In a press conference, Minister of Culture Abbas Salehi acknowledged the incorrectness of the government's cultural policies, asking, "Where did we go wrong that the musical taste of Iran has changed in such a way that our children and adolescents are attracted to Korean music?" Speaking on Sunday, January 13, he noted, "An unusual interest in Korean music has developed over the past decade, which has many implications for the musical path of the country." He continued, "Where did we go wrong that the musical taste of Iran has changed so much that our children and adolescents find the main attraction in this area? We certainly have not produced suitable content for the tastes of this new generation." The pop music produced in South Korea has attracted millions worldwide, especially among teenagers, and Iran is no exception. In recent years, Korean music, known as 'K-Pop,' has gained many fans among Iranian youth, to the extent that many have developed an interest in Korean food and language due to their love for this music. The popularity of this genre in Iran is such that in 2021, presidential candidate Abdolnaser Hemmati mentioned it during a debate, stating that censorship of music and the 'suppression' of rappers in the country have led Iranian youth to K-Pop. Salehi expressed a similar viewpoint, stating, "The main issue is that when we restrict opportunities for Iranian music or modern classical music or new music we could move towards, such spaces are created." Neither the Minister of Culture nor the presidential candidate addressed the question of how K-Pop groups are also very popular in countries without cultural repression and censorship, such as the United States and Germany. In April 2022, during the talent show 'New Era,' which aired simultaneously with Nowruz, a group called '60 Seconds' performed a song and style imitative of K-Pop. At that time, the media introduced the group's leader as 'a young Iranian of Korean descent,' and news agencies like Fars and Mashregh criticized the program, describing all music known as K-Pop as 'dangerous.'
Minister of Culture: Where Did We Go Wrong That Our Children and Adolescents Are Drawn to Korean Music?
Iran's Minister of Culture, Abbas Salehi, questioned the government's cultural policies that have led Iranian youth to favor Korean music, specifically K-Pop. He highlighted the growing interest in Korean music over the past decade and suggested that the lack of suitable Iranian music for the new generation is a contributing factor. This issue reflects broader concerns about cultural influence and censorship in Iran.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
Iran's Minister of Culture, Abbas Salehi, expressed concern over the growing popularity of Korean music, particularly K-Pop, among Iranian youth, attributing it to the government's failure to provide suitable cultural content. He criticized the restrictive cultural policies that have led to this shift in musical taste.
- K-Pop has gained significant popularity among Iranian youth over the past decade.
- Censorship and lack of support for local music have contributed to this trend.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
Iran has a long history of cultural censorship, particularly in music, which has led to a generation of youth seeking alternative cultural expressions from abroad.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
Translated from the original and edited for English readers. View original source →
Translation confidence: 85%