Anchor: K-pop has been gaining huge popularity around the world for many years now, dazzling fans with its infectious style, song and dance. Inspired by the cultural phenomenon, a new boy band has debuted in Korea. The difference is, the group is comprised entirely of Americans.
Our Park Jong-hong has this report.
 
Report: 

[Audio clip from EXP EDITION's  'FEEL LIKE THIS']
"그대 생각에 영원한 이 순간 나 숨쉬는 이유
Without you I'm hopeless
당신도 내가 전부라 말해줘 알아
We know it We need it to
Feel like this......." 

The saying goes that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
 
If that’s the case, the latest K-pop boy band "EXP Edition" is paying the music genre a very sincere compliment.
 
What sets this group apart from others is that there are no Korean members, in fact, the entire groups hails from New York.
 
The members say they fell in love with K-pop and wanted to make it in Korea, the birthplace of the cultural phenomenon.
 
However, they are not complete amateurs when it comes to performing. In 2016, they were selected by U.S. broadcaster CBS as one of the best up-and-coming groups to look out for in New York.
 
The group originally formed as part of a Columbia University student’s thesis project intended to explore gender, sexuality, business culture, fandom and cultural appropriation in K-pop.

While they may have talent on stage, their Korean language skills leave a lot to be desired.
 That’s why they post videos on YouTube to brush up on their Korean while teaching others the language and reaching out to their fans.
 
[Sound bite: EXP EDITION's YouTube posting (Korean)]
 
They have already released an official music video which at first glance looks like a typical boy band performance. But listen carefully and there is no mistaking the Korean lyrics.
 
[Soundbite: Audio clip from EXP Edition's 'Feel Like This' (Korean)]
"어서 내 손을 잡아줘 번개가 그칠 때까지
해가 눈에 뜰 때까지 니 품에 취할 때까지"
 
Some give the group a thumbs up for being a breath of fresh air. Others say they are just foreigners singing Korean songs and don’t qualify as what people have come to know and love as K-pop.
 
Having debuted less than a month ago, it remains to be seen how they will be received by the majority of K-pop fans in the long term.
Park Jong-hong KBS World Radio News.