Will 4Gen Girl Groups be able to escape the Japanese trap?

Traditionally, Japan is the biggest field for Korea-based girl groups.

Blackpink is the first major act which escaped the Japanese trap, i.e most of their foreign activities confined in Japan where there is supposedly the most money involved. Ironically Twice is making some inroads in USA, but it might be too little, too late.

Some minor acts, like K.A.R.D. Dreamcatcher, Loona, Brave Girls, etc passed Japan and attacked United States and Europe directly, but for the larger companies the allure of Japan is simply great.

Out of the more prominent girl groups of the 4th Gen,

aespa, Kep1er, IVE and LeSserafim have Japanese members.

Gidle has no Japanese members but 3 Chinese-speaking members instead (Minnie is Chinese ethnically)

NMixx has one English speaking member, and NewJeans has 2 English speaking members (Ngoc Han barely speaks any Vietnamese).

So, it is quite probable that at least aespa, Kep1er (which was create to appeal to Japan to begin with), IVE and LeSserafim will spend a lot o their activities in Japan.

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It is ironic that the Covid thing confined the girl groups to K-O-R-E-A where they engaged in youtube and tiktok activities , extending their reach to the rest of world significantly.

Inside K-O-R-E-A, there is not much to be had. It only takes 10% of the world market for KPop, probably less. Plus it is significantly influenced by someone who is extremely hostile to KPop's worldwide expansion.

The 4th Gen has to be quick seizing the gap created by the end of BTS' height, but if they are bogged down in Japan, they lose the chance to claim the world for all.

I wish companies drop their immediate greed and aim these acts to seize the world when the afterglow of BTS is still there, but company execs tend to think about immediate profits and will probably make the wrong decision to send the girls to Japan for an extended time, losing the chance for maintaining the world conquest.

Quote from Ves

Interesting choice of words... "trap", "bogged down". How does promoting in Japan prevent any group from promoting elsewhere too?

Because promoting in Japan takes the front seat and everything else takes a back seat if an act takes a Japanese emphasis.

Quote from BlackpinkHouse

Good food for thought. I predicted from the very beginning that Lesserafim would be targeted towards Japan first, while New Jeans was Hybe's attempt to create the next Blackpink. Hybe went after Sakura, Chaewon and Minju, the three most popular Izone members in Japan excluding the Ive Izone members. That right there shoulda told everyone what their plans were for the group.

And Lesserafim is doing really well there, i think folks dont realize that both their Korean singles charted top 10 in Japan. I think any American Billboard accomplishments or global BB/Spotify accomplishments are just gravy, i think Hybe wants LSRFM to be their girl version of Seventeen, domination of the Asian markets.

New Jeans is the lead contender to be the Blackpink of 4th gen. 2.5 English speakers, 2 out of 5 foreign-born with Vietnam and Australia both represented. Very distinct aesthetic and sound. Just like Blackpink was a cultural reset for Kpop with their EDM-trap girl crush sound married to their diverse casting and visual standards (no visual holes), i think New Jeans is the one group that could be a cultural reset for Kpop in this generation (we've already seen one new group copy their MV aesthetics).

There is actually a slight problem - LS is doing reasonably well in Spotify.

Still it is unlikely for Hybe execs to change its mind to refocus toward the world

IVE is now an open question . Starship already has a global experience with MonstaX so it is possible that it will refocus to grab the world hegemony.

Given Min Heejin's behavior at MAMA, I am afraam aid she might put her own interest before NJ's

Quote from keyboardwarrior7

I think companies focus on whatever region shows the most interest at this point. Especially since KPOP has gone global.

Companies probably go to Japan since they see the most results from there when looking at the numbers. When a group is just starting out, it's better to seize and go where the profit is. Then, once you establish a stable fanbase, you can venture out into trying to promote in other areas.

Seems a little pointless to ignore the areas where you're benefitting most to sink money into advertising and touring somewhere where you're not making as many inroads. Most big groups will hit Japan and the US too. You can do both. Only reason Black Pink probably ignored Japan is because they started blowing up more in China and the US.

China would still probably be the golden egg rather than Japan if their regulations and policies weren't so weird.

