Not to be confused with the 90s English band, or the creature that constricts and eats you whole, BoA has become a household name in the K-pop industry. If Nicki Minaj is known as the “Queen of rap”, then BoA is “The Queen of K-pop”, pioneering the genre to reach the worldwide success it has today.
Kwon Bo-Ah originally thought she “couldn’t make it” in the tough music industry. It wasn’t until at 11 years old that the music company SM Entertainment took an interest in her, overlooking BoA’s older brother, who originally wanted to audition with his break-dancing and did not pass; fortunately for him, he returned as a music video director. After 2 long years of intensive training, BoA’s career finally began. In 2000, at 13 years old, baby-faced BoA was all over national television with her debut album “ID; Peace B”, performing among adults; a common occurrence that she had to endure after her debut.
BoA, now grown up and well-versed in the industry, can’t help but remember her younger self, sitting idly at the airport with a one-way ticket to Japan, mourning the loss of her childhood in exchange for her dreams of becoming a superstar. “I wanted friends because I didn’t go to school, and adults were everywhere.”, she confessed in an interview. Prior to this her managers wanted to globalize her music, hiring tutors to teach her Japanese. A full Japanese album was released as the fruits of her labour titled “Listen to My Heart”, which topped at number one in Japanese music charts. This was a huge feat considering the obscurity of K-pop in the early 2000s to the entire world. At 14 years old, BoA singlehandedly introduced K-pop to a foreign nation, and the entire world soon caught on. If it weren’t for her, the genre would not get the recognition it has today.
Unlike the “manufactured”, superficial image the world painted K-pop to be, BoA is genuine. Despite her title as one of the most respected artists in K-pop, having done world tours and even performing with Britney Spears, she refuses to be treated as a veteran idol. She says “I’m still young. My joints are still fine”. At the age of 35, not many can proudly say and achieve her milestones from the last 20 years. But despite her incredible success, BoA is constantly seeking inspiration, calculating her next move.