Saturday, March 9, 2024

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 Winner's REALLY REALLY

Actually, I think it would still be trendy even if it were released now.

It was released in 2017 and reportedly reached 11th place on the Melon annual chart at the time, making it the first song by a boy group to reach 100 million streams.

It also has the part that goes "I like you" that was really famous back then!



theqoo

-Honestly, even if it came out now, it seems like it would be successful. The lyrics are straightforward, so it would do well anytime. I don't usually listen to songs from boy groups, but I've heard this one quite a bit. I think it's a very easy-listening song. 

-If it came out now, it would probably gain even more popularity while trending on Youtube Shorts.

-Absolutely. I still listen to it now.

-It would probably gain even more popularity if it was released in this generation.

-It was indeed a huge success.

-I bet there would be hundreds pouring out on TikTok, like a waterfall, for the "I like you" part

-If it was released in this generation, it would dominate the real-time charts and probably rise even higher annually.

-It's a classic.

-The "I like you" part would absolutely blow up on Youtube Sorts.

-Absolutely possible. Even if you listen to it now, it's not old-fashioned, it's just great. Great songs never go out of style.

-The "I Like You" challenge here would be epic.

-It's a mega hit. If someone just made this a challenge on Youtube Short, it might trend again.

-I still listen to it now, so it's definitely possible.

-It could sweep Youtube Shorts and TikTok, even become memes.

-It could have even been more popular.

-It would have been even more popular. It's a song optimized for short-form content.

-Just listening to the intro gets your heart racing. As soon as you hear it, you know it's the one.

-It would have done even better.

-It did well, but if it were released now, it would probably trend even more on Youtube Shorts and Instagram Reels.

-The "I Like You" part is crazy, but the "How about me" part after it is seriously killer. It was the first time I got excited listening to a song from a boy group.

-The challenge would have been a huge trend.

I wonder if this boy group's song from 7 years ago still would've been successful if it was released in this generation

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Day 1 Highlights

Welcome Party - Welcome gift bag presentation (Hoodie + eco bag + DIY materials + @)

1:1 Photo Time - Save personalized photos with Aron on your phone

ROOM VISIT - Aron visits all of fans in their rooms

Day 2 Highlights

DIY Class - Create souvenirs with materials prepared by Aron

Mini Sports Day - Enjoy mini games with Aron!

After Party - Enjoy Aron singing ballad songs and cheerful talk time

High Touch - Say good night with Aron

Day 3 Highlights

Goodbye Greetings - Aron personally bids farewell to the fans.

The price already includes accommodation cost for 4 people in 1 room (2 rooms with 2 beds each, so it's actually 2 people in 1 room) and meals for 2 nights and 3 days. It's going to be held in Wonju, Gangwon Province.

theqoo

-Seems expensive...

-Considering the fan meeting price, it seems okay.

-If I had the money, I would go...

-Honestly, it doesn't seem that expensive... I'm not a fan, but it seems rather cheap...

-If fans get along well, it should be fun.

-It's not expensive.

-Looking at the schedule, it seems like one night and two days would be enough, so why did they make it two nights and three days?

-It seems decent; it's a personal choice, though ^_^ If my idol does it, I'd go.

-As a non-fan, it may seem expensive, but from the perspective of a fan, it seems much more cost-effective than buying hundreds of albums to attend a fan signing event.

-As long as those who go are happy, it's fine.

-It's a bit expensive, but I might go if my favorite idol does it.

-It includes accommodation, and you're saying it's expensive...?

-But it would be awkward if you had to share a room with someone you don't know.

-Considering everything is already included, it doesn't seem expensive.

-It seems to have good value for the money compared to a fan signing.

-My idol would never do this...

-He sold out all the 300 tickets...???

-It's much better than spending hundreds of dollars just to see someone for a few minutes at a fan signing.

The arrangement of NU'EST Aron's 990,000 KRW Fan MT

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Bang Si-hyuk, the chairman of HYBE, has been said to receive a salary of 1 KRW (~$0,00076 USD; ~Rp12 IDR) this year.

According to the '2024 Internal Director Compensation Plan' disclosed by HYBE on the 8th, Bang's chairman salary was set at 1 KRW. Previously, Bang received a total compensation of 357 M KRW last year, including a salary of 50 M  KRW, a bonus of 300 M KRW, and other labor income of 7 M KRW.

Regarding the reason for this year's salary decision, HYBE stated, "To emphasize the message of responsible management as the chairman and HYBE's 'Pay for Performance' compensation philosophy, the basic salary was set at 1 KRW."

However, under the short-term incentive system, Bang will receive a bonus of 980 M KRW. According to HYBE, this was determined based on the '2023 Management Performance and Evaluation Criteria' set by the Compensation Committee.

