Wednesday, January 31, 2024

, ,

 


"Legend" BoA, NCT Wish Producer Steps Forward

BoA, who debuts on February 21, takes on the producing role for NCT Wish, expanding her activities as a producer based on the expertise and insight she has accumulated as a pioneering figure in K-pop globalization, leading the way in the international scene with her sensibility, insight, and personality. She is expected to dive into full-fledged producing based on her own sense and uniqueness, leading the activities and growth of the members.

Debuting at the age of just 13 in 2000, BoA, who celebrates her 24th anniversary this year, is a leading figure in K-pop who pioneered the Hallyu Wave across Asia, particularly in Korea and Japan. She made history as the first Korean singer to enter the main chart of the U.S. Billboard, the 'Billboard 200,' paving the way for the globalization of Korean music.

In particular, in 2001, BoA entered Japan, the world's second-largest music market, as part of SM's localization strategy. She became the first Korean singer to top the Oricon chart and record sales of over a million copies, and in 2004, she attended the 'MTV Asia Awards' as a joint representative of Korea and Japan, winning the 'Influential Asian Artist' award. She has continuously appeared on NHK's year-end music festival, 'Kohaku Uta Gassen,' for six consecutive years, cementing her position as a top artist in Asia.

Furthermore, BoA showcased her first self-composed activity with the title track "Only One" from her 7th album, and with her 8th album, "Kiss My Lips," for which she personally took charge of all songwriting, composition, and producing, she won the Best Album Award at the 25th High1 Seoul Music Awards, earning recognition for her exceptional musicality. In 2021, she participated in producing S.E.S.'s hit song "Dreams Come True" through a remastering project by aespa, actively participating in music, choreography, and visuals.

Therefore, BoA's move as the producer of NCT Wish, who will debut simultaneously in Korea and Japan and engage in global activities, holds deeper significance. As someone who accompanied the birth of NCT Wish through the reality show "NCT Universe: LASTART" and can provide direction based on successful experiences in Korea and Japan, she is the one-of-a-kind artist.

BoA is also overseeing the entire production process of NCT Wish's debut single "Wish," including music, performance, and album production. With plans to continue leading the activities and growth of the members as the producer of NCT Wish, expectations are high for the synergy between NCT Wish and BoA.

Combining SM's 30-year heritage and infrastructure with producer BoA's producing, NCT Wish, which will write a new chapter in K-pop in 2024, will debut at Tokyo Dome on February 21.

theqoo

-Wow, amazing!!

-I wonder how it'll turn out.

-With her extensive experience in Korea and Japan, she's likely to do well.

-She's producing it?!

-Wow, that's perfect, suits her well.

-I wonder how it'll be.

-But wouldn't it be better if a professional producer did it?

-Fighting!! Excited for the combination of Wish members haha.

-It's her first time, I'm sure she probably won't do it alone, others will help too.

-What exactly will she be producing? Songs?

-I hope they'll release a producing reality show or something like that. I enjoy watching those.

-Good luck! Hope the song turns out great.

-Fighting!! BoA has been doing well in producing!

-Ah, I wish a professional producer would do it thoughㅠㅠㅠ

-Don't you know that aespa's "Dreams Come True" was produced by BoA?????

"Legend" BoA, Steps Forward as NCT Wish's Producer

Tuesday, January 30, 2024

, , ,

The AI cover of Taeyeon's 'To.X,' featuring voices synthesized to sound like Jungkook from BTS, IU, Baek Yerin, AESPA's Winter, BLACKPINK's Rosé, EXO's Baekhyun and D.O., NCT's Jaehyun, Haechan, and New Jeans' Hanni, MONSTA X's I.M, and The Boyz's Hyunjae, is creating a buzz. These videos, featuring voices generated by artificial intelligence (AI) technology trained on the voices of these idols, have gained significant traction on YouTube.

Essentially, these artists have no direct association with the original performers. AI covers involve using artificial intelligence to transform the vocals of existing songs into the voices of other individuals. This concept gains immense popularity as it allows fans to enjoy new songs with the voices of their favorite artists. Particularly, Taeyeon's 'To.X' has garnered attention with several AI covers. Recently, an online community post titled 'The Trendy Taeyeon 'To.X' AI Cover Among Idol Fans' has been a hot topic. These videos have garnered tens of thousands of views, with Baekhyun's version reaching an impressive 1.26 million views as of the 25th, and Haechan's cover version recording 610,000 views.

