Yahoo! News asks: Is there too much Korean entertainment in Japan?

[Huaka]

I'm tired of K-pop trying to enter the Japanese market when they don't really try to make themselves stand out. It's only for money and all they're doing is regurgitating Japanese versions of their Korean songs.

[Me, Myself & Music]

It seems like every other week there's a new group attempting to debut in Japan.

I love K-Pop, but what really bothers me most of the time is that these groups are thrown out in Japan and they don't even know the language at all, and when they sing it, they make it sound like a different language all together (see the Japanese version of 2NE1's I Am The Best).

Japan does have the 2nd biggest market for music in the world right? And South Korea is somewhere between 12 and 15. Most of these companies shipping their artists off to Japan make more money by releasing a single in Japan then they do releasing 30040 albums and mini-albums in Korea. It basically seems like they're in it for a quick buck, in my opinion.

[terra]

I thought we couldn't really put it into words except we're truly a Japanese. Even until now both countries still have hatred toward each other, so it's not that surprising to find some people will be hostile, they had their rights to do so it's their country.

On Sousuke's case, bluntly saying things with a negative intention even subtle is not a good way to put your thoughts across plus it's on twitter which is public. He should thought wisely first before tweeting, the same goes for Max Matsuura.

Personally I don't mind having Korean artist on Japan BUT not this much, it's like a bombard but not every arrow hit the target successfully. It's just bringing the original KPop war to Japan. I prefer Kpop singers come to Japan as a foreign artist imo but it's just nice to see my faves speak in Japanese that I feel I could relate to them.

On the bright side it means that Japan's market is more profitable than Korea, Japan still wins btw.

Oh yes, and to the thread starter I love the way you bring flames here, way to go. Just wait until some unnecessary KPop-JPop controversies on the net and you'll put it here for updating us with how much those two fandom clashes when you could just let it slide and share it on your own little circle just trying to say that these kind of things are never a great idea to begin with

It's almost never occurred in here when you saw some KPop-pro members or Kpop-antis start threads just to take down each other, if we could just idc and be cool about it there's no need to be 'hostile' toward each other isn't it?

[emi♡]

I'm just gonna say, I really disagree when people say there is ever "too much" of something.

Like, if it were something where, all the tv music stations or something were collaborating and deciding to only show all the Korean groups or whatever, then yeah, maybe I would say, there's "too much".

But I dont think it's really a rigged effort...I mean, it's natural that they're going to try to make it in Japan, where the companies are bigger and have more resources, and it's natural that, if the Japanese public shows a strong liking for the kpop groups, then they're going to be more willing to sign them all over.

I don't think that there could ever be "too much" of something, when it's the people calling for it. Kpop groups, no matter what people think of them, only make the Jpop scene more colorful, and diverse.

And I think, it might be trendy right now, but it'll balance out. The industry always balances itself out.

[tokyoxjapanxfan]

Fore someone who has been in Japan for 3 years, before the Korean wave took hold, Japan's entertainment industry has changed dramatically.

It would be as if in a period of several months, American television started replacing normal television on every channel with Mexican and Spanish speaking dramas with subtitles. While yes, there are many people that would enjoy this, it would obviously piss a lot of people off.

The argument that "They air American dramas blah blah blah" is really petty. Yes, they air American dramas, at like 2 in the morning for an hour or two. Most people watch drama's by choice through DVD's, or they pay for cable and watch dedicated stations that air American dramas. They aren't being showed in prime time and American actors, actresses and singers are not constantly in your face. Stars come for like a week, record shows which are aired for a week or two, and then they are gone until the next year. If anything, Lady Gaga is the only American singer who has a lot of major promotion here, and it's nothing compared to Korean entertainment here currently.

The percentage of people who like Korean stuff is still pretty small. The amount of artists debuting and presence of Korean stars makes it look as if everyone in Japan is loving it, but it's not the case. A lot of Japanese people are really tired of it.

Like for example, the TSUTAYA near my house moved the domestic releases behind Kpop. I had to walk past Kpop to get to the current Japanese releases.

[Tom Punks]

Originally Posted by Me, Myself & Music

It seems like every other week there's a new group attempting to debut in Japan.

I love K-Pop, but what really bothers me most of the time is that these groups are thrown out in Japan and they don't even know the language at all, and when they sing it, they make it sound like a different language all together (see the Japanese version of 2NE1's I Am The Best).

Japan does have the 2nd biggest market for music in the world right? And South Korea is somewhere between 12 and 15. Most of these companies shipping their artists off to Japan make more money by releasing a single in Japan then they do releasing 30040 albums and mini-albums in Korea. It basically seems like they're in it for a quick buck, in my opinion.

lol I have to agree with this as far as 2NE1 goes because (and I may be wrong but) listening to their Japanese, you can tell they had no training in the language. And it just kind of goes to show that they were just sent to Japan for a quick buck since they didn't even invest in teaching them Japanese. >_>

[wildconnetta]

Originally Posted by AyumiHamasandwich

TBH nothing is wrong with kpop in Japan.
If the Japanese artists are still topping the charts, its shouldnt be a problem.
Theyre not making anything in Korea so they might as well go to Japan.
And to the Jpop fans that says that kpop needs to go back to their country, ugggh just stop, you dont even live in Japan.

You said exactly what I wanted to.