HYBE CEO Park Ji-won's salary has been set at a total of 2 B KRW this year, with 1 B KRW in salary and 1 B KRW in bonus. Last year, Park received a total compensation of 1.52 B KRW, including a salary of 91.6 M KRW, a bonus of 600 M KRW, and other labor income of 4 M KRW.

Meanwhile, as of December last year, Bang Si-hyuk was identified as the wealthiest stockholder in the cultural content production and distribution sector in South Korea. According to a survey by the Korea CXO Research Institute on the ownership of individual shareholders in cultural content production and distribution companies, Bang's shareholdings were worth 3.774 trillion won. Among the 34 individuals who owned cultural content stocks worth more than 10 B KRW, including Bang, there were 12 shareholders of HYBE.

instiz

-What the..

-Wouldn't that be a problem?

-So 980,000,001 KRW...

-He's living a really good life...

-Give me some

-That's less than I expected, though...

-Not fun

-He did that to avoid paying taxes, right?
 ã„´It's a complete loss for the company,, it would be difficult to get a good response anyway because the low salary is compensated with bonuses, so I don't understand why they're doing this..
 ã„´Then why are they doing that?? Why would they do that just to release a news article about the CEO's salary being 1 won??

-Still, it's an incredibly small amount...

HYBE Bang Si-hyuk receives a salary of '1 won' this year... Instead, receives a bonus of 980 million won.

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Actor Yoo Seung-ho will appear in the music video for DAY6's new song.

According to an industry insider on the 8th, Yoo Seung-ho will take on the role of the lead in the music video for DAY6's new song, "Welcome to the Show."

Yoo Seung-ho has reportedly already finished filming the music video back in February, and his passionate performance has been praised. This solidifies his strong support for their comeback.


Although there isn't a personal friendship between DAY6 and Yoo Seung-ho, it's said that he readily agreed to the proposal, leading to this meeting. Yoo Seung-ho has previously appeared in music videos for artists like Naul's "You in the Same Time," Urban Zakapa's "I Don't Love You," and So Ji-sub's, showcasing his impressive acting skills.

Therefore, there's a lot of anticipation for Yoo Seung-ho's return to the music video scene after a long time. His image combined with DAY6's status as musicians raises expectations for what kind of synergy they will create in the music video.

DAY6 will release their new mini-album, "Fourever," on the 18th. It marks their complete group comeback after three years. They promise to return with music that has matured even further, with the title track "Welcome to the Show" expected to deliver powerful emotions with its grand musical scale.

instiz

-Huh????

-Wow

-..!!!!!!

-Oh, I'm excitedã… ã… ã… 

-Crazyã… ã… ã… ã… ã… ã…›

-Wow... Seung-ho... in DAY6's video

-Really? Seems like it's going to be amazing~~ Seung-ho in a DAY6 music videoã…‹ã…‹ã…‹

-Wow, totally unexpected combination

-Really looking forward to this music video...

-ã… ã… ã… ã… ã… ã… ã… ã…  I love Yoo Seung-ho so much

-No, seriously, this is shocking.

-Oh, looking forward to it

Yoo Seungho Shows His Support to DAY6 by Starring in Their New Song MV

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 Sacrificing the Fandom for Apology

Karina apologized through a handwritten letter on her SNS on the 5th regarding the dating news with actor Lee Jaewook. The letter conveyed apologies to the surprised fans.

However, the apology method stirred controversy. By apologizing directly on a platform like social media where millions can see, it seemed to give a strange treatment to 'My' and only fueled the fandom's anger. It's worth noting that Karina's SNS has over 12.79 million followers, and the comments on her apology letter surpassed 140,000.

It seems like fans wanted Karina to break the news of the dating rumors through their communication channels first. Especially considering that Aespa has a strong female fanbase, there's a sense of disappointment that SM Entertainment didn't understand how important it is to handle things the right way for them.

One music promotion insider put it this way: "The female fandom operates differently. They don't want their favorite artists falling behind in competition with other idol groups because of external factors." It's kind of like the idea of rooting for the home team in sports.


Incomprehensible Choice by SM

Karina's action of apologizing through SNS without prior communication with the fandom seems like an obvious 'mistake.' However, this is not Karina's mistake but a clear mistake by SM Entertainment's management. It's hard to believe that this is the best solution a company that is home to groups like Red Velvet and NCT could come up with.

In reality, many stars have traditionally used their communication channels with fans rather than personal SNS when revealing their dating or marriage news. This is because in the current structure of the K-pop industry, keeping the fans happy is key.

A former official from one of the four major entertainment companies in Korea commented, "For the agency, which must protect the value of its affiliated artists and also safeguard the fandom, as well as the investors' assets, they should have engaged in 'defense against media coverage' once the issues regarding personal lives or dating rumors surfaced." He expressed concerns about how SM handled things, making the situation worse than it had to be.