'To.X' is an R&B song with a sophisticated guitar riff and a rhythmic melody. Its lyrics convey the realization of being controlled by someone else and announcing the end of a relationship, exuding a poignant atmosphere. Consequently, versions by skilled vocalists or those with exceptional voices seem to be prevalent.

Just like Taeyeon's 'To.X' AI cover, many AI cover songs gained popularity last year as well. From globally renowned artists singing domestic hit songs to the latest tracks sung in the voices of deceased artists, it created a new atmosphere in the music industry, made possible by the power of AI.

However, there is a growing call for regulation, primarily due to copyright issues surrounding AI cover songs. Especially considering the simplicity of creating AI cover songs, this area is expanding rapidly. According to global market analysis firm MarketsandMarkets, the global AI music market is expected to grow by more than tenfold over the next ten years, from $229 million in 2020 to $2.66 billion by 2032.

In response, the government has introduced guidelines, showing movement toward regulating AI covers. Last year, the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism and the Copyright Committee announced an 'AI-Copyright Utilization Guide,' and a bill amending the 'Content Industry Promotion Act' containing obligations to indicate the use of AI to prevent side effects of AI content.

Choi, Chairman of the Korea Music Copyright Association, stated, "Preventive legislative measures are necessary to ensure that content in which authors have invested significant time and money is not misused without fair compensation. I hope that more people will recognize the need for legal amendments and that exemplary legislative cases will be established through this public hearing."

instiz

-Please take this seriously...

-I really wish they'd stop with the AI covers... It's not right for these singers to just swap out their hard-worked songs with AI covers of other artists' voices.

-Seriously, almost every celebrity has been affected by it.

-I hate AI covers.

-Jungkook has mentioned he dislikes AI multiple times, his fans neet to stop using it~~

-It's not just about pros and cons, it's all cons. It's not being used for anything good, it's not even being utilized properly, it's just ignoring copyrights and not getting permission, synthesizing someone else's voice.

-This song in particular seems to have more AI covers.

-There are so many To.X AI versions...

-Wow, there really are people crediting Taeyeon's song's popularity to AI covers... Do they want to falsify it like that...

-I don't know about IU, but Jungkook's AI covers are everywhere, they're consumed like crazy without conscience, not even getting many views...

-AI covers are really not great... Sometimes when I read comments, where they belittle the original singer and praise the AI cover singer, it makes me dislike it even more.

Taeyeon's 'To.X', AI Cover: Pros and Cons

, ,

 It looks smooth... Even if she just wears sunscreen and goes out, she would still look pretty...





instiz

-Wow, she still looks amazing even under that zoom-in...!!

-She probably spends at least an hour getting her complexion done at the salon, but still...

-Not everyone looks like that just by putting on makeup, seriously, Won-young has it all.

-Her natural glow makes me so jealous

-Wow, I'm really enviousㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ

-Why doesn't she have any blackheads?

-It might be partly natural, but I heard she takes care of her diet and exercises well, she's really amazing.

-She's got it all, from skin to body ratio, appearance, everything seems natural.

-Wow, if she's at that level, she must've been born with it.

-She probably born with it, but she must also receive good care.

-She might have natural beauty, but she must really work hard on maintenance... Amazing.

-Wonyoung's skin always looks so flawless like she was born with it...

-Seriously, she's a natural beauty.

-Even with maintenance, not many people look like that... Seems like she's just born with it.

Jang Won-young's skin looks really nice

,

 They all seem like they'd do well.

instiz

-Sungchan

-Shotaro

-Wonbin and Shotaro. Shotaro is really good at handling Instagram profile.

-Judging from their feeds right now, I think they'd do well with no exceptions.

-They all seem like they'd do well, I can't choose oneㅋㅋ

-Sungchan, Wonbin, and Shotaro.

-Anton, Shotaro.

