Unveiling the Cosmic Harmony: How Star Trek's First Musical Weaved the Allure of K-Pop into Bold New Galaxies

Summary

The decision to feature K-Pop as the musical genre for the Klingons' performance in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds was both surprising and daring, yet it effectively captures the essence of the show by delving into the characters' deepest emotions.

Choosing K-Pop instead of Klingon opera allows the Klingons to be equal to the rest of the USS Enterprise crew, establishing a more relatable and balanced dynamic. For fans who prefer the traditional singing Klingons, there will be a Klingon opera rendition of the scene available on the Blu-ray release of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2.

The Klingons' performance in the musical episode of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, titled "Subspace Rhapsody," takes a different approach from the traditional Klingon opera. Kay Hanley and Tom Polce, the songwriters for the episode, explain their decision to use a K-pop style choreographed musical number instead.

During their interview on The Melodology Podcast, Hanley and Polce discuss the creative process behind the musical. Polce mentions that they initially considered using opera for the Klingons' scene, considering it an obvious choice. However, Hanley came up with the unique idea of using K-pop, which Polce credits as an out-of-the-box suggestion. Both versions, opera and K-pop, were filmed for the episode. To listen to Polce's quote and learn more about the creation of the Klingon scene, you can check out episode 18 of The Melodology Podcast, starting at the 46:03 mark. The podcast episode is linked below.

Why K-Pop Was The Right Choice For Strange New Worlds' Singing Klingons

When Kay initially presented the idea of K-pop, our intention was solely focused on that genre. We successfully executed the project, but some individuals felt that we may have exceeded the appropriate boundaries. As a precautionary measure, we decided to have a backup plan in place, just in case. This led us to create the Klingon Opera, a piece that was purposefully devised as a straightforward Baritone performance in English, rather than in Klingon. The outcome was outstanding, and I'm confident that it will be included in our upcoming DVD release. It truly has a lasting presence.

The choice to incorporate K-Pop as a musical genre for the Klingons was unexpected, yet it turned out to be the perfect decision. Throughout the Star Trek universe, Klingon opera has been a well-established part of their culture. Therefore, it would seem logical for the Klingon crew, influenced by the musical subspace improbability field in Strange New Worlds' musical, to perform opera. However, by introducing K-Pop, led by the talented actor Bruce Horak, as their preferred style, the Klingons are now on the same level as the rest of the USS Enterprise crew. This creates an interesting dynamic, as most members of the crew feel ashamed about the emotions that the field compels them to display.

Tom Polce, in his interview, highlights the boldness of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds by incorporating a unique twist that humorously replaces "Klingon" with "Korean" in the portrayal of K-pop. For fans seeking a more conventional rendition of Klingon singing, the Klingon opera version of the scene will be featured as an additional bonus on the Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2 Blu-ray, set to launch on December 5, 2023.