checked every now and then, only to find even more Kpop artists were on the list, and how very slowly they were climbing up the chart.
As of writing (7th January 2012), the time is 12:30 midday and currently 2NE1 are in 34th with 0.6% of the votes. With 3% of votes in 11th place is Girls Generation and in 10th place we have SHINee with 4% of the votes. Now what’s most impressive is who is beating the likes of McFly, Lady GaGa, Justin Bieber and Tokio Hotel. Taking 2nd place in a list of over 100 names is Big Bang, who claimed their fame in the UK when they won the ‘MTV EMA Worldwide Act Award‘ back in November 2011. With just over 7% of the votes Big Bang has risen over 15 places in just two days. What surprised me more was seeing Super Junior in 1st place with 11% of the votes, a good 4% voting margin from second place having risen from 9th place to 1st and zooming ahead within two days.
For those in the know about Kpop, you’ll have realised all the Kpop names mentioned are bands from two of the ‘Big Three‘ in Korea. The big three are more commonly known as JYP Entertainment, YG Entertainment and SM Entertainment. Known for having some of the biggest money making idols and the biggest fan bases, whilst also promoting their bands to foreign countries, you would be a fool should you try to debut (or promote a new song) the same time as one of these companies.
This voting, although not official, is also showing the wants and needs of the Olympic viewers, who are obviously fed up with the usual opening ceremonies and wanting to expand their arms wider to show a little more variety. But this is also sending a rift between Western music fans and foreign fans, with one Westerner asking “Why should we have a group who we don’t understand at a Olympic ceremony being held in the UK, shouldn’t they at least be singing in English?” This has caused many to retaliate with one leaving a comment, saying, ”The Olympic games is about bringing people from around the world together to show off their sporting skills, why not incorporate that same meaning with music, just one performance among Western acts would not be too much trouble.” Another said, ”Don’t be shallow minded, Olympic games are to spread the love of the world, it’s not just about the UK or the hosting country.”
What are your thoughts on the matter? Would you like to see Kpop artists appear at the London 2012 Olympics or would you rather it stay strictly Western? Would you like to vote too? Then check out the site here!