-They all have different styles. I can't imagine how exciting it will be if they had their own personal Instagram accountsㅋㅋ

-Wonbin and Shotaro. 

-I feel like Sungchan would have the best Instagram profile, while Anton would be the one who posts Instagram story the mostㅋㅋㅋㅋ

-They're all Gen Z. Of course they're all gonna have good Instagram profiles.

-Anton and Shotaro.

-I feel like Anton is the type of person who posts a lot of Instagram story and Shotaro is the type of person who posts a lot of pictures on his feeds. 

-Judging from their previous Instagram accounts, obviously it's Shotaro...

-First of all, definitely not Eunseok. Shotaro would have the best Instagram profile.

-Obviously Anton.

If each member of RIIZE makes their own personal Instagram account, who do you think will be the Instagram master?

,

 

An idol caught selling a gifts from fans on a used goods marketplace'

This controversy made it to the news...

instiz

-Why would he sell gifts from fans in the first place...

-Why is this even in the news? I just feel sorry for the idol.

-Is there really nothing else to report as news?ㅋㅋㅋ

-There's so much news these days, and they pull out something like this.

-Is this even newsworthy..ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ It's just gossip that circulates on community sites or Twitter.

-To put something like this in the news? It doesn't seem right at all ㅜㅜㅜ I feel sorry for the fan too ㅜㅜ

-The idol seem young and this is definitely not news-worthy. What are those reporters doing...

-They should report on idols with past of school violence instead.

-But SBS has been good at stirring up controversies from online communities lately and making them into news videos.

-The news is really like a millstone.. Don't they have anything better to report? If the fan and the singer were going through some emotional turmoil, and if they resorted to selling it, isn't it because they needed money more urgently... It's not even something someone gave them, and they're not even a famous idol, so why are they making it into news? It's just sad for both the fan and the singer.

Wow, Mirae controversy made it to the news

,

 According to a report by Sports TV News on the 29th, BTOB will release a new song in mid-March.

After the expiration of their exclusive contract with Cube Entertainment, BTOB members chose their own paths. Seo Eunkwang, Lee Minhyuk, Im Hyunsik, and Peniel joined new entertainment agencies, while Lee Changsub joined Fantagio, which is also home to Cha Eunwoo, and Yook Sungjae chose the path of media content company iWill Media.

Although they have scattered onto three different paths, they all shouted "BTOB first." Lee Changsub said, "We will be together forever, so don't worry. We will prioritize group activities and continue to work together in the future," and Yook Sungjae's new agency also stated, "We will actively support BTOB's activities."

instiz

-Wow, is this for real? Seriously??? I was wondering if we could see it in the second half of the year, but it's true?!? March is their debut anniversary, are you kidding me?!

-Thank you so much, BTOBㅠㅠ

-I'm crying.

-It seems like they'll release it on their debut anniversary, right?ㅠㅠㅠㅠ

-Is it really possible this fast?? ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ Thank you so much

-Wow... if the song comes out on March 21st, I'll have to be a Melody for the rest of my life.

-Seriously, wow, I didn't expect it to be this fast.

-Melodies are so luckyㅠㅠㅠ

-Wow, I'm touched.

-Seriously... they come back this fast?ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ

-Wow, this is amazing, reallyㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ

-I'm so happy that BTOB is my idol.

-A comeback in Marchㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ

-I guess I really can't leave from this fandom, there's no way out after all.

-As expected of BTOB.

-Wow... the fans here must be really happy...

BTOB, comeback in March..."Complete Group Activity Takes Priority," Promises Kept

, , ,

 Some online users expressed discomfort with the way IU, portrayed as deaf, and BTS's V, depicted as visually impaired, were used to represent individuals with disabilities in a music video. They viewed it as a portrayal of a "lack of imagination," where disabled couples idealize and envy the relationships of non-disabled couples. Additionally, there were criticisms that portraying disability as something to be overcome perpetuates the objectification and romanticization of people with disabilities. Criticisms also arose regarding the ending, as it depicted IU and V not as themselves but as individuals without disabilities, ushering in a happy world free from hatred and discrimination.

