[Desk Column] Kkobukjwa and Ppeugeol

[Asia Economy Reporter Myeong Jin-gyu] "What did you say? You don’t know about the trending Kkobukjwa and Ppeugel these days...?"

I wondered what that meant. At a dinner with a source postponed due to COVID-19, I was taken aback when unfamiliar words came up for the first time. The senior sitting next to me also scolded me, saying, "I know it, so why don’t you...?" implying that even the head of the consumer economy department didn’t know those terms.

Feeling embarrassed, I lowered my smartphone under the table and searched for ‘Kkobukjwa’. As soon as I searched, numerous articles and videos poured out, revealing that the trending girl group called ‘Brave Girls’ had emerged. I thought, as an older man, “So you like girl groups,” but the source’s eyes lit up as they began to evangelize.

The story that they suddenly gained popularity after discussing disbanding due to lack of success for 10 years since their debut was fascinating, but what intrigued me more was that a song they released four years ago swept the top spots on various music charts, causing a ‘reverse run’?I wanted to know the background behind that.

Brave Girls rose to fame through military base morale-boosting performances called ‘Wimun Yeolcha’ (morale train). Many other girl groups also perform at military bases, but usually only a few times. The reason girl groups avoid these performances is understandable. Not only are the locations hard to reach, but the conditions on site are poor, and the soldiers’ intense reactions can be a burden. Moreover, choosing to perform at morale events instead of popular TV shows is itself a sign of limited public popularity.

There are practical issues as well. According to a former idol revealed on a YouTube channel, the fee for a Wimun Yeolcha performance is about 2.5 million won for distant locations and 2 million won for nearby ones. From this amount, all expenses including transportation, daily costs, hair, makeup, meals, and practice rooms are deducted, and the remaining money is split with the company. After driving all day for the performance, the performer ends up with about 70,000 won. It’s a kind of talent donation.

According to data compiled by passionate fans, Brave Girls performed 60 such tough morale-boosting shows over five years. Since they took the Wimun Yeolcha about once a month, it’s no wonder they earned the nickname ‘Military President’. They were also the first girl group to visit Baengnyeongdo, the northernmost island in the West Sea, which requires a 4-5 hour ferry ride from Incheon. Since it involves at least an overnight stay and a 10-hour round trip on an unfamiliar boat, many would refuse, but Brave Girls even took photos with the soldiers after the performance, earning them a heartwarming reputation. At this level, it’s impossible not to acknowledge them.

According to Statistics Korea, about 220,000 active-duty soldiers are discharged annually. Although the number has decreased, over five years, more than one million active-duty soldiers have been discharged. Many of them became fans of Brave Girls during their military service and turned into passionate fans after discharge?this is the multiplier effect. Rarely does a girl group experience such a life turnaround, attracting even female fans, becoming truly a trending girl group. Quick-moving food companies swiftly signed Kkobukjwa (member Yoo Jeong), nicknamed after the Pok?mon character ‘Squirtle’, and BBQ recruited Brave Girls as advertising models, making them the biggest blue chip in the advertising industry.

This story offers many implications. The path walked with tears and sweat by those who admire someone’s story has shaken others’ hearts and written a new story. Now, everyone wants to buy that story. It is time for companies to return to basics. Instead of artificial and superficial stories, we hope for the birth of companies that quietly write their own stories.