What is wrong with KPop in JPN? They make money there, so what's wrong?
Plus (not meaning to start a flame war this is my opinion), most K-Pop has been better than most J-Pop for the past 5 or so years.

Yeah, rip me to pieces if you want to, but that is my opinion. If you don't like it, to quote Linzerdinzer

Originally Posted by linzerdinzertv

Stop, take a breath, take a step back and fxxk your own face. Thank you

[NintendoHTF1242]

Plus, what the K-Pop groups make in a week in Japan is equivalent to a year in Korea. So it's obvious this is for money. And to the person who said all they do is remake their songs, MBLAQ, KARA, and Girls' Generation would like to talk to you kthxbai. Oh and 2PM and SHINee now.

[Andrenekoi]

Originally Posted by emiko

I'm just gonna say, I really disagree when people say there is ever "too much" of something.

Like, if it were something where, all the tv music stations or something were collaborating and deciding to only show all the Korean groups or whatever, then yeah, maybe I would say, there's "too much".

But I dont think it's really a rigged effort...I mean, it's natural that they're going to try to make it in Japan, where the companies are bigger and have more resources, and it's natural that, if the Japanese public shows a strong liking for the kpop groups, then they're going to be more willing to sign them all over.

I don't think that there could ever be "too much" of something, when it's the people calling for it. Kpop groups, no matter what people think of them, only make the Jpop scene more colorful, and diverse.

And I think, it might be trendy right now, but it'll balance out. The industry always balances itself out.

This...

And also the whole drama has more to do with the strong hatred between those countries (and China too), a reflex of a lot of historic incidents, than anything else... I still hear a lot of really racist remarks against chinese, korean or japanese when I talk to someone from one of those cultures or even to western people who lived on any of those countries...

[AyuHamasaki01]

As long as the Hallyu wave reaches Europe someday, I don't really care~

[Tom Punks]

Originally Posted by NintendoHTF1242

Plus, what the K-Pop groups make in a week in Japan is equivalent to a year in Korea. So it's obvious this is for money. And to the person who said all they do is remake their songs, MBLAQ, KARA, and Girls' Generation would like to talk to you kthxbai. Oh and 2PM and SHINee now.

Are you referring to me? lol Because I'm pretty sure every group you listed except MBLAQ and 2PM debuted with one of their Korean songs... And I specifically said "all they do AT FIRST is release their Korean songs in Japanese." I didn't say they never made new songs. lol

[NintendoHTF1242]

Originally Posted by Tom Punks

Are you referring to me? lol Because I'm pretty sure every group you listed except MBLAQ and 2PM debuted with one of their Korean songs... And I specifically said "all they do AT FIRST is release their Korean songs in Japanese." I didn't say they never made new songs. lol

I wasn't referring to you lol. I was referring to the post on the top. I was too lazy to look for the username.

[Tom Punks]

^ Oh, okay. Cause the way you worded that phrase reminded me of the way I worded mine.

[Huaka]

Yeah, the songs they use to promote them is regurgitated versions of their Korean songs. And I'm not interested enough to look into their discography especially if I don't like the artists. The first impression you get of them lasts, and that's what they did, regurgitate their Korean songs.

[NintendoHTF1242]

Sure, at first they do that (MBLAQ is the exception, their first single was all original Japanese songs) but after a single or two they start poppin' out original Japanese tracks. And tbh that first impression doesn't stick with me. I don't assume everything they're gonna release is gonna be a language remake But whatever.

[Huaka]

Yeah, songs with badly accented Japanese. Not going to do it for me. I just stick to the Korean for my artists.

[chu-lips]

yesterday japanese protest to fuji tv happened where they turn off fuji tv to down hill their rating because showing too much korean program....
around 2000 people gathered infront of fuji tv station....in odaiba...

[emi♡]

^source please?

Also, I think like what Andrenekoi said...Japanese and Korea have HISTORY, to say the least

I really don't think that no matter how popular a group is, they'll never be as "welcome" as a homegrown group...and that's going to balance stuff out a little bit too..as far as exposure...

[Kanzaki]

You know, since I am danish...I know all about the love/hate relationship between Denmark and Sweden. We've been the same country once, we've been at each other's throats for centuries and we just...generally hate each other, but also like each other for our similarities and the little quirks that differs.

I'd say that on danish public service tv, they broadcast maybe 10-20% (at least) swedish television. And from what I've seen it is the same on swedish public service tv, maybe even a little bit more from time to time. Also there is music from Denmark being popular in Sweden even though it's in danish and vice versa. We're reminded every day of each other's excistence. Possibly (and most likely) the relationship between Korea and Japan is different and a bit more hostile maybe.

I guess what I want to say is, I can see where the japanese protesters and the people in Japan who are fed up are coming from, but then again. Maybe if 70% of all music on the radio in Denmark would've been swedish back when I didn't know swedish I would've been a bit like "wth", but things like those are just a phase.

And as far as I understand, Fuji Television is a public service and so none of the their tax money are funding these korean programs. Which makes me just want to say: "Just change the damn channel and watch something else."

[Andrenekoi]

^I don't about Sweden and Denmark history, but Korea and Japan are pretty recent, some dating from World War II to nowadays... So, even if the younger didn't live those things, they were raised by people who did...

All the sentiment is pretty fresh