Arirang Labels Kara And Battle As "not Successful"

[Guest Drunken Epik]

To be totally honest. I agree with the people from Arirang. If you look at Kara and Battle, there is no room for creativity because a lot of what the company is trying to do is try and find a copycat group that still can retain popularity for the companies. The reason why Big Bang, Wonder Girls, FT Island and Girls' Generation are all doing a lot better than these two and many others is because they are innovative.

For example, if you look at the history of JYP entertainment, well...you have a musical genius in JYP, so that's a given, then it's a first ever for JYP to have a female group in its history. Plus, the Wonder Girls aren't really similar to the girl groups of before. They can actually dance, sing (Sohee needs work still), and rap. Each member like Sohee is branching out like being in a movie.

For FT Island, I thought they sucked, but they are good at their respective instruments and...yeah, they aren't there for just good lucks and "play," because they CAN actually play their instruments right.

Big Bang is a success because you've got members who are always innovative, starting with mini-albums, and always producing a new style in each. Not the same style. Plus, you have members like TOP in acting and he's been in the underground rap game as young kid, so he's got experience in rap. Plus, all the members have great knowledge in producing their own music. G-Dragon wrote "Lies" and TOP and others members have written their own songs for the albums.

Girls' Generation...SM's first HUGE girl group, first time in its history, which sets them apart from SES. Plus, all members CAN sing and are fluent in different languages other than Korean (i.e.: Japanese, English, Chinese) and they've debuted in other areas of Korean entertainment. Others like Tiffany and others are MCing for shows targeted for teens. Some have already been in CFs, movies as cameos, and others.

KARA, Battle, and SS501 are just sad remake wannabes of their predecessors and only their for looks. As you can tell, most of the Korean music fan base now has become the older and more mature age group. There is becoming a HUGE decline in the teeny bopper fad that dominated Korean music in it's early stages. Dong Bang Shin Ki and Super Junior are starting to shed their teeny ways and make mature music. That's the thing that links and sets apart these groups over KARA, Battle, and SS501 because they are broadening their fan base and creating music that doesn't just target to just ONE age group, but a wide range.

The Korean music industry has been losing a lot of profit in the past seven to eight years now because of lack of creativity except a select few. All in all, I don't really care for any of these groups except for Wonder Girls and Girls Generation. I'm more into the Korean underground and overground (mainstream like Epik High and Drunken Tiger) hip-hop music and indie rock music cause these guys ACTUALLY have talent that surpasses these groups they call musicians.

Well like it or not, that's my two cents.

[Guest juhilove]

please if you dont know Battle well dont give comment that hurt Battle fans or compare them to another artist each artists his own path in music industry eash companies has his own market stratgey to promote their stars

KARA, Battle, and SS501 are just sad remake wannabes of their predecessors and only their for looks. As you can tell, most of the Korean music fan base now has become the older and more mature age group. There is becoming a HUGE decline in the teeny bopper fad that dominated Korean music in it's early stages. Dong Bang Shin Ki and Super Junior are starting to shed their teeny ways and make mature music. That's the thing that links and sets apart these groups over KARA, Battle, and SS501 because they are broadening their fan base and creating music that doesn't just target to just ONE age group, but a wide range.

Inever care about Battle looks Ilike their music what it appeal to me the most and they still have more to offer in coming year why always people want to bring the artisit down when they work hard to make mark in this industry as fan Iknow how hardship they face to become what they are now and they are creative Taehwa( can play guiter and paino ) china they have strong fan base and they work as MC and actor Before and speak chinese but to me this not only the factor for an artist first album dont releas yet so you cant judge you baised to what you love it ok but dont say thing If dont like them kept to urself If Idont like some artist Iwill not talk about them because Idont to hurt other feeling

not creativity this word make mad I support Battle more and more not matter what

Battle fighting

[babybeck]

I don't think they should claim that a group or singer is a failure if they are still new to the industry. You can't really tell if an artist is a failure or a success until they permanently exit the music world. A lot of artists aren't famous when they first started out... but they gradually gain fame and popularity.

Look at Shinhwa. They definitely weren't all that popular during their first few albums.... but starting from the 4th or was it 5th? album, their popularity increased drastically.

Look at Bi/Rain. His first album didn't do all that great, and look at him right now...

