As K-pop stars continue to gain global popularity and wider recognition in the music industry, fans have higher expectations for live performances.
However, music industry insiders explain that it is almost impossible for K-pop idols to sing perfectly because they have to perform a lot of choreography. The challenge lies in how they combine pre-recorded vocals with live vocals on stage.
Lisa (Blackpink) was recently accused of lip-syncing at the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards and the Global Citizen Festival in New York (USA). Some viewers said that the Thai artist's lip-syncing was disrespectful to such a big event.
Pop music critic Kim Do Heon notes that lip-syncing has been a common occurrence throughout popular music history. Even world-famous artists rarely sing live during choreographed performances, such as the NFL Super Bowl halftime show.
But with the advancement of AR technology (pre-recorded live tracks with full instrument sounds, singer's voice) and the experience of artists accumulated over time, the concept of live performance has become increasingly blurred, especially as live singing over pre-recorded vocals becomes more popular.
Surprisingly, most Kpop idols are said to only sing 10-20% of their songs live on stage, whether it's during pre-recorded music shows, press conferences, or even world tour concerts.
Music critic Lim Hee Yun said that the live performances of K-pop artists today are very different from the traditional concept of live performance. Even at concerts, K-pop idols rely mainly on pre-recorded vocals, and only sing a small part live.
“K-pop combines music and performance, and artists may not sing every line while dancing, as choreography is an integral part of their performance,” an official told the Korea Herald.
LE SSERAFIM - HYBE's famous girl group was accused of lip-syncing on stage at the Coachella music festival in the US in April.
After being heavily criticized for their poor live singing in their first appearance, in the second week the group replaced live singing with playing AR tracks, making it difficult for the audience to determine whether this was live singing or pre-recording.
Critic Lim Hee Yun said it is difficult to judge whether it is right or wrong for Kpop idols to lip-sync.
“A singer cannot maintain pitch stability while performing powerful choreography.
Even legendary pop stars like Michael Jackson and Madonna lip-synced during their performances, especially after MTV launched in 1981 and dance-focused videos became popular,” he said.
Lim Hee Yun added that artists performing at multiple events on the same day may not always be able to maintain their best vocal condition, making lip-syncing a practical option.
