{"id":599,"date":"2026-10-23T04:49:48","date_gmt":"2026-10-23T04:49:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/my-gainfully-unemployed-retirement-blog.net\/?p=599"},"modified":"2026-10-23T05:40:07","modified_gmt":"2026-10-23T05:40:07","slug":"an-old-beatles-fan-meets-k-pops-code-zigu","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/my-gainfully-unemployed-retirement-blog.net\/?p=599","title":{"rendered":"AN OLD BEATLES FAN MEETS K-POP\u2019S CODE ZiGU"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

You know you are officially old when you have shoes in your closet that are older than your doctor. So since I have indeed achieved official antiquity, with memories and musical tastes based firmly in the sixties, it goes without saying that I\u2019m not very familiar with more recent music- K-pop in particular. My concept of a boy band is the Beatles- though I was<\/em> familiar with later groups such as NSYNC or Backstreet Boys. K-pop groups simply looked to me like a South Korean version of boy bands. But K-pop music has been creeping into the scope of my world lately, and now it\u2019s got me taking a closer look at this unfamiliar genre.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My first exposure to K-pop was in 2021 when I saw the world famous group BTS perform a \u201cCrosswalk Concert\u201d<\/a> on The Late Late Show with James Corden.<\/em> The group performed their hit songs like \u201cButter\u201d<\/em> and \u201cPermission to Dance\u201d<\/em> before unsuspecting motorists on Beverly Boulevard outside CBS Television City in West Hollywood. Some bystanders and drivers appeared annoyed at the traffic stop, oblivious to who the singing group was. Younger drivers did screaming double-takes, dancing out of their car sunroofs. The young men of BTS appeared puzzled at the odd setup, quite different from their usual sold-out performances before thousands. But they charmingly performed for the fans and non-fans alike- before they had to hilariously vacate the crosswalk each time the traffic lights changed.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ve since learned that K-pop is an extremely popular genre of music- some surveys report that more than 200 million people across 119 countries identify as fans of Korean culture, primarily driven by K-pop music. The music blends pop, hip-hop, R&B, and electronic music styles, and is very theatrical, known for its synchronized dancing, fashion, and complex choreography. Group members (known as idols) are all in their teens or early twenties, and are typically intensively trained and strictly regulated by entertainment companies to become the next stars. Girl groups like Blackpink and Twice are as popular as the boy groups, and there are solo performers now too. Korean-inspired entertainment has continued in other forms- like the smash hit TV series Squid Game in 2021, and then the 2025 animated K-pop Demon Hunters film that broke records for 10 billion global streams to date<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So it\u2019s very obvious that I\u2019ve been missing out on a huge amount of events, talent and musical expression for years. Now flash forward to the present, and here\u2019s K-pop \u201cpopping up\u201d once again in my life. This time, a friend of mine has a granddaughter, whose K-pop group has proudly just made their October 12, 2026 introduction into the K-pop world. This seven-member rookie girl group CODE ZiGU<\/strong> is a global girl group- 2 members are American, 2 are Korean, 1 is French and 1 is French-Chinese. CODE ZiGU<\/strong> has taken their first step into the music scene with a pre-debut single called \u2018zzz.\u2019 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I learned there\u2019s meaning about their team behind the single title \u2018zzz\u2019 as well. The first Z, the last letter of the alphabet, represents the end of their intense trainee days and their new beginning as artists. The second Z comes from the group name ‘ZiGU,’ meaning that members from different backgrounds and with different personalities are connected as one through music (the word ZiGU means earth or globe)<\/em>. The last Z stands for ‘ZERO,’ reflecting their will to create their own musical world from the starting line of zero without staying within existing frames. The familiar symbol for sleep, ‘zzz,’ also carries the meaning of the potential that is sleeping inside the CODE ZiGU<\/strong> members- awakening with their pre-debut. The group can be found on Instagram, TikTok, X, and YouTube. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their song is catchy and well choreographed (and thankfully with captions so someone like me can follow the lyrics). I have to say that I\u2019m impressed. Here\u2019s the official you tube link if you want an introduction to K-pop\u2019s newest music- and hopefully its latest hit girl group to be discovered:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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