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Singer Eric Nam: "In the West there aren't many artists who dance and sing at the same time"
Photo: Johnny Nunez / Getty Images
Eric Nam can still go unnoticed: In the back alleys of Hannam-dong it is quiet in the early evening, later this quarter will fill up with bars and restaurants in the South Korean capital Seoul. Nam, 31, is one of the best-known solo artists of K-Pop, the musical genre that experiments with pop, hip-hop and electronic dance music. Nam is Korean, but grew up in the USA, speaks perfect English and Korean, and has recorded five albums in both languages. The last mini-album "The Other Side" was released in July. In conversation, Nam radiates an American casualness, he wears a black hoodie and Adiletten.
SPIEGEL:
Mr. Nam, in 2011 you gave up a permanent job as a business analyst to become a K-pop singer.
Was that brave or was that crazy?
Nam:
It was a dream come true.
Since I was a child I wanted to be a singer.
But I didn't think I could do that because I've never seen an Asian face on TV, in the cinema or on stage.
SPIEGEL:
Your parents are Koreans, but your family lived in the United States.
Nam
: Yes, I was born and raised in Atlanta, and there were very few known Asians in the US at the time.
That I could be successful as a singer was just not realistic.
So I worked on my résumé, got good grades, studied international relations, and graduated from Boston College - pretty much a standard path.
SPIEGEL:
The turning point came when you were invited to a South Korean talent show.
You were spotted on the show after posting the cover version of a K-pop song on YouTube.
Nam
: I called my mom and said, "I've been invited. The producers seem to like me, everyone is excited."
She said: "I'm glad you did this so that the subject is finally over. There are so many singers in South Korea who are better than you. But do what you can not do" and "See you when you'll be back home in a couple of weeks. "
SPIEGEL:
You cross cultural boundaries between East and West.
Did that advance or hinder your career?
Nam
: When I started there weren't many English-speaking artists in South Korea.
That helped me.
I started interviewing English speaking celebrities on television.
I have also participated in many South Korean reality TV formats in order to become better known and to raise my profile.
It wasn't easy for me at first.
I look Korean, but I grew up in the United States.
At the beginning of my career, I tried very hard to adapt.
Even so, some people have said to me, "You're too American, you just don't understand."
For me there came a point where I said to myself: I'll just do things the way I think they're right, precisely because I'm American.
SPIEGEL:
The K-pop industry is known for its strict rules.
Can you really disregard it?
Nam
: There are cultural rules that you have to adhere to.
It wasn't easy for me at first because I was in trouble all the time and had to listen to myself: Don't cross your arms when you talk;
if someone yells at you, don't look at them;
don't stand up like that.
I thought: I'm doing my best, but I just don't know any better.
The most important thing is - and I am very aware of this - to behave politely and respectfully.
But that's how I was brought up anyway.
Otherwise I was just trying to take control of my career myself.
My international management is now in the hands of my brother.
SPIEGEL:
K-pop stars don't usually speak out about politics.
You have publicly spoken out in favor of Joe Biden as the next US president.
Why?
Nam:
When it comes to US politics, I support Joe Biden.
In my opinion, a vote for Trump means voting against minorities of all forms.
But more than just being political, I support social engagement.
I stand up for equal rights for all, for universal education and access to health care.
I think this is about human rights and that is what we should all work for.
SPIEGEL:
American fans were very committed to "Black Lives Matter" and protested against Trump.
Why are K-pop fans suddenly so political?
Nam
: When K-Pop was not part of the mainstream, the fans - and I too - were labeled "different", we weren't fully accepted.
They develop strong opinions about things they believe are right or want to defend and are the first to speak up.
K-pop fans are likely to be more liberal and open to other cultures and people.
"Suddenly it is no longer weird to see seven guys with different hair colors dancing."
Eric Nam
SPIEGEL: Recently,
K-Pop has not only made headlines with the political commitment of its fans.
Bands like BTS and Blackpink have broken records on YouTube.
The latest song from BTS is more successful than any music video has ever been.
Does that mean the breakthrough for K-Pop in the West?
Nam
: Not just for K-pop.
This is the moment for South Korean culture as a whole.
I think Korean food is becoming more popular, the movie "Parasite" had its moment.
In the past, K-Pop was off the beaten track, you were looked at from an angle.
There were articles that asked, "Why do men wear makeup? Why do they have pink hair? That's so weird."
But we've made great strides in the past ten years.
People look different, they like other things, they define their sexuality differently - all of this is more widely accepted.
K-pop is one of them.
Suddenly it's no longer weird to see seven guys with different hair colors dancing.
People find their way into the K-pop universe in different ways, and find community, purpose and acceptance there.
If you don't like K-pop these days, why not?
The music is great, the shows are great, the fashion is great, the people look good.
SPIEGEL:
What triggered this change?
Nam
: There aren't many artists in the West who dance and sing at the same time.
The last ones to do this were the Backstreet Boys, N'Sync and Britney Spears.
After that it got strange.
But that doesn't mean that people don't like to see bands that dance great and put on big gigs.
So those young people who feel like it have stuck to K-pop.
Eventually, K-Pop got so big it couldn't be ignored anymore.
SPIEGEL:
You released a new album in the summer.
How difficult is it to write and produce songs in the midst of a pandemic?
Nam
: Producing songs through Zoom or Google Hangouts was a real challenge.
I had never done that before.
I was in Palm Springs at the time, my producer in Los Angeles, and my co-writer in Canada.
We met over Zoom and it went like this: "Can you hear me?", "You're so choppy", "Can you repeat that?", "Okay, I give up", "No, don't do it" and finally: "Let's try it".
We felt our way slowly.
We usually finish a song in a day, but it took us weeks.
But it's gotten easier.
I wrote a song with people in Nashville two weeks ago.
That is the new reality.
SPIEGEL:
What are your plans for the time after the pandemic?
Nam
: I've achieved so much in South Korea and Asia that I now want to focus on my US career.
SPIEGEL:
Why?
Nam
: So far, South Korea is the only place where someone who looks like me can make music.
But it is important that we venture out.
I believe that what I do can affect future generations.
When an eight-year-old fan sees one of my performances and comes up to me afterwards and says he wants to be just like me, that's wonderful.
And when his parents tell me he can dream because of me, that's probably one of the coolest experiences you can have.
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