The Economist reports that Crayon Pop is different from other K-pop groups

pop female group Crayon Pop that says, “Crayon Pop are not a typical K-pop outfit. They look goofy rather than glamorous, like kid sisters not dream dates, and prefer plimsolls to stilettos.”

The magazine explains the popularity of their hit song “Bar Bar Bar” and its choreography this way: “. . . the ‘Straight-Five Engine Dance,’ as performed by a five-member girl band, Crayon Pop, on their surprise summer hit, ‘Bar Bar Bar’ . . . was named by their fans, who thought the moves recalled the pistons of an engine. It has attracted spoofs and spin-offs by fans like the Gyungbuk women’s police department. A Spanish dancer recreated the entire song in instalments, performed in front of stopped traffic.”

It is unusual for a periodical such as The Economist to report on Korean female groups in detail. The magazine analyzes the secret of success of Crayon Pop’s agency, Chrome Entertainment, comparing it to the major Korean entertainment agencies, saying, “More importantly, they do not belong to one of the triumvirate of management companies . . .” The article relates what Chrome’s CEO, Hwang Hyun Chang said about the Crayon Pop phenomenon: “Could a band like Crayon Pop have emerged from a big company? Never.” Hwang also pointed out that unlike the big firms, Chrome could not afford to perfect its product before launching it, but added, “It could be fun to show the public that they are getting better.”