I'm not saying htat Kara and Battle WILL be successful in the future, but anything is possible.

[Guest Drunken Epik]

please if you dont know Battle well dont give comment that hurt Battle fans or compare them to another artist each artists his own path in music industry eash companies has his own market stratgey to promote their stars

Inever care about Battle looks Ilike their music what it appeal to me the most and they still have more to offer in coming year why always people want to bring the artisit down when they work hard to make mark in this industry as fan Iknow how hardship they face to become what they are now and they are creative Taehwa( can play guiter and paino ) china they have strong fan base and they work as MC and actor Before and speak chinese but to me this not only the factor for an artist first album dont releas yet so you cant judge you baised to what you love it ok but dont say thing If dont like them kept to urself If Idont like some artist Iwill not talk about them because Idont to hurt other feeling

not creativity this word make mad I support Battle more and more not matter what

Battle fighting

I understand your point totally, however, I'm not being mean here, but when you want to argue something; make sure you don't lose the significance in your view point with horrible grammar. It can cause others to take what you say lightly.

The word creativity makes you angry? Then what do you want from Battle? Just a re-incarnate of Shinhwa? Please...I understand they were handpicked by Shinhwa themselves, but...just to be called the next Shinhwa doesn't separate them from the original members. It just causes others to compare Battle to Shinhwa. They NEED creativity to set them apart from Shinhwa and their music should reflect a different identity from Shinhwa or distinguish them from other boy bands, but that doesn't exist at all. Just hearing Battle's music, the songs sound so much like a copycat to Shinhwa's fourth or fifth album music.

The reason why Big Bang is ten times more popular than Battle is because they try to be new and different in their music every time. I don't see members of Battle writing their own stuff like the members of Big Bang. If you listen to the music from their first album and compare them to the two mini-albums they came out with...the style and feel of the music is so different, which is why the song "Lies" appealed to the masses, because it sounded different and innovative (creative). Without creativity, what do you have? Nothing...

I mean look at fashion designers or proteges or understudies to the big time fashion designers. Will they gain the popularity they want if they copy or create similar fashion to that of their teacher and mentor? No way...basically they grasp the lessons they learn from their teachers and run with it in a totally new way. Battle is far from that. Big Bang? From the beginnings of their group, it has been nothing but always bettering and constantly coming up with new and out of the ordinary ideas that will cause them to run over groups like Battle or SS501.

Not to scare you or anything, but...all these teeny bopper copycats are dropping sharply in fame in Korea compared to that of Big Bang or Wonder Girls and Girls' Generation because these three are widening the gap of their listening audience of doing things out of the norm, not being something so many people in Korea have already seen in years past.

[sillyvivian_yo22]

^^^ whether a certain group can sing or have talent or not... it depends on different people too....

I don't disagree with you, but I only think Big Bang is truly talented in the ones you listed....

like you said, like it or not, it's my opinion

[Guest Drunken Epik]

^^^ whether a certain group can sing or have talent or not... it depends on different people too....

I don't disagree with you, but I only think Big Bang is truly talented in the ones you listed....

like you said, like it or not, it's my opinion

Haha...that's because you're a girl. Not too many female fans of SS501, Super Junior, DBSK, etc...are fans of female groups like Wonder Girls. Why would they be when they can have guys to drool over, right? Haha...

I don't have or need anything else to say about this. I'm too old to drag this on.

[Guest orangeapeel]

isn't it odd that the two "failures" has a pretty strong fanbase in china?

weird.

anyways, kara does not lack musical talent. when it comes to creativity, PROMOTION, and other company decisions, i understand, but have they heard kara sing. shoot, have they heard sunghee?!

less popular doesn't equal less talented.

i hope dsp will do something better for kara's next project.

[Guest hyuksu]

isn't it odd that the two "failures" has a pretty strong fanbase in china?

weird..

I think that's basically the point.

They may be popular in China, but NOT IN KOREA.

It's too soon to say they're 'failures.'

They just need ONE hit song and -bam- instant popularity.

[Guest alexandra_tragiclullaby]

That is so rude and mean of Arirang to label Kara and Battle as failures. Granted, they aren't as successful compared to F.T Island, Big Bang, Wonder Girls and SNSD but they're still new, I'm sure they'll gain more popularity later on. (:

[Guest subdwfreaky]

i really can't stand all the bashings with no insights anymore...

