The Rise of K-pop
韓國流行音樂如何征服全球
From The Kim Sisters to BTS, this is the story of how K-pop took over the world.
從金氏姐妹到防彈少年團，這是韓國流行樂如何攻佔全球的故事。
△韓國男子組合防彈少年團
K-pop is a worldwide sensation. From LA to Taipei to Europe to Australia and beyond, Korean pop music is on the radio and taking over streaming services. But if you think K-pop is a recent development, think again. This is a trend that's been building for decades.
韓國流行樂令全球為之轟動。從洛杉磯到臺北、歐洲、澳洲以及更多國家，韓國流行樂都在電臺放送並攻佔了流媒體音樂服務。不過如果你認為韓國流行樂是近期的發展，那就再想一遍吧。這是一個已經醞釀了數十年的潮流。
△《江南style》的MV在Youtube上有超過30億的播放量
Our story begins with The Kim Sisters, the first South Korean group to make it big overseas. The sisters were Sue, Aija, and Mia. In the 1950s, as a way to support their family, the girls sang American songs in Seoul nightclubs to American soldiers. American producer Tom Ball saw them in 1958 and knew he had to bring them to the US.
故事得從金氏姐妹說起，她們是第一個在海外大放異彩的南韓樂團。三姐妹分別為金淑子、金愛子以及金明子。在1950年代，這些女孩在首爾的夜店唱美國歌曲給美國大兵聽，以此作為養家餬口的方式。
△金氏姐妹
In 1959, the sisters arrived in the US and started performing in Las Vegas. They found success in nightclubs and even sang on national television. In 1962, they covered a song by the Coasters called "Charlie Brown." It reached number seven on the Billboard singles chart. With that, the Kim Sisters were the first huge Asian singing success in the US. Little did the ladies know they had start what would become a huge trend.
1959年，這三姐妹抵達美國並開始在拉斯維加斯演出。她們在夜店的演出很成功，甚至還在全國電視節目上獻唱。1962年，她們翻唱了一首貿易船組合的歌曲《查理·布朗》。這首歌登上了公告牌單曲榜第七名。金氏姐妹藉此成為首支在美國取得巨大成功的亞洲歌唱團體。這些小姐們並不知道她們引發了一股後來會蔚為流行的潮流。
Though K-pop has a longer history than most might think, it has really captured international attention only in the last 10 years. K-pop's true global takeover began with Wonder Girls and their smash hit "Nobody," which had everybody dancing in 2009.
雖然韓國流行樂有段比多數人所認為還要悠久的歷史，但是它只是在過去十年才真正開始引起國際關注。韓國流行樂真正地進行全球攻佔是從Wonder Girls以及其熱門暢銷單曲《Nobody》開始，這首歌在2009年讓所有人都起身熱舞。
Wonder Girls were a girl group put together by record executives in Korean. The girls had to go through rough training in singing, dancing, acting, and more at a special school for promising K-pop stars. Then they were selected to form a band. Like all K-pop stars, they were given a set of rules to live by. They had to behave well and rehearse often. They were even not allowed to date.
Wonder Girls為一個被韓國唱片公司高層主管拼湊而成的女子團體。這些女孩得在一所為了前景看好的韓國明星而打造的特殊學院中經歷嚴苛的唱歌、舞蹈、演戲以及其他方面的訓練。她們接著會被挑選出來組成一個團體。如同所有的韓國明星一般，她們被交付一套必須遵循的準則。她們得乖乖表現，反覆排練。她們甚至不被允許約會。
PSY brought K-pop to the heights in 2012 in "Gangnam Style." Later, at the 2018 Olympics Pyeongchang, K-pop was put on full display at the opening ceremonies. Most recently, BTS, a Korean boy band, has found success in America, appearing on the popular comedy show Saturday Night Live. Like Wonder Girls, BTS is a product put together and packaged by Korean record companies. They know the world likes sweet voices, pretty faces, and great dance moves. That's the strategy K-pop has used to take over the world.
2012年，PSY以一曲《江南style》將韓國流行樂引領至全新巔峰。之後，在2018年平昌冬奧會上，韓國流行樂在開幕式上完整放送。最近期的韓國男子組合“防彈少年團”在美國獲得成功，並登上了熱門喜劇節目《週六夜現場》。如同Wonder Girls，防彈少年團是被韓國唱片公司組合及包裝下的產物。他們知道全世界都喜歡悅耳歌聲、漂亮臉蛋以及精彩舞步。這就是韓國流行樂用以征服全世界的策略。
△Taylor Swift的推文圖片
Notes
sensation n.轟動；感覺
steaming service 流媒體服務
make it big 闖出名聲，成功
cover vt.翻唱
Little did the ladies know they had start what would become a huge trend.
little為否定副詞，置於句首時，其後的主語與動詞需要倒裝。本句中Little did the ladies know…的原句式等於The ladies little knew (that)…
除了little外，其他常見否定副詞置於句首也要倒裝，如hardly(幾乎不)，rarely(很少)，seldom(很少)，never(絕不)等。
capture sb's attention 吸引某人的注意
takeover n.佔領，接管
smash hit 熱門暢銷歌曲
record executive 唱片公司高管
go through sth. 經歷某事（常指負面經歷）
a set of rules to live by 一套該遵循的準則
live by rules 遵守規則
rehearse vi.&vt.彩排，排練
bring/take sth to new heights 將……帶到新頂點
put sth. on display 展現某物
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