Obviously I don't mean that they don't have any non-Asian fan at all, however from my observation fans of BB, Winner, iKon, Treasure are like 80-90% from Asia, especially SEA countries. Treasure has too many members to appeal to non-Asian fans so their case is a bit more understandable, but what about the rest?
I always hear Kpoppies saying that YG has the most Western friendly music out of all big companies so what's not clicking with their boys?
Like every other bg
Like every other bg
Not really groups like NCT, SKZ, ATeez, TXT & Enhypen seem to have some presence with Western fans. They are often talked about in English kpop communities like reddit for example.
Back in 3rd gen, groups like GOT7 & Monsta X also massively overshadowed YG's 3rd gen groups like Winner, iKon when it comes to Western side.
It's not really about BP. Back in 2nd gen even though BB was at their peak it was still 2NE1 that got more attention from Western fans. YG knew it too that's why they tried to push for 2NE1's full English album (which ended up getting scrapped) .
I wonder why they never tried to make a true global boy group with the 2NE1/ BP formula: less members, at least 1 member who's fluent in English, at least 1 member with global background, focus on luxurious concept... It sounds like an obvious step to follow seeing BP's success but YG went the obvious way and created a 12-members group instead.
What are you talking about. He's really famous in sk. And has never been pushed anywhere, he became famous thanks to smtm and being casted by na pd on njttw. Yg did nothing for him or any other winner members.
And what does this have to do with yg groups and western support 
Obviously I don't mean that they don't have any non-Asian fan at all, however from my observation fans of BB, Winner, iKon, Treasure are like 80-90% from Asia, especially SEA countries. Treasure has too many members to appeal to non-Asian fans so their case is a bit more understandable, but what about the rest?
I always hear Kpoppies saying that YG has the most Western friendly music out of all big companies so what's not clicking with their boys?
The groups have never aimed for western recognition. You don't see them promoting in US shows like bp or any other group out there. Yg always gave priority to Korea and Japan + China and then sea.
Even bp was not created as a western group, but they became so successful it was relatively easy for them to get bigger and bigger even in USA and Europe.
West never interested in kpop solely because of music, because theres plenty western artists there that make great music, westerners liked kpop because of its shiny/colorful/polished visuals, intense dance routines, fanservices in such that's not common in western pop. But YG has never much focused on visuals on their boygroups, all of their boygroups except treasure has more masculine type of visuals but western kpop stans apparently like the flower boy look more. Also they have never focused much on dance rountines as most of their boygroups all about rap and vocals and swag. Also the lots of scandals their boygroups had turned off western kpop stans and hence there was no interest for treasure from the beginning from west. Also none of their boygroup members had western background or there wasn't much of fluent english speaker in their groups. Also BigBang example is not really good example, Still Life is ballad song which western fans not much interested, and it wasn't for the charts anyways, if it was like their edm club bangers it would do much better in the west i think, also besides bts is there any boygroup making noise in the west?, in the end most of their stats are coming from fandom mass work and agency promo
But if u see blackpink, they have the visuals and dance routine, also they have two members who has western background, they have teddy as their producer who is korean - american, also the members give expensive vibe all of this make them more appealing to westerns. YG has changed the game from 2ne1 to making BP (which they are prettier and more dance oriented), they could do same for boygroup (4 members, all visuals, upgraded dance, western background etc) but yet they came up with 12 member group that is not really favourable towards westerners just starting from the number of members
Good question but answer (if there is one) is too complicated.
1. Western friendly music - double edged sword. Similarity to western music can be your gate away into K-pop or people can turn away from it - 'why should I like some weird full of make-up guys/girls copies of western artists when I have originals right here...'
2. Lack of gimmicky content on social media that in many cases draws new fans into the fandom. Treasure is the first group with so much content on social media. Unfortunately for the group they've been basically debuting in the middle of the YG mega scandal - company's reputation took a huge blow and it's a trendy thing to righteously boycott morally corrupt misogynistic company's new product - especially as it is BOY group once again and there are plenty groups from 'not problematic' companies on the market to choose from.