He added, "The agency's need for swift 'media defense' is not just about protecting the artist but also about safeguarding the fandom, which has a significant influence on the company's revenue. It's not just an emotional issue but a rational one that requires careful handling."

instiz

-Things seem to have gotten even noisier after she posted her apology letter...

-With the stock price dropping and shareholders going crazy, how could she not apology?

-Journalists these days seem to write in the same level as K-Netz's comments...

-What does that have to do with SM Ent. failing?ã…‹ã…‹ã…‹ã…‹

-Well, Sm must have its reasons. Karina must have her own thoughts too, and who would want their artists or company to be criticized? Isn't Dispatch at fault first for taking the photos without knowing the whole story? Personally, I think it's okay for an artist to admit to dating. It seems a bit fake to pretend otherwise to the fans while doing everything behind the scenes. 

-The way SM Ent. handles this matter is absolutely regretful, but it's still better than other large agencies at media defense

-That's true, but I wish they'd stop talking about this dating news now...

-What's a media defense? Blocking articles from coming up?

-Even if they tried to block journalists from writing articles about her, fans know everything. Honestly, it's even worse if they try to manipulate the public's opinion. 

-Isn't Karina in one of SM Ent.'s top girl groups? I don't understand why they handled this matter like that.

-They posted it on Instagram, and now even people who weren't interested are making a fuss because only the fans are being criticized. The way SM Ent. is handling this is really disappointing.

-Ultimately, it's true that real fans who were already upset are now being mocked and hit from all sides because of that one apology. The way SM Ent. handles this matter was wrong.

-Then what should Karina have done instead...?

-SM wasn't kidding about their mysterious concept since the 2000s. While other agencies aim for a friendly image, SM has always had this 'celebrity among celebrities' vibe, but lately, they've been too open, too communicative, and because of that, SM's unique vibe is disappearing.

Controversy Over Karina's Apology Letter, Industry Claims 'Evidence of SM Management Collapse'

 

1. Since he's complementing me for being pretty, I'd feel good

2. Since he's only dating me for my looks, I'd feel bad

Please write your MBTI too

instiz

-2. I'm an ISTP.

-1. I'm an ESFJ.

-1. I'm an ENTP.

-1. I'm an ISFP. I know I'm not that pretty, so I'd just take it as a joke slightly mixed with compliment. 

-I'm not that pretty, but there have been a lot of people who told me that I'm their ideal type, regardless of their gender. So I'd just think that he's saying that I'm his type, but I don't know how to react. I mean... I'm not sincerely thankful, but I'd say 'Thank you'. 

-That's funny. I'd just take it that he's completely in love with me. I'm an ISFJ.

-1. I know I'm not that pretty, so I'd just take it that he's completely in love with me.

-Obviously 1ã…‹ã…‹ã…‹ã…‹I'd just reply "My looks are indeed my greatest weapon, hohoho" and feel good about it.

-2, isn't it natural?? I mean, we're not just friends. We're in love with each other, it's unacceptable to say things like that. 

-1. Well, I'm dating him because of his looks too...ã…Ž

-2. I'm an INFJ. But it might vary depending on his tone when he says it. 

-1. I'm an INTJ. 

-1. I'm an ENTP, I think I'd feel really good if someone told me that. 

-1. I'm an INTJ. I mean... He says I look pretty, it probably means that he's really in love with me. 

How would you feel if your boyfriend says, "I'm dating you because you're pretty"?

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Date: (1st Show) Saturday, 4 May 2024 at 6PM KST / (2nd Show) Sunday, 5 May 2024 at 4PM KST
Venue: Jamsil Indoor Gymnasium
Ticket Prices: VIP Seats (Blue) 154,000 KRW (~$117 USD), Regular Seats (Yellow) 121,000 KRW (~$92 USD) (Including VAT)
Age Restriction: 7 years old and above (No entry for preschool children)
Ticketing: Melon Ticket


instiz

-It's quite expensive...

-If it's a fan-con, isn't it almost like a fan meeting?? It's quite expensive, but I'm sure fans who want to go will still buy the tickets.

-I just attended a fan concert for 130,000 KRW recently, and now they've raised the price again. I thought it was already expensive back then, though. SM Ent. said they wouldn't raise their ticket prices like other companies, but they keep raising it litte by little.

-Fan meetings used to be 40,000 KRW to 50,000 KRW before COVID. Even considering the rise in prices, 150,000 KRW is a bit much.

-People who want to buy it will buy it. Even if they sold it at 300,000 KRW, I'm sure it would still sell out.

-Still, I want to go...

-What's the brown color for?