For example, if you look at the history of JYP entertainment, well...you have a musical genius in JYP, so that's a given, then it's a first ever for JYP to have a female group in its history. Plus, the Wonder Girls aren't really similar to the girl groups of before. They can actually dance, sing (Sohee needs work still), and rap. Each member like Sohee is branching out like being in a movie.

Ohhh...so, just because they're the first group from that company, it means that they'd have the privilige to get some respects and those who aren't the first from a company shouldn't be respected..(then i guess....a lot of Korean boybands shouldn't be respected or should be called failures?...esp from SM...cuz that company sure have lotss of boybands over the years.) if being the first from a company equals to not being a copycat, you're trying to say that new companies should be set up everyday for each of the new artistes..hahaha......and you're saying WG not similar to other girlgroups of before cuz they can sing, dance, rap. So, you're saying all the girlgroups of before can do like..nothing?....but i thought sing/dance/rap are just basic necessities of an artiste. btw, are you sure they're that good at singing?.....i'm starting to doubt that you've actually ever try to listen to other girlgroups than WG or SNSD.....everyone in Kara could sing, though not as good as Sunghee....and even Nicole can sing n rap....and what's 'branching into movies' got to do with being great/musically talented n creative?...uhm....don't see a point...i can see it helps popularity...but the way you n Arirang words it are just uhmmmmm...

Big Bang is a success because you've got members who are always innovative, starting with mini-albums, and always producing a new style in each. Not the same style. Plus, you have members like TOP in acting and he's been in the underground rap game as young kid, so he's got experience in rap. Plus, all the members have great knowledge in producing their own music. G-Dragon wrote "Lies" and TOP and others members have written their own songs for the albums.

oh...again, the weird sentence comes out...what's acting got to do with it?...Battle members had also acted...only that they didn't got a big part cuz they're not POPULAR. but still, acting has nothing to do with music. (and i actually didn't find Big Bang songs all that innovative..... nothing new abt their music, only that they made their own music..). and talking bout making own music...other successful artistes also had their music made by other people...so, why no fuss about that?..and oh yea.....Lio from Battle wrote the rap for their song, but i'm sure you don't know that..rite?..hmm, okay.

Girls' Generation...SM's first HUGE girl group, first time in its history, which sets them apart from SES. Plus, all members CAN sing and are fluent in different languages other than Korean (i.e.: Japanese, English, Chinese) and they've debuted in other areas of Korean entertainment. Others like Tiffany and others are MCing for shows targeted for teens. Some have already been in CFs, movies as cameos, and others.

Again....what's with 'being the first huge girlgroup' has to do with musical ability/creativity?...*cringes*. and then..languages... . all members can sing sounds lame....cuz in every group, tha'ts a basic requirement...(or maybe if not sing....they have to rap or anything..)...so, they know many languages.....means they have songs of multi languages?...hmm.....okay if that's the case, but if the languages aren't practiced in their music, i don't think it does much. And then being MCs and such...bla bla......eh?....three members of a failure group like Battle are also MCs..(i bet you don't know that)...and Seungyeon from another failure group, Kara is also MC if not mistaken...but again, i'm not saying those have anything to do with musical talents n creativity. just stating some facts you don't know.

KARA, Battle, and SS501 are just sad remake wannabes of their predecessors and only their for looks. As you can tell, most of the Korean music fan base now has become the older and more mature age group. There is becoming a HUGE decline in the teeny bopper fad that dominated Korean music in it's early stages. Dong Bang Shin Ki and Super Junior are starting to shed their teeny ways and make mature music. That's the thing that links and sets apart these groups over KARA, Battle, and SS501 because they are broadening their fan base and creating music that doesn't just target to just ONE age group, but a wide range.

Sad remakes?..Awww..that sounds so tragic! . seems like you're attacking them just b;cuz they're not as popular. i bet if one day they become big, you'd never say such thing. Remakes eh?...jus cuz of music genres or numbers of member? then don't you think DBSK n Big Bang are also remakes? Err...happy remakes? And are you saying that these failure groups are soo goodlooking? Thank you so much for that compliment. But if you go into any thread of 'the successful ones'......do you know what you find there? let me give you some examples from what i've been finding over n over again.

