JYP began to separate KPop from Korea and now Bang is following suit.
I think when oldsters, whose heydays were in the 1980s, came to run the Korean Ministry of Culture, they realized the time of KPop in Korea is now over.
With Korea's aging pop, it will be harder to further its interest anymore.
Now, I have to say that more than 90% of KPop revenues come from outside of Korea.
Bang has a reason to be angry , since the circus around BTS' military service , and Bang's attempt to placate the government, came to nowhere so it is understandable that he wants to base his company outside of Korea, which might be the huge HQ of Hybe in Seoul is in a rented structure.
The Fifty Fifty case showed that Korean mind supports some old guy , with zero success in his resume, bullshitting 24/7 , instead of people who actually did something. That comes from the old landowner mind where the landed literati owned everything and was supreme.
Since Bang now has the power to ignore Korean opinion, he is making a good business decision. He already bought a very expensive mention in Los Angeles, and eventually I think Hybe will put its HQs in Los Angeles, and the singers not returning to Korea until they are past their peak. What will the Korean government do? Send agents to other countries to d rag the artists to the military?
Koreans are simply reaping what they have sown. They supported Trot and ballad instead of appreciating KPop's world success, so they will lose KPop and will be stuck back to trot and the sleepy ballads.
IVE will have a world tour. They will do 35 days of perf. They will only do one day in some locations, meaning they are just introducing themselves. They have a grand total of 2 days in Korea, 2/35 = 5.7%.
In fact the only reason major idols do aconcert in Seoul nowdays is because they can't enter China and Seoul is more accessible to the Chinese fans. There are some Korean fans but not large enough to use the venues they used.
I personally don't think separating Korea from KPop is a bad idea. It is a long overdue idea which I think is done a bit too late.
When someone who has NEVER toured outside of Korea gets to perform in the highest venue of the country along with the Most Successful Act to Come Out from there (yes I do mention her here), something is very wrong, and JYP and Bang seem to realize that.
I will conclude this post with g.o.d.'s song Sky Blue Balloon, written by Mr. Bang.