On the other hand, there's a strong opinion that this music video should not be viewed solely through the lens of disability. Some argue that limiting it to 'disability' overlooks the possibility of viewing it from various perspectives, such as zombies, viruses, or dystopia. Furthermore, there's no direct implication or mention of disability in the lyrics of "Love Wins All," which simply tells a story of ordinary love. Fans have criticized IU for her "ignorance," citing the change from the original title 'Love Wins' to 'Love Wins All' due to criticism that the former was exclusive to sexual minorities.

Moreover, while dramas and movies dealing with disability are generally well-received, such as "Extraordinary Attorney Woo," "Good Doctor," and "Marathon," IU's music video has faced particularly harsh criticism, leading to perceptions of discrimination.

instiz

-It's amazing how such viewpoint comes out of someone's twisted mindㅋㅋㅋ I just can't relate, seriously.

-I thought there could be reasonable opinions, but extreme reactions are a bit bewildering.

-I understand, but let's not overstep the boundaries of decency.

-Imagine living life with such a perspective, how unhappy would that be?

-Where exactly was the demeaning?? Even after watching it 20 times, I cried more out of sadness than feeling insulted.

-I didn't feel that way at all, rather, I saw it as love conquering all.

-I didn't see them as disabled, but rather as individuals scarred by an apocalyptic world, so it didn't seem odd for that to disappear through the camcorder.

-Opinions can vary depending on how you interpret the work, but calling it demeaning feels like a stretch. It might have been better if they had been more careful, especially in the scene with the camcorder, but it doesn't feel like demeaning, does it? 

-If I were a person with a disability, I'd feel uncomfortable.

-I can't believe there are people who empathize with this to the extent of having serious discussions about it.

-While the intention might not have been to demean, using disability as a device to magnify difficulty is an observation that can't be erased. Also, it's tiring when someone not directly affected by it gets involved and dismisses the discomfort, showing a dismissive attitude.

-I'm really fed up with South Korea. If you don't make it a problem, it won't be a problem, but if you make it a problem, it becomes one.

IU-V's Music Video, Does it Really Demean People with Disabilities?

, ,

 

Does Harley feel like playing with you?ㅎㅎ

Do you really want to do that to Harley?ㅠ

Are you going to knead Harley?

What about the call call song?

You only play with Harley only during Squirrel Class. You're gentle to her on regular days too, right?

Do you think Harley understands?

Consider Harley's perspective.

Have you obtained Harley's approval?ㅋㅋㅋㅋ

Seunghee did a live broadcast with her cat, but she kept receiving comments like that...

Not to mention that it was a membership-only live stream, tooㅠ

The person who kept commenting like did apologize.

Seems like they were problematic to begin with.

instiz

-Why are they like this?

-Seriously, they're so immature.

-The company should handle such things, seriously.

-Is Harley a cat?

-Can't they revoke or block their membership?

-Why would they want to act like that while being a member?

-Ugh, seriously, why do they crave attention with those kinds of comments? Pathetic.

-There are a lot of weirdos out there...

-Those kinds of people would probably go to YouTube channels about pets and behave the same way...

-Seriously, those who don't have friends act like that.

-People who boss around idol pets, seriously, they're so annoying.

-There are so many strange people... Do they really want to behave like that even with a membership?

-Do they think a simple apology is enough?... Ugh, it's really frustrating... I'm sure Seunghee genuinely love her cat, I can't imagine how upsetting it is to hear such things...

-There are people who behave like that, huh.

Seunghee from Oh My Girl cried during her live broadcast

, ,

 

Behind-the-scenes cut from the Vogue Chanel photoshoot in 2019.

+Another photo posted on the same day.


I think it's a profile picture that suits Jennie's vibe well.

instiz

-Oh, that profile picture really suits Jennie.

-From her hair to the outfit and the black-and-white background, it's totally Jennie. 

-It suits her well.

-Ah, just gorgeous, Kim Jennie ㅠㅠ

-Jennie has this unique elegant vibe aside from just being pretty. And when she's still, she's lovely and cute, but on stage, she becomes a hot girl... like a goddess.

-Wow, that was taken 5 years ago??

-I miss Jennieㅠㅜ

-She's so prettyㅜㅜ

Blackpink's Jennie's Instagram profile picture, which she has been using for 4 years and 3 months