On the 14th of October 2018, the finale of ViuTV’s reality talent competition “Good Night Show - King Maker” aired, and the 12-member band, Mirror, was formed.
Since then, they have had dozens of sold-out concerts and have partnered with global brands such as Gucci, Burberry, and Charlotte Tilbury. Every corner of Hong Kong showed some hint of Mirror, and it is impossible to cross a road without sight of them.
Cantopop originated decades ago but since 1997, the rising trend began to decline due to new laws regarding the Cantonese language and the sovereignty handover. Mirror has been described as “reviving the music industry” by starting the resurgence of Cantopop from their debut.
In one of Mirror’s first concerts, they covered a few popular K-pop songs while asserting that they prefer to create a unique image, rather than give a “K-pop feel” to their audiences. The members of Mirror have since succeeded, growing their group recognition and changing the face of Cantopop.
Though they have managed to differentiate themselves from the image of popular K-Pop groups like BTS and Seventeen, there is no doubt that the marketing of their group took influence from Korea and paved their road to success.
One trait that the “Four Heavenly Kings” of Cantopop possessed was their godlike image, who seemed untouchable and unrelatable to the audiences. Mirror does the opposite, promoting themselves as more relatable to their fans. This idea originated from Korean pop.
When BTS debuted, they promoted themselves as friends to their younger fans. Their team created personalised content online, showing the BTS members' daily lives and interactions with each other and other people. This content usually included them doing their own personal fun activities, like travelling and working, which appealed to their fans as it gave off the feeling that they were connected to these members on a personal level.
Similarly, Mirror has been featured in a few variety shows and also produced vlogs, highlighting their daily lives. They take the opportunity on these shows to open up about their weaknesses and struggles, further allowing audiences to relate to them by showing how even nationally-renowned celebrities can be vulnerable.
The lyrics in the songs by Mirror also provide comfort to Hong Kong people since the democracy protests in 2019. Mirror’s music focuses on uplifting oneself and providing Hong Kongers with a beacon of hope during these times. The catchy music and happy beat juxtapose with the struggles this city has encountered in recent years and the resurgence of Cantopop only brings a greater sense of hometown pride to these people.
This “pop sound” is heavily influenced by that of popular Korean groups and the sharp and heavy dancing in the music videos is also a symbol of Korean pop, one that transferred over to Mirror. As many of the members were professional dancers before their debut, this format allows them to showcase their talents, bringing them increased fame.
The fandom culture of K-pop is quite unlike any other and this phenomenon was brought to Hong Kong during the rise of Korean pop a few years back.
At Mirror’s Second Concert in 2021, fans set up twelve separate corners outside the hall to take photos with decorations for each member and they bought merchandise and light sticks as well, to wave their support towards their idols.
On the birthday of one of the members - Keung To - his Fanclub organised a “Free Ride” Day with HK Tramways, allowing all Hong Kongers to ride the tram for free. This initiative benefitted up to 1.4 million Hong Kongers, fully spotlighting Mirror's national impact.
Though Korean trends have heavily influenced Mirror and their team in their music and marketing, Mirror has since successfully differentiated themselves from the average K-Pop boy group since their debut four years ago.
The group has been a glimmer of light for all Hong Kongers and has provided them with support during these trying times. Their multitude of talents gives people a sense of pride in their hometown and reminds everyone of the importance of keeping Cantopop alive.
References
Written by : Rin Kimura
Edited by : Gaille Su
Graphics by : Ashley Kwok
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