What helps more in leaving a legacy: gp's love and support or a large dedicated fanbase?

when their songs get played and covered across multiple Kpop generations

So, from an ARMY perspective I like that the legacy of BTS will be decided by the fandom. I like that we have the narrative, the control, you know ? At least for now.

But I think that for smaller groups, having a couple of hits with the GP can help to even have a legacy. It just can be annoying when your legacy is like... two songs... and not your best... and that the GP isn't interested in listening to anything else from you...

If I was a kpop idol though, I would rather have a dedicated fanbase, rather than GP support.

Tbh I think they are equal as long as you reach the top compared to your fellow idols.

Bigbang have legacy with smallish fandom because of the public recognition.

Even If bts didn’t get the love and support from the gp I don’t think anyone will question their legacy in kpop.

Quote from Serendipity2000

I was hoping for a more group focussed answer because sometimes songs are covered just because they are catchy not because of the artist or meaning behind it. I'm sure 4th gen is gonna have to suffer through dancing to baby shark or whatever else takes over.

Yep it's a lot better for the narrative to remain within the fanbase. I wonder how army's did that, like even after bts got a life of its own, beyond the kpop bubble in the media. Their story is majorly passed on from army to another through YouTube or tiktok rather than having the gp or news contort it. Like the media(especially Western) can be kept in check by the fandom when get xenophobic or racist towards bts.

ARMY is a very, very organized fandom. There are content creators who make sure the real information and past facts are not forgotten or twisted. Smaller sub-fanbases so to speak, that work tirelessly to correct misinformation in the media. Accounts dedicated to informing new fans and filter out what's real and what's not. And the fanbase makes use of its voice and power.

Both are important in different ways

Fandoms are much easier to get since you only need to please your fans rather than majority of music listeners but of course the main issue is only your fans will remember, everyone else might not give a shit at all.

Public is much much harder to get and maintain but can be have greater influnce since you'll be remembered by a lot of people, including non fans.

Imo I think public has a greater legacy due to sheer number of possible people reminiscing about a group but like I said it's really hard to attain so in majority of cases fan base is better to aim for

SNSD is an example of both. Fans are still with the groups/members despite nothing for years now, as a kpop group in the kpop industry (which is semi part way in between the 2,more than your fanbase but less than public) which has meant they have a very lasting legacy with song covers, groups using SNSD formal or idols becoming idols because of SNSD, and of course their massive public appeal where they still regularly appear on TV, endorse stuff and are generally still talked about as THAT group.

both!!

You didn’t have the option to do both. Having a dedicated fan base can drive attention and buzz to media and GP, as well as sustaining you once the hype dies down. It’s the fan base that drives the views and streams and sales to pique interest.

Having the GP’s attention or interest serves as a megaphone for you and helps cement your legacy. EXO has an outstanding discography, but more average folks remember Growl than Gravity or Call Me Baby than Lucky One. What sticks with the public is what becomes “iconic” or the legacy, as evidenced by all the younger groups singing and dancing to EXO, just as all the third gen groups sung and danced to Shinee or SuJu or Girls Generation.

The public is fickle and will move to next big thing, but the public can also come back with fandom fuel and a really great record, like is happening with Shinee.

However, in some ways, fandoms are harder to maintain. The public likes what the public likes when it feels like it. In contrast, larger parts of the fandom may expect you to stay perennially that age or that style and never evolve, may expect you to not grow up and do or talk about grown up things, or or they may simply age out of the interest. There are certainly groups who have managed that and continue to have a sustained career, but it is the curveball to having the built in audience.

in my opinion a legacy is something that lives on long after you are gone/stepped down/whatever...

so without the gp you are screwed,..if you only have your fanbase and no gp support,.. your song arent played as much on the radio/mtv and you will vanish into nothingness as most groups do after they disband..

with you being a hit with gp and being able to hold that over time,.. more people know you, more people will remember you, and more stations play your songs,...

in my opinion a fanbase is only a small part of the gp, and not able to keep a legacy alive without the gp.

BUT its easier to create a legacy if you have a fanbase that promotes you

see big bang, get your answer