Jiwon Kwon
Jiwon Kwon is a Ph.D. student in Ethnomusicology at the University of Pennsylvania whose research explores the intersections of music, political power, and economic structures. Her work focuses on how state and commercial logics impact musicians’ agency and labor, with a specific emphasis on creative autonomy, decision-making processes, and the power dynamics involving major industry actors such as record labels, streaming platforms, and digital distribution services. By drawing on case studies in jazz, K-pop, and Western popular music, Jiwon investigates the ways in which socio-economic hierarchies shape the production, circulation, and consumption of music in transnational contexts.
Jiwon holds an MA in Music from Washington University in St. Louis and a BM in Piano Performance and Jazz Composition from Berklee College of Music. Beyond her academic pursuits, Jiwon is an active pianist, composer, and arranger who regularly performs and records music.
University of Pennsylvania
Session
This paper explores how transnational collaborations—particularly those involving diasporic Korean and foreign musicians—shape the sound of K-pop. As Korea becomes a creative hub for global producers, K-pop emerges not only as a site of cultural negotiation, but also as a space for musical experimentation. Through case studies and musical analysis, I examine how these collaborators engage with and are transformed by the genre’s distinctive sonic practices.
Rather than adhering to standardized pop formulas, K-pop often blends multiple genres, embraces structural complexity, and foregrounds melodic variation. These musical qualities set it apart from other global pop forms and offer producers a rare space for creative freedom and technical challenge. For many, working in K-pop becomes not only a career move but also a way to expand their musical craft.
By centering sound rather than visuals or choreography, this paper situates K-pop as a distinct musical practice shaped by transnational movement. K-pop is not simply Korean music with global appeal—it is an experimental, collaborative genre where genre fluidity and melodic complexity serve as defining features. These qualities make K-pop both a fertile ground for creative growth and a compelling case study in global music production.