Anderson .Paak Expands His Artistic Horizon with 'K-Pops!' Film
Known globally as a Grammy-winning musician, Anderson .Paak is now stepping into the roles of actor and director with his new movie, K-Pops!. After debuting at various film festivals in recent years, the film is set for a nationwide release in AMC theaters today. This project marks a significant personal and professional milestone for .Paak, blending his musical expertise with cinematic storytelling.
A Plot Rooted in Music and Personal Connections
In K-Pops!, .Paak portrays BJ, a struggling drummer working at a karaoke bar in Los Angeles. His character quickly falls for Yeji, an emo-coded Korean-American woman, leading to a passionate but short-lived romance. Following their split, BJ continues his performances at the same bar for years until he receives a life-changing opportunity: to travel to South Korea and join the backup band for Wildcard, a fictional K-pop competition show.
It is in South Korea that BJ encounters Tae Young, a promising contestant on the show, whom he discovers is his son. This revelation adds a layer of emotional depth to the narrative, especially since Tae Young is played by Soul Rasheed, .Paak's real-life son. The film explores themes of family, identity, and the unifying power of music across cultures.
Cultural Heritage and Artistic Inspiration
For .Paak, this movie is deeply personal, reflecting his own mixed heritage as the son of a half-Korean and Black mother. Although he always knew of his Korean roots, his understanding of Korean culture deepened after meeting his ex-wife, Jae Lin. As an R&B aficionado, .Paak initially found it surprising to delve into K-pop, a genre often criticized for being overly commercial and exploitative. However, his fascination grew during quarantine, sparked by his son's obsession with K-pop groups and YouTube content.
"When he talked about K-pop, it reminded me of the groups I grew up with, like New Edition, Jodeci, and SWV," .Paak shared in an interview before the film's New York premiere. He sees K-pop as a fusion genre that draws from diverse musical influences, including Black music, which he highlights in a poignant scene where BJ educates Tae Young about iconic Black artists like Motown and The Jackson Five in a Seoul record shop.
Addressing Complexities in Music and Society
While celebrating K-pop's global appeal, .Paak does not shy away from addressing its challenges. He acknowledges that the genre, still young on the world stage, faces growing pains, particularly regarding cultural appropriation from Black music. "Every genre kind of has to go through these things, especially the ones that drew from Black music," he explains, emphasizing the need for awareness and respect for musical roots.
This nuanced perspective extends to broader social issues, as the film subtly touches on tensions between Black and Asian communities in the U.S. .Paak is acutely aware of the risks in portraying harmonious intercommunity relations without conflict, but he believes in taking bold artistic risks to foster understanding. He notes the scarcity of positive on-screen depictions of Black and Asian collaborations, citing the Rush Hour movies as a rare example.
A Focus on Joy Over Trauma
In creating K-Pops!, .Paak intentionally avoided centering the narrative on trauma, despite his own experiences. "I grew up with a lot of trauma, I wanted to focus on the things that help us cope with the trauma," he says, highlighting elements like love, music, family, and laughter. The film aims to offer audiences an entertaining and insightful look into K-pop and Black music, without heavy-handed commentary on race relations.
Produced in part by BuzzFeed Studios, which shares a parent company with HuffPost, K-Pops! represents a collaborative effort to disrupt traditional narratives and pave new paths in storytelling. As .Paak puts it, this movie is about celebrating cultural connections and moving forward together, one beat at a time.