I have no doubt New Jeans is set to target the west based on their debut concept and MVs, but if they see better album shipments coming from Japan, they'll probably be more likely to book activities there.

Plus, AESPA is trying to do it all. They have had activities in Japan, but they have literally also released an English speaking song, performed on US shows, and Coachella. Like I said, where ever they see the most growth is where they will focus.

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Going to Japan leads to a quick buck, but since Japanese fans have different needs from global fans, due to Japan being an island and its culture quite different from the rest of the world, if an act specializes too much for Japan it is hard for it to deal with the rest of the world.

SM has gotten haphazard. Going both ways rarely yields good results, like BoA's and SNSD's attempt to appeal to USA which went to nowhere. aespa's attempt to hold both Japan and the world won't succeed

Quote from screamingbanshee

What are you talking about? Since when is it a "trap" to only be successful in the world's 2nd largest music market? Japan's music industry is GIANT with over 100 million consumers and the added benefit of the language using Kanji which Koreans learn in school (Hanja/Kanji/Chinese characters are slightly different but share most of the same characters) and having a similar grammatical structure to Korean which makes it obvious to expand into that market.

You're wanting K-Pop artists to achieve a borderline impossible feat. There are British acts that never are able to break into any market internationally other than Ireland and artists like Adele who hardly anyone in Japan knows exists. How many European artists never make it to America? If you aim your ambitions for the world without making sure that you have a solid footing in your own domestic market or another market then your career will immediately fail before it even starts.

Also, It's not a bad thing to be only successful in one country or market, David Hasselhoff's music is giant in German-speaking Europe whereas no one has a clue he even made music elsewhere. He's still getting royalties from music in 80s/90s and only touring in Germany/Switzerland/Austria and I don't think he cares because he's still getting paid.

It is a giant trap . Profitable, but if an act acclimates for Japan it is basically going to be less effective for the rest of the world

Adele doesn't need Japan, German style music does not translate well to other culture (but the pop of germany, austria and switzerland are large and wealthy enough to support such German-style singers), and the example of Lee Jieun, who is basically only relevant in Korea, is well known.

However these acts are not going these routes. They want to appeal to the world, but now they will have to choose between Japan and the rest of the world.

Quote from Water_oWl

I don't understand what's your point with Twice. They are the Kpop queens of Japan (being the most active Kpop group there probably) and it didn't prevent them from being top 2 for gg in US with little promotion there.

Thread

TWICE was the most streamed GG on Spotify US and Japan in 2022!

twitter.com/PopCrave/status/15…eHOxWlUwKPMBpUVg6tZw&s=19

Not sure if this is true but Pop Crave tweeted so

twitter.com/TWICEANALYTICS/sta…bDpxH4x4naxL9inXXW_Q&s=19
twitter.com/TWICEANALYTICS/sta…MDaFmg0YARomqdLwjXGw&s=19

Queens of Kpop for a reason

vzal

Dec 1st 2022

Why are you saying "ironically", like they're a weird exception that shouldn't prove anything nor contradict your point?

If anything, groups having some relevance in Japan should help them with the international Kpop fanbase too (because these US numbers are mostly from Kpop fanbases anyway). It would not "bog them down".

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Right from the start it was going to attack Japan only. Tzuyu was added as an afterthought and the Huang An shit basically ended any chances Tzuyu had in the Sinosphere. The Covid thing kept the members in Korea and JYP realized the needs for Japanese fans would be better served by a Japanese-only (although technically the youngest is an American) group, hence NiziU was born.

So it is ironic that Twice became popular in USA after the contract was renewed and JYP would take significantly less money and Twice hitting a home run would do him little good, and when Twice itself is a mature group who is unlikely to advance further in its main bases

Quote from BlackpinkHouse

I really wonder about MHJ/Hybe. I wonder if the reason why New Jeans didnt get a Favorite New Artist award is because MHJ or Hybe, or both, preferred a separate award specifically for her instead.

we will never know. However, the members would now know that MHJ would gladly throw them under the bus if it benefits her. The trust is gone now It will be well when NJ does well, but that does reduce the chance of a re-signing