Just wondering if anybody had even a passing interest in Japanese or Korean (or even Mandarin/Cantonese) music bands or artists? If so, whom are your favourites? What is your favourite Jpop/Kpop song? How did you get into it? Do you feel the language barrier stops you from enjoying music from these countries (as an English speaker at least).

I can honestly say the only Japanese music I listen to, is from movies and game intros.
I don't actively seek out any bands or anything, a friend of mine sends me videos of Japanese groups singing sometimes.
I personally don't like it, it is most likely her taste in music. But I found it to be rather annoying and over the top.

I don't really see a problem with it. I listen to Kpop, mainly. I do have a lot of it on my iPod. Anyways, I have a ton of Asian music in video games, especially Katamari and other things, and Hatsune Miku on my wallet.

EvilAlu : Yes I got exposed to a lot of Japanese rock through anime/video game openings and movies. Sometimes it stuck, but most of the time it's the same type of song for each genre, really.

alexanyways : I've got into Kpop recently as well- any particular favourite songs or artists? Asian music must take up a good 55% of my music collection. How embarrassing...

I actually hate Korean Pop, but I listen to 1 Japanese pop artist. Well, I don't really listen to this artist, but I like her music. Her name is Utada Hikaru, ever heard of her? She does the main songs for the Kingdom Hearts main series.

TheFadedWarrior : I really like Utada Hikaru! My favourite song of hers is 'Passion' (or the English version, 'Sanctuary', from Kingdom Hearts). What's yours?

Anti_W : Passion/Sanctuary, of course. That's by far her best song, in my opinion.

Okay, I said G.I.S.M.before but how about you listen to some Warhead? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aV5Yu9f5g3c

As for Korea,there is nothing good there but who could not love Shorty cat?!?! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whI1qcLuLG0

I'm not a real fan of K-Pop / J-Pop, but I do have a pet peeve with the people who say their into all kinds of Kpop and the only thing they actually listen to is Gangnam style... thankfully people like these have been appearing less and less due to the fact of the age of Gangnam style now.

Okay, so I was wondering why everyone was freaking out about how they loved K-pop and J-pop so much. So I tried it out on YouTube and I have to say, I became kinda addicted to it. My favorite band is a well known one actually. BIGBANG. And my favorite song by them is a well known song. xD The name of it is Fantastic Baby. I was kinda embarrassed to watch it at first but I am comfortable with it now. I also like Girls' Generation. I feel like the language barrier does get in the way of me enjoying the song. I always have to look up the lyrics in English and then I am able to listen to it in a different language without it bothering me. The reason why is because I don't want them to be saying vulgar things in Japanese and me not even know it. Thankfully K-pop and J-pop bands are usually not vulgar. I heard they would get fired if they tried to make those kind of songs.

I listen to more Japanese and Korean and Chinese music than I do English music. English music is just too over-run by Hip-Hop and Rap and most of the songs are stupid about sex, money, drugs and violence.

I really don't listen to it but I am fine with it. I have nothing bad to say about it.

I actually listen to a lot of Korean and Japanese music just because I'm often looking for bands and artists from all over the place. For me, the language barrier does not stop me from enjoying the music at all. You eventually get used to the language and looking up the lyric translations helps to get the whole experience of the music.  I actually enjoy K-pop way too much and enjoy it with other friends. Favorite groups at the moment would be B.A.P, SS501, Block B, Super Junior, 2NE1, SHINee, etc. The only J-pop I really enjoy are Kat-Tun and Daichi Miura. Some Japanese bands that I love are Buck-Tick, D'espairsRay, Luminous Orange, Loudness, The Pillows. With Korean bands, there are many cool indie bands that I love such as the Koxx, Pony, Glen Check, Nell, Guckkasten. I recommend all of these.

i like some songs. electric shock is prety cool. not much though, really
 

I find K-Pop generally to be pretty bland as most of them are basically large girl and guy groups filled with attractive men and women singing pretty generic pop music haha. I mean of course, there are exceptions but for the most part that's what K-Pop is to me. Sometimes it's entertaining though.

I like J-Pop and just Japanese music in general a lot more, though I really haven't scratched the surface of it that much aside from video game music, TV music, film music, etc. I feel like Japanese pop tends to be a lot more open to experimenting with styles and stuff like that. Shibuya-kei is like, pop with influences from lounge and bossanova. It's just a lot more interesting. One of my favorite albums despite my lack of experience with J-pop, is a Shiina Ringo album, a really great J-pop artist.

As for Canto pop, haven't really listened to it much haha. But Faye Wong is nice. "Eyes on Me" among other things haha.

Forget J-pop or K-pop. Both countries have people who actually make decent music also.

I hate K-pop honestly.
I only like anime opening because K-pop is repetitive for me.
I mean, I don't even understand it and I don't find the English translations interesting.