Why did SNSD stop promoting in Japan?

sm: hags to the back

Technically SNSD stopped after end of 2013 their last Japanese album, the only time they returned to Japan was for touring. There was a very anti Korea/hallyu thing going in Japan and many groups including Kara basically either stopped or heavily reduced their activities compared to the previous couple years when everyone flooded to Japan. That could be the main reason.

Or could be SM being SM as usual. Other groups like Suju, Exo, RV etc had a album or couple single in Japan and then nothing. No real reason why. SM then focused on China soon after.

Quote from harambelives

There was a very anti Korea/hallyu thing going in Japan

What caused this

Quote from tenfour

What caused this

I'm not sure of the main reason but there were a few points that coalesced together to make things difficult for everyone

I know there was political tension between Korea and Japan at the time over Dokdo islands and who owns them. There were rising tensions about Korea wanting apology about Japan's war crimes during ww2 which Japan hand waved away.

Like I mentioned kpop groups flooding to Japan water seeing the unprecedented success SNSD and Kara were having. Almost every big/semi big name group started promoting in Japan soon after. That brought animosity about Japan people feeling it was unfair for kpop groups to take time from Jpop groups in music shows and events. Subsequently there was a obvious reduction of kpop groups appreance on shows (except TVXQ) soon after.

Anti-Hallyu/Anti-Korea wave that started in 2011 leading to a sharp decrease in popularity and album sales. For example, there were no Korean artists invited at Kōhaku Uta Gassen in 2012 compared to three K-pop groups the year before. The 2nd generation K-pop wave pretty much died afterwards, only touring was profitable.

紅白歌合戦　韓流歌手は出場ゼロ　領土問題「まったく関係ない」 - スポニチ Sponichi Annex 芸能

第６３回ＮＨＫ紅白歌合戦・出場歌手発表

www.sponichi.co.jp

紅白歌合戦制作者「今年は韓国の芸能人の出演は困難だろう」

中央日報 - 韓国の最新ニュースを日本語でサービスします

s.japanese.joins.com

日本‘紅白歌合戦’韓国歌手 すっぽり抜けた理由は?

昨年、東方神起・少女時代・KARA 参加 今年は一チームも出演できず 独島(トクト)問題など韓-日葛藤 理由 分析も

japan.hani.co.kr

Japan’s right-wing groups hold rallies vs. Korean pop culture

Japanese right-wing groups have taken collective action to boycott "hallyu," or Korean pop culture,…

www.donga.com

Anti-hallyu voices growing in Japan

From Bae Yong-joon to Ryu Si-won and Jang Keun-suk, many Korean stars have enjoyed heartthrob status in Japan for nearly a decade.

www.koreatimes.co.kr

That anti Hallyu wave didn’t stop Kara from still being able to sell their albums/singles …and boy we’re they killing it. It was only last year that Twice finally broke Kara’s record as the most successful kpop group in Japan. I just think it came down to music.

Quote from zylan

That anti Hallyu wave didn’t stop Kara from still being able to sell their albums/singles …and boy we’re they killing it. It was only last year that Twice finally broke Kara’s record as the most successful kpop group in Japan. I just think it came down to music.

KARA's sales also cratered after 2011 Only TVXQ wasn't greatly affected.

Quote from zylan

That anti Hallyu wave didn’t stop Kara from still being able to sell their albums/singles …and boy we’re they killing it. It was only last year that Twice finally broke Kara’s record as the most successful kpop group in Japan. I just think it came down to music.

Kara did suffer though, arguably the biggest dip from Kpop groups at the time. They were up there at the top but went from 750k albums in 2011 to 250k 2012 but then could barely get 50k from the next few releasees. They couldn't hold big tours in Japan and Asia + keep up steady album sales like SNSD could to keep going for a few years so that was basically the end of the career in Japan.

Quote from harambelives

Kara did suffer though, arguably the biggest dip from Kpop groups at the time. They were up there at the top but went from 750k albums in 2011 to 250k 2012 but then could barely get 50k from the next few releasees. They couldn't hold big tours in Japan and Asia + keep up steady album sales like SNSD could to keep going for a few years so that was basically the end of the career in Japan.

They had a lawsuit going too with Nicole and Ji young around even that time which hurt for a while after. Still at the end of the day , their record was only broken last year by Twice. A remarkable run in Japan considering they were not around the past 5-6 yrs. I never thought any kpop gg group would break their record in Japan.

It's a natural progression.

SNSD members renewed thier 7 year contracts in 2014 so SME likely fulfilled their obligations with EMI Japan as SNSD headed into "retirement".

So I'm guessing that SME had no further plans for SNSD in Japan other than meeting their obligations, I also don't think the ANTI-Hallyu movement in Japan had much of an affect due to them drawing in huge numbers at Concerts while they were going on

Quote from Daileemidzy

I thought SNSD's music was pretty well received in Japan?

It was. It’s pretty obvious though that Kara’s music was more widely accepted there. Now Twice are the queens in Japan.

The whole Japan boycotting thing makes no sense because pretty much every other SM artist had no qualms about going there and promoting at the same time lol.

Honestly it looks like the plan was always to severely wind down SNSD after 7 years and there just wouldn't be time for Japanese promotions when they DID decide to do the group. 2014 really seemed like they were bidding Japan farewell