6 months after Melon chart reform: Have your perception of korean listening habits changed?

    Back in June 2020 I made a controversial thread stating that I was feeling Koreans doesn't actually care much for music, as their chart is so fulfilled for OSTs that seems that dramas is what driven the music success rather than the music quality itself (even in the sense that music has a subjective quality, the fact the music is from a OST is the factor driving the performance)


    You can read the original thread here: https://www.allkpop.com/forum/…h-as-other-medias.420816/


    After 6 months of a very boring and static chart with pretty much almost every big act flopping hard (from Epik High, to Heize, to Twice, to AKMU) I can now state what I was always feeling: Yeah, koreans doesn't seems to care for singers unless they are fans of the said singers... the actual ""GP"" doesn't bother much. IU seems to be the exception though, they really seems to lover her even when they aren't fans


    But, well, this is not a thread for me to rant over a point that I've already made. I want opinions, have the new chart system changed the way you see chart dynamics and koreans habits or you just don't think much about it?

    this has been the case all these while. Generally korean GP doesnt care much about idol groups except a few popular groups and viral hits. And that's it as evidenced by current Melon top10.

    I don't care about Korean listening dynamic but I prefer the current chart compared to the horrible chart like Genie where songs jump like 50 places a day due to streaming.


    In general due to less commute and less public spaces/gathering people just listen to music less. Even spotify data for worldwide is decreasing.


    Koreans do listen to the new song hence the big debut by Epik High, Taeyeon, 10 cm but then the song just doesn't stick and there's so little fandom support they just keep going down. I think this is similar to my listening profile as well. I listen to new songs, but then if the song is not to my liking I do not put it on my playlist. On commute and whenever I want to hear songs I play my playlist. So those new songs that I do not like just never get played anymore.

    they just listen to what is on the top, this new system can be kinda tricky because it makes songs be way more stable on the charts since is very hard to enter in the first place.

    Honestly after seeing VVS get so much love and its literally not even close to the best song from SMTM9 made me stop caring about what Korea thinks about music. Yes there are some songs that deserve to be #1, but like you said, its mainly driven by dramas or public persona (IU) etc.


    Its showing the GP is more a fan cult that anything else. If you have a strong public persona, people listen to your music regardless of the quality.

    Quote from nevermindmejin

    What you are observing on Melon are actually the same in most music charts everywhere. GP will just listen to which ever music that are on radio (that’s why radio plays are so important), viral hits and established acts. It’s easier, I guess.

    I beg to differ. We had alot of artist like Billie Ellish, Doja Cat, and maybe a few others that rose from the spotify/online scene and that eventually made it to the radio (think like BTS success, except the GP actually learned and started caring about the artist).

    Quote from anne_jay

    I don't care about Korean listening dynamic but I prefer the current chart compared to the horrible chart like Genie where songs jump like 50 places a day due to streaming.


    In general due to less commute and less public spaces/gathering people just listen to music less. Even spotify data for worldwide is decreasing.


    Koreans do listen to the new song hence the big debut by Epik High, Taeyeon, 10 cm but then the song just doesn't stick and there's so little fandom support they just keep going down. I think this is similar to my listening profile as well. I listen to new songs, but then if the song is not to my liking I do not put it on my playlist. On commute and whenever I want to hear songs I play my playlist. So those new songs that I do not like just never get played anymore.

    Epik High struggling to enter in top 20 is hardly a "big debut"

    Quote from Icaro_Ribeiro

    That's my conclusion as well. There is no artist loved by GP (maybe only IU). Everyone only loves their own faves, it's very clear for me


    Quote from Kouss

    Honestly after seeing VVS get so much love and its literally not even close to the best song from SMTM9 made me stop caring about what Korea thinks about music. Yes there are some songs that deserve to be #1, but like you said, its mainly driven by dramas or public persona (IU) etc.


    Its showing the GP is more a fan cult that anything else. If you have a strong public persona, people listen to your music regardless of the quality.

    but who is one to judge quality? isn't every individuals music tastes subjective? be based on gender, ethnicity , language, culture whatever the reason...

    just because one person prefers x song doesn't mean its better or worse than another...

    and vice versa just because another song is listened to by many many people also doesn't mean its better quality...

    it just means its more (or less popular)

    what song actually deserves #1? there is no song ever that deserves #1 its purely up to the people listening to decide that correct? if more people listen to it then it rises to the top of the charts if not many people listen to a song then it doesnt...no?

    Quote from selfmate

    but who is one to judge quality? isn't every individuals music tastes subjective? be based on gender, ethnicity , language, culture whatever the reason...

    just because one person prefers x song doesn't mean its better or worse than another...

    and vice versa just because another song is listened to by many many people also doesn't mean its better quality...

    it just means its more (or less popular)

    what song actually deserves #1? there is no song ever that deserves #1 its purely up to the people listening to decide that correct? if more people listen to it then it rises to the top of the charts if not many people listen to a song then it doesnt...no?

    I'm confused you quoted me, was it an error?

    Quote from Kouss

    Honestly after seeing VVS get so much love and its literally not even close to the best song from SMTM9 made me stop caring about what Korea thinks about music. Yes there are some songs that deserve to be #1, but like you said, its mainly driven by dramas or public persona (IU) etc.


    Its showing the GP is more a fan cult that anything else. If you have a strong public persona, people listen to your music regardless of the quality.

    VVS is the most public friendly song tho


    I found Achoo to be better but VVS was alot more catchy

    Quote from HardcoreBLINK

    That's not true cause bp has a small Korean fandom


    The GP definitely loves their music

    So they love Paul Kim music, this guy have a shit tons of hits and have an evergreen OST who keeps charting forever


    Yet his last song bombed so hard that is almost dropping the top 100 in only 3 months. Blackpink next song can be a hit or can bomb like Ice Cream, nothing is not such a thing as "GP love"

Participate now!

Don’t have an account yet? Register yourself now and be a part of our community!

Register Yourself Login