3. Winner's music is more Korean friendly than typical westernized YG sound. No idea if YG debuted group catering to domestic audience on purpose or not...
4. iKON has very interesting and sadly unfortunate trajectory. Looks like the strategy for them was to conquer the S. Korea's market first, than start with Japan (nonstop touring, concerts twice a day) followed by China (they gained huge popularity through the show Heroes of Remix) and most likely afterwards extending to western market. I'm only assuming here but I think they were planning to have some new mini release (it's YG who am I kidding) for keep their S. Korea momentum as well.
BUT they've been shipped to Japan almost immediately and for unexplainably long time without going back to S. K. after the great debut - in retrospective BI's situation had most likely something to do with it.
Their China market attempt was really gaining momentum BUT once again THAAD aftermath happened - embargo on K-pop and K-dramas. They were literally cut out from 2-3 final episodes of Heroes of the Remix (despite winning some of those episodes if I remember correctly).
They've been finding their footing again in S. K. and internationally (in the West as well) once again with Love Scenario - when BS happened followed by BI drug abuse revelation...
What can I say... Great talented group with very unfortunate timing...
Display MoreGood question but answer (if there is one) is too complicated.
1. Western friendly music - double edged sword. Similarity to western music can be your gate away into K-pop or people can turn away from it - 'why should I like some weird full of make-up guys/girls copies of western artists when I have originals right here...'
2. Lack of gimmicky content on social media that in many cases draws new fans into the fandom. Treasure is the first group with so much content on social media. Unfortunately for the group they've been basically debuting in the middle of the YG mega scandal - company's reputation took a huge blow and it's a trendy thing to righteously boycott morally corrupt misogynistic company's new product - especially as it is BOY group once again and there are plenty groups from 'not problematic' companies on the market to choose from.
3. Winner's music is more Korean friendly than typical westernized YG sound. No idea if YG debuted group catering to domestic audience on purpose or not...
4. iKON has very interesting and sadly unfortunate trajectory. Looks like the strategy for them was to conquer the S. Korea's market first, than start with Japan (nonstop touring, concerts twice a day) followed by China (they gained huge popularity through the show Heroes of Remix) and most likely afterwards extending to western market. I'm only assuming here but I think they were planning to have some new mini release (it's YG who am I kidding) for keep their S. Korea momentum as well.
BUT they've been shipped to Japan almost immediately and for unexplainably long time without going back to S. K. after the great debut - in retrospective BI's situation had most likely something to do with it.
Their China market attempt was really gaining momentum BUT once again THAAD aftermath happened - embargo on K-pop and K-dramas. They were literally cut out from 2-3 final episodes of Heroes of the Remix (despite winning some of those episodes if I remember correctly).
They've been finding their footing again in S. K. and internationally (in the West as well) once again with Love Scenario - when BS happened followed by BI drug abuse revelation...
What can I say... Great talented group with very unfortunate timing...
just a clarification regarding bolded part as I cannot edit my post - apologies English isn't my first language - it's not drug ABUSE per Western definition - according to the published text messages he tried out some Marihuana and apparently showed some interest (got cold feet and didn't go through with buying it in the end) in trying LSD as well around first half of 2016, whole thing was revealed to the public on the coattail of BS scandal in June 2019
Bigbang was the most popular 2nd gen boy group in the west. It’s just that they debuted in 2006 and have barely been active since 2016, before kpop blew up in the west.
Then there’s also that YG groups are (pre-Treasure) less fandom focused. Kpop is pretty mainstream in Asia and there’s a lot of casual fans that are easy to attract with music alone. But in the west kpop is too niche, you’re either a stan or you don’t care about kpop at all, so fandom focused groups have an advantage.
Treasure was hit hard by YG/Seungri scandals at debut and didn’t receive the attention they otherwise would have. They still haven’t recovered from that and are struggling to find a sound that people like.
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