Eight-time Grammy Award-winning musician Anderson .Paak made a star-studded directorial debut at Toronto International Film Festival with “K-POPS,” which played as a part of this year’s TIFF Special Presentations. The world premiere in the Princess of Wales Theater buzzed with excitement. Fans of the musician-director and K-Pop alike squealed at each and every celebrity appearance (of which were many), and greeted the film with a standing ovation. More important to .Paak, however, is the film’s heart. During the introduction, he noted that the film was inspired by his son, Soul Rasheed. He joked, “Sure, Soul knows about BTS, but does he know about BET?”
KPOPS is screening at Toronto International Film Festival
Just like the director’s personal history, “K-POPS” is a perfect Blasian mix where Black and Korean music come together, rather than collide. Here, .Paak himself plays BJ, a biracial Los Angeles-based musician in desperate need of a lucky break. After a failed relationship with the love of his life, Yeji (Jee Young Han), he spends his days performing in a mostly-empty bar owned by his good friend, Cash (longtime musical collaborator Jon “Dumbfoundead” Park). BJ’s fortune seems to change for the better, however, when Cash points him to a drumming gig. There’s only one catch, however: the gig is in Korea, where his absent father is from.
The move ends up being beyond BJ’s wildest dreams. Cash’s humble job offer turns out to be for Wildcard, a nationally-broadcasted K-Pop competition. Though BJ is mostly out of the spotlight, he befriends those who are. Of these, he becomes fast friends with the bright-eyed but lower-ranked contestant, Tae Young (played by .Paak’s son, Soul Rasheed). As the two grow closer, they realize that, in this fortuitous twist of fate, Tae Young’s mother so happens to be none other than Yeji. As BJ happens next is then up to BJ. to decide whether he is ready to step up to the role of fatherhood.
The story that follows is a predictable vanity project, but immensely enjoyable regardless. .Paak noted in the Q&A that he wanted to use the movie as a way to bond with his son, and it clearly shows. Between shots of iconic Seoul monuments like Gyeongbok Palace and Namsan Tower, BJ and Tae Young visibly enjoy their quality time together. They take a day off to go to a public bathhouse; they eat ice cream by the Han River; they talk about music in a record store in a flea market. In this frictionless bonding period, BJ and Tae Young have no real qualms about all the years lost. Instead, they only have all the time together to gain.
In this apolitical foray into the messiness of cross-Pacific conversations, the film keenly sidesteps more political discussions about appropriation in K-Pop. Instead, “K-Pops” appeals to peace in spectacle. Animated segments color BJ’s relationship with Yeji, and guests from both American and Korean music industries cameo left and right. K-Pop idol Kevin Woo from U-KISS plays Kang, Wildcard’s darling child and Tae Young’s rival. Earth, Wind, & Fire generously invite BJ to drum beside them on-stage. Others, including Kurt Franklin, Jay Park, Diplo, and Saweetie, also pay homage. Fans of Anderson .Paak’s music are also bound to be pleased; he himself also successfully mixes in traces of his own discography to create a unique, yet familiar soundtrack for “K-POPS.” One thing is clear: no one else could have possibly made this film except for Anderson .Paak himself.
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Some might say that this industry-heavy approach is slick, if not a tad shallow. Perhaps this film would have been, if it were directed by anyone else. However, Anderson .Paak’s genuine heart and joie de vivre lights up the screen, and his transparent joy with Tae Young is endearing, if sometimes cringe in a dad-like manner, to watch. If anything, the film is more akin to a high-budget production of a home video, reminiscent of the ones he used to shoot in the past. In this way, “K-POPS” introduces the heartwarming Hallmark fuzziness to the impressive production value of a K-Pop idol competition.
Overall, Though “K-POPS” is by no means transformative, the project is impressively put together. “K-POPS” is a good time, especially when viewed in a crowd. For all its narrative elements, it reads almost like a concert: every new note and familiar face is sure to entertain, draw a gasp, or at least raise an eyebrow. For a debut feature, .Paak has proven himself as a solid director. For a father, he has proven himself a loving one – and maybe that’s what counts more than anything else.