-Sound check pass even for the second floor?? That's insane

-I really want to go, but I live in the countryside and I'm brokeã…‹ã…‹ã…‹ã…‹

-Are they trying to make up for the wasted cheersticks by raising the price so much? ã…‹ã…‹ã…‹ã…‹

-It's really expensive for a fan concert

-It's not even a concert, but just a fan concert...

-Maybe it's because it's a fan concert and not a fan meeting?? These days, a lot of idol groups turn fan meetings into fan concerts and raise the ticket prices. But RIIZE and SM Ent. are not the only ones who do that. I mean, I know SM Ent. is short of money these days but still... I don't get it.

-Is it normal for fan cons to be this expensive? Concerts are more expensive than that, about 30,000 to 40,000 KRW more.

-Sigh... even so, I really want to go.

-Why are ticket prices so expensive these days...

-Even the last concert I went to didn't cost that much. I mean, RIIZE just debuted and don't have a lot of songs yet...

-But do rookie fan cons usually cost this much??

-That's almost like concert ticket prices...

RIIZE's fan concert is gaining attention due to its high ticket price.

Friday, March 8, 2024

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Following his departure from NCT, Lucas is set to debut as a solo singer.

According to multiple music industry insiders on the 8th, Lucas will debut as a solo singer in April. He is currently in the middle of preparing for his first album.

Lucas's return to activities comes after a hiatus of three years. In 2021, Lucas suspended his activities due to controversy over his personal life, and last year, he officially withdrew from NCT.

However, Lucas has decided to remain with his agency, SM Entertainment, and continue his personal activities. Recently, Lucas has shown signs of comeback by opening official social media accounts. He addressed the controversy directly through YouTube and apologized once again. He also expressed his regret to the NCT members.

theqoo

-He can't sing, can he?

-Must be nice for him

-Why in Korea, though?

-Wait, does he have something against SM?

-The fact that they always mention NCT in his articles...

-SM is truly amazing, not in a good way.

-Wasting staff resources...

-SM is amazing, seriouslyã…‹ã…‹ã…‹ã…‹ã…‹ Wow, amazing, amazing, truly amazing ^^

-Just get rid of the useless ones, damn it.

-Does that mean the underrated idols in SM have to cause accidents to get attention?....ã…‹ã…‹ã…‹ã…‹

-I wonder if it will work outã…‹ã…‹ã…‹ Does he have fans?

-Is he going to be active in Korea??

-Are there people who support him?

-Is there a demand?

-In Korea????????? Wow..

-In the end, he's debuting as a singer, but I hope he won't come to SM concerts in the future...

Former NCT Member Lucas to Debut as a Solo Singer in April

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Karina Posts an Apology Letter for Her Dating News ... Foreigners Made Remarks About "Korean Fans Having a Mental Illness"

-Yeah, they are indeed messed up. The fandom's gone way overboard in a weird way.

-I'm not particularly sympathetic. She works a job that earns lot of money from those crazy fans. If those people were sane, the entertainment industry would be doomed. 

Fanatic fandom
and the entertainment industry exploiting those fanatic fans.

theqoo

-F*cking facts. That's exactly why idols apologizeã…‹ã…‹ã…‹ã…‹

-I mean... The fact they buy dozens, even hundreds, of the same album just to go to a fansign already explains it allã…‹ã…‹ã…‹ã…‹ã…‹

-That's true. The fan culture is already weird enough. And these idols make a ton of money off of those crazy fans. 

-She apologized because she still needs her fans, right? If she didn't care about then, there would've been no need for her to apologize, right? It's not the first time idols have apologized for being in a relationship.

-What those comments said are indeed true. But does that mean you can do as you please to idols...? No, you shouldn't treat them that way, they're human too. 

-Both Karina's apology and the company's confirmation are just to maintain the whole messed up system, essentially. They're not always victims as fans portray them to be.

-I hope K-pop fans wouldn't be too obsessed with celebrities. All they're after is money, after all. Fans' excessive obsession will only lead them to being ridiculed and having no money. 

-True. The apology letter isn't written for the public, it's meant to appease the fans. 

-That's right. If they were in their right minds, why would they spend millions, or even tens of millions, on idols? Let's be real, the apology isn't actually a sincere apology. It's just a way to calm down the fans to prevent them from leaving the fandom.

-That's true. It's a bit contradictory to make money off those people and then say "Leave me alone!" at times like this.

-Someone said the relationship between idols and fans is mutual exploitation. They're not wrong. 

-It would be really good if everyone respected each other's boundaries. 

-Honestly, even as a Korean, I feel like her apologizing to fans for being in a relationship is really strange and bizzare. It reminds me of that Japanese idol who shaved her head after a dating scandal.

-Wow, I almost felt like leaving the fangirl life and becoming a monk after reading the second comment.

Comments on the article about Karina's apology letter.