To produce music for kids under 15 that sounds annoying as hell and is sang by people who look like plastic dolls and are also under-aged and you can't really tell what they are any more as despite of the fact they're so young none of them remembers what they looked like 3 years ago? Thanks, but no thanks.

^that's your opinion,but if you want to think like that, same description goes for some J-pop groups.
Kpop is a fresh wind in the asian music scene and that's a good thing imo

I agree with you on that I don't like that at all.....

yesss i saw bigbang i was like omg Ayu and bigbang togeher a one show!!! xDD

very happy that finally Ayu gonna be there, hoping for a new summer song ^^

I believe the first kpop group was fresh... after that it became redundant. lol

They were fresh 3 years ago, as TeamAyu2004 said.

^Well, it's not like we can blame kpop... jpop hasn't being very competitive lately...

Too bad most kpop stars making it big aren't really the ones making the best music...

I would agree with you if 2 of the members in 2NE1 weren't closer to 30 than 13. Taking them as an example as they're at a-nation. They're a breath of fresh air for both Kpop and Jpop, even though their style is totally unsuitable for the Jpop market. The way they're sassy and cool for girls, they're closest to... somebody like Koda Kumi I guess.

I think generally the Kpop industry is a victim of this, but no more than the Jpop industry (and no, it's not just AKB48), but in both there are groups who are an exception to the negative generalisations.

If you're going to criticise Kpop, don't do it with ridiculous generalisations, especially ones that are equally, if not more, applicable to everybodys beloved Jpop. I'm hardly a Kpop fan, but if I want to criticise it, I'm going to use more than "they're all 15", "it's aimed at teenagers"... because those say nothing about the music, 'cause it can still be good. They look like dolls? Well guess what, more people say that about Ayu than they do about Kpop. Do her looks change what her music sounds like? No. The same rule applies for Kpop. Image is equally as important in both.

Rant over, but please, can we have some legitimate, decent and sensible criticism of kpop? Not just omg they're all young it's so fake blah blah blah. It's so redundant. It's getting old.

I actually don't mind them looking like dolls. 2NE1's music annoys me as hell. It sounds like rubbish and the majority of songs I've heard sound as if they're constantly swearing. I don't care if that's their thing I think it sounds terrible. As for the others it's not really hard to tell how similar and creative their songs and videos are and no I am not saying that the idol bands in Japan are much better than that, but the number of kpop idol groups is increasing exponentially every year, while in Japan that number hasn't seem to have grown as much compared to the number of solo artists and actual bands which are pretty much almost invisible in South Korea at least from our perspective. There are always exceptions, but imo you can pretty much see SHINee and Super Junior do each other's songs without any problems ^^ I am not going to start with all the moronic names they come up with (B1A4, 2PM, 4minute, T-ara, BAP...) and just google search the pictures of some of the latest boy groups that have debuted they all look the same - hairstyles, noses, outfits. While yes music should be the most important thing they are definitely making sure that people will dig their looks as well. It's undeniable that there are just way too many of them. While it was just DBSK and BoA I didn't really mind cuz they managed to bland in well, but all of these just stick out as a sore thumb.

http://askakorean.blogspot.com.br/19...p-artists.html

Even if the two kpop acts I actually like aren't on this top50 (Lee Jung Hyun and Uhm Jung Hwa, both are on the "almost" posts), it's a good series of texts to know some kpop artists that came way before BoA first stepped in Japan.

The thing is... those idols we get from kpop most of the time are mostly aimed to teenagers even in South Korea, and aren't really considered the best music produced on the country even by the natives...

everyone can sound like a Kpop expert here, knowing nothing about it :rolleyes

you can have your own opinion, but I do love YG, I'm a VIP & Blackjack, I guess it's kinda useless to persuade me into anything, I love BIG BANG more than anything, and I love 2NE1 :innocent
I listen to YG artists only, because they are talented and charismatic

you may not love the music & artists, but YG promotion & management teams are amazing. and they bring incredible results. that's what I actually meant. way better than lazy avex trax if you ask me. avex who even hasn't any new artists coming, good or bad.

K-POP will never win my heart (at all), J-POP is my love. :) I also don't care for the Korean artists and I will skip their performances when I'll watch the concert on my computer (when it becomes available).

I belong to the small group of people who are happy that ayu will perform too! :)

At least she's doing one date...I was thinking this would be the first year that she wouldn't appear at all.

The later part of this year is becoming a dud for me...
Winter/ beginning of spring was great because of album... but no new single yet...
i was expecting something at least 2 months after her album...

Of course, most of the groups appearing are simply trying to emulate the success of groups like Girls' Generation, I can't talk about boy groups as I don't listen to any of them (not really my thing). I don't vouch for the creativity of the Kpop idol industry (because as mentioned, Kpop goes above and beyond the idol groups saturating the internet, Japan and the market) but I think everybody knows that isn't what being an idol is about.

Again, taking 2NE1 as an example, their existence proves there is a space in the idol industry for something radically different to the cute or sexy image. It may seem like garbage or trash, or something everyday and bland because they're music is more Western, but look at them. Then look at the themes of their lyrics. Do you see "oppa"? Do you see the other Kpop buzzwords? Look at the themes in their lyrics and videos. Look at their peers. It may be manufactured garbage to you, but you can't deny their unique standing in both Korea and Japan.

In Japan, I wouldn't even consider BoA or DBSK "kpop", they created themselves a whole new "Japanese" persona. I think Kara is going in that direction too, a style tailored for the Korean market, and one for the Jpop market (KaraPara was a genius idea). Not every group can do that, most are just looking to make the money they can't make in a smaller market.

...and solo artists and bands are not absent in Korea, you just don't hear about them as much because the idol following is significantly larger (and more vocal) than the entire Jpop fandom, combine this with the companies actively promoting overseas in Asia and the world, and of course the groups and bands are going to be overshadowed. They are there, go look for them.

:yes

After all, a-nation = ayu nation (lol for me). In a country where seniority matters, Ayu is definitely the eye candy of the show.

Ayu, sing Microphone+kiss o' kill+Return Road! Slap them "This is Hamasaki!" on the face!

I agree with ayu_ready? that YG does the promotion way better than avex. The promotion of Party Queen was.. almost non existant.

C'mon, this is not a "KPop VS JPop" thread, lol.
I like both (i prefer one but is a secret, XD).
For me a-nation = ayu-nation too, i hope she can sing a new song (i don't care if she releases the song in december)

I dont know... I always considered it a nation. Like a nation united through music... almost a world is one... sniff... beautiful, lol (so corny right now)

ew at all the discussion, but yey for relmy for understanding.



Anyway, I wish SNSD was going. THEN it would be a great show.