What’s the difference between K-pop and Horror? Not much, actually. Celebrity life can be just as terrifying as it is rewarding; the search for fame and stardom is a slippery slope where few see the light at the end of the tunnel. Now that K-pop has become just as mainstream in the West as it is in its native South Korea, the music genre is intermingling with other media, including horror cinema.
White: The Melody of the Curse (also White: Melody of Death), is a 2011 ghost movie about a K-pop girl group that discovers the key to fame and fortune. A failing, unpopular group at first, the girls find an old video featuring a hypnotically-catchy song that they decide to use for themselves. Rebranded, the group grows in popularity – but not without a price. Fighting against a bossy manager, group in-fighting and jealousy, questionable deals, and chaotic fans, the girls find themselves against the biggest threat of their lives: the spirit of the voice in their ghostly #1 hit song.
I’m not a total K-pop mega-fan, but I do listen to and enjoy a good number of songs. But even if you’re not a fan, it’s hard to not know who certain groups or people are. BLACKPINK, BTS, and a ton of beauty and lifestyle YouTubers have exploded onto the American scene in the past couple of years. There are toys and pop-ups, US tours, and even special McDonalds meals to be had. Fans obsessively hunt down these items and albums to hear their music, get closer to their idols, and every reason in between.
And that’s a huge thing in K-pop and horror: idolatry. According to Wikipedia, an Idol is a performer (mainly used in terms of the music industry, K-pop specifically) who can do everything: sing, act, dance, model, etc.. These artists are the pinnacle of perfection, and they have the fanbase to prove it. Not only are they talented, but they are seemingly without a single flaw — making them coveted by all who surround them.
That’s only where the similarities begin between the K-pop industry and horror films. I’m a proud member of the horror community myself (obviously), but there are definitely haves and have nots in terms of celebrity and movies. Sometimes, it can be broken down into subgenres, studios, decades, and other things. The idols here could be anything from specific monsters to movies by one director, or those that are based on books or real events. Just as horror is seen as an all-encompassing genre that can do everything — be political, thought-provoking, funny, innovative, you name it — these K-pop idols are doing the same.
White: The Melody of the Curse combines these two subjects effortlessly. An age-old tale about ghosts taking revenge on those who are undeserving or just in the wrong place at the wrong time, White explores the horrors of the industry through something movie buffs are already familiar with. We get a look into what it’s like becoming a star, and what it’s like being torn down — ironically, something that happens to both horror movies and celebrities on a routine basis. When the group gets up a little in life, they continuously get torn down and even hurt, either by the ghost itself or the sasaengs that follow them relentlessly. Again, I am not an expert in K-pop, but from watching the countless videos and tell-alls of modern slavery and abuse in the industry, I’m not surprised it was so easily put into movie form via horror. In a way, it’s poetic how something enjoyable and scary could be a wake-up call about those trapped in exploitative contracts.
And this is coming from a movie made in 2011! More than a decade later, we’re seeing a rise in both of these subjects. Horror, especially films coming from smaller studios, is growing as a favorite genre, and K-pop is played on the billboard top spots. Not to mention the amount of Korean horror movies that have been coming out recently. White kicked it off, big time.
Even if you don’t get their music, their style, or the thought of a person being idolized to the extent that they are, White: The Melody of the Curse is a witty ghost film that catches the essence of the dark side of celebrity, showing that no amount of fame can save you from the spirit world. The horror sequences are frightening and ingeniously tied to music, and the infamous stolen tune, “White” is as catchy as any K-pop bop. It’s hard not to see how closely these two industries are related, and I’m glad to see a horror film delve into a different take on a classic story.
How many times did you hit replay on “White?” Let us know in the comments!