(eg. OMG! He's so hot and sexy i think i'm starting to love him. She's so cute (even if she can't sing), they're freaken funny/cute/adorable)....

so does that made them not loved for their looks?...and talking about mature age group...so what?..if they are really mature, they won't make people commit suicide, close Cy cuz of endless bashings n threats after getting jealous. Are you sure those reactions have anything to do with 'mature music'? btw, dbsk n super junior's music sounds the same 'ol to me for the past years....can't even tell the diff between this song n that song...but yeah..that's just me maybe.

The Korean music industry has been losing a lot of profit in the past seven to eight years now because of lack of creativity except a select few. All in all, I don't really care for any of these groups except for Wonder Girls and Girls Generation.

Okay, so the select fews...are referring to artistes you like eh?............

but anyway......finally got the answer.....that last sentence explain everything......you didn't even try to give a chance n fair judgement to the 'unsuccessful' groups....thank you for the self-explanation.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

to topic poster: Sorry if i broke your rules with this post, i didn't mean to, even though i don't find the successful groups amusing at all, i tried keeping the thoughts to myself earlier....i just think there's a limit to patience. sorry.

Again i'm not trying to argue with the fact that Battle n Kara are less successful, yes, it's true but only in terms of POPULARITY.

in terms of quality/musical ability, etc. i don't think they're behind the rest at all. In fact, they're better than some of the successful ones, if only anyone care to try them without prejudice.

and saying that Koreans don't care bout them cuz these Korean fans are becoming more mature in selecting good music...while at the same time, Battle n Kara have strong fanbase in China.......isn't it like saying China fans have no taste?....not my word...but that's what it seems from the comments.

[Guest CharlotteDarcy]

Look at Bi/Rain. His first album didn't do all that great, and look at him right now...

I'm not saying htat Kara and Battle WILL be successful in the future, but anything is possible.

What are you talking about? His first album sold over 100k.

On the other hand, I think it's too early to call KARA a failure. It just happens that they're not quite catching up to other newbies.

[Guest mashimaro_is_luff]

i really can't stand all the bashings with no insights anymore...

Ohhh...so, just because they're the first group from that company, it means that they'd have the privilige to get some respects and those who aren't the first from a company shouldn't be respected..(then i guess....a lot of Korean boybands shouldn't be respected or should be called failures?...esp from SM...cuz that company sure have lotss of boybands over the years.) if being the first from a company equals to not being a copycat, you're trying to say that new companies should be set up everyday for each of the new artistes..hahaha......and you're saying WG not similar to other girlgroups of before cuz they can sing, dance, rap. So, you're saying all the girlgroups of before can do like..nothing?....but i thought sing/dance/rap are just basic necessities of an artiste. btw, are you sure they're that good at singing?.....i'm starting to doubt that you've actually ever try to listen to other girlgroups than WG or SNSD.....everyone in Kara could sing, though not as good as Sunghee....and even Nicole can sing n rap....and what's 'branching into movies' got to do with being great/musically talented n creative?...uhm....don't see a point...i can see it helps popularity...but the way you n Arirang words it are just uhmmmmm...

i dont think she/he mean that being first is WG's success... I mean, that WG debut with something eye catching. JYP had never debut with a girl group before but had phenomenal success with their other product so obviously it gonna create attention because everyone is curious of how will the group turn out.

And when he/she mention what the group can do, i think it's just an example on how the group can reach different ages, or ranch out to different audiences beside the one that listen to their music. THe thing with Battle and Kara is they lack opportunities like the other 4 group : BB, WG, FT.I, and SNSD. the other 4 alwasy doing something different than just music to catch attention, and gain new fans.

oh...again, the weird sentence comes out...what's acting got to do with it?...Battle members had also acted...only that they didn't got a big part cuz they're not POPULAR. but still, acting has nothing to do with music. (and i actually didn't find Big Bang songs all that innovative..... nothing new abt their music, only that they made their own music..). and talking bout making own music...other successful artistes also had their music made by other people...so, why no fuss about that?..and oh yea.....Lio from Battle wrote the rap for their song, but i'm sure you don't know that..rite?..hmm, okay.

yes, acting have nothing to do with music, but it affect popularities, no? Making their own music is not such a fuss, but the point is having a solid standpoint on music and know what they are pursuing. With 1 look, u could just tell what the music the other 4 group is trying to make, while Kara and Battle just has a mix of popular bubblegum music. For example DBSK, they are popular by their own genre. And a dbsk's fan know exactly what to expect from DBSK... the thing is, everytime they make their music (doesnt mean they have to write it/compose it personally), people expect better songs. With kara and battle, u dont really know what to expect from them. It can create surprise elements, but it wont create as much loyal fans.

