[Courtesy of FILA Korea]
"BTS is a great success story. But BTS broke the ice; it is not the ice," Phil Quartararo, CEO of Tripod Partners, said in a press conference on the sidelines of MU:CON, the biggest K-pop fair in South Korea.
Quartararo has served in top roles at Virgin Music, Warner Bros. Records and EMI Marketing, playing an instrumental role behind the musical success of such legendary artists as the Rolling Stones, Janet Jackson and the Spice Girls. He is to deliver a keynote speech on Wednesday during a MU:CON's conference session at the Convention and Exhibition Center (COEX) in southern Seoul.
Recalling his storied career at the forefront of the U.S. pop music scene, Quartararo said the sensational breakout of BTS may lead to greater success of K-pop in general in the U.S. market, thanks to the K-pop industry's high-quality music production.
"For BTS, it was opening the door. We can send a lot more behind BTS ... I believe there will be plenty of other opportunities for big artists that command this market very, very well," he said.'
According to Quartararo, K-pop in general develops music's three core elements -- rhythm, melody and harmony -- very well, fascinating the fan-driven U.S. pop market better than other genres like EDM, hip hop or Latin. "The fact that makes K-pop rave, it's not that it's Korean or it's pop. It works because it's good," he said, adding that "I hope to see not only K-pop ... but also K-rock and K-country."
"As long as these (K-pop) companies continue to produce quality, hit music, you will always remain competitive ... there's no constraints on what K-pop can do or should do," he added.
(Yonhap)
reporter
Lim Chang-won
cwlim34@ajunews.com