Again....what's with 'being the first huge girlgroup' has to do with musical ability/creativity?...*cringes*. and then..languages... . all members can sing sounds lame....cuz in every group, tha'ts a basic requirement...(or maybe if not sing....they have to rap or anything..)...so, they know many languages.....means they have songs of multi languages?...hmm.....okay if that's the case, but if the languages aren't practiced in their music, i don't think it does much. And then being MCs and such...bla bla......eh?....three members of a failure group like Battle are also MCs..(i bet you don't know that)...and Seungyeon from another failure group, Kara is also MC if not mistaken...but again, i'm not saying those have anything to do with musical talents n creativity. just stating some facts you don't know.

knowing how to speak different languages telling the people that this group planned to pursue greater thing and they gonna have the ability to do so. Again, MCs is just another tool so the members can get free publicity beside the group's activities. Kara and Battle MC-ed before? that's great. But are they doing it regularly and long-term enough for ppl to identify that they are MC-ing such and such?

Sad remakes?..Awww..that sounds so tragic! . seems like you're attacking them just b;cuz they're not as popular. i bet if one day they become big, you'd never say such thing. Remakes eh?...jus cuz of music genres or numbers of member? then don't you think DBSK n Big Bang are also remakes? Err...happy remakes? And are you saying that these failure groups are soo goodlooking? Thank you so much for that compliment. But if you go into any thread of 'the successful ones'......do you know what you find there? let me give you some examples from what i've been finding over n over again.

(eg. OMG! He's so hot and sexy i think i'm starting to love him. She's so cute (even if she can't sing), they're freaken funny/cute/adorable)....

so does that made them not loved for their looks?...and talking about mature age group...so what?..if they are really mature, they won't make people commit suicide, close Cy cuz of endless bashings n threats after getting jealous. Are you sure those reactions have anything to do with 'mature music'? btw, dbsk n super junior's music sounds the same 'ol to me for the past years....can't even tell the diff between this song n that song...but yeah..that's just me maybe.

"sad remake" is a little tragic, i agreed. But the reason why he/she call them sad remake is because they dont have a standpoint music. Again, Kara and Battle need to identify the audience with their style of music. Not meaning to create a whole different genre, but whether it's rock, hip-hop, pop or whatnot, make it standout and make it so if others who do the same music as them, ppl will easily identify it as the "battle's music"

for example, DBSK- smp, ballads, pop-ballad and acapella

WG- americanize hip-hop, catchy hiphop and r&b ballad

BIGBANG- straight out hiphop

SNSD- pure pop, just bubblegum pop...

u can easily identify what the other 4 group is doing, but not so much kara and battle.

And artists such as kara and battle we had seen before, such as the popular idols in the 90's

what work then might not work now, and this is an alarm call for their entertainment to bring their games

or the other 4 gonna crush them. it is not so much talent, but whether or not they can bring it. they cant go on

somebody else's path, create a new path.

[Guest Wen Jing]

I mean, this year it was really really hard between new groups cuz they were sooo many new ones. It's not like someone failed, just they haven't reach the popularity as others. But there are more groups that I think could be considered worse... like Cats and others. Why to say KARA??? They got enough popularity!

[Guest suntory]

The day Arirang released that video was a sad, sad day.

I can't believe they had the nerve to say that. Whether we be talking about Battle or Kara or CATS or Tachyon or Baby Vox Rev, to brand a group of young, hardworking people as "failures" is wrong on so many levels. They should have just kept their mouths shut. eh, it sounded like a crammed, badly done student project...

Battle---JGATYDWTDWRDF BATTLE? SRSLY? .___. They shoudl get their facts straight. Don't they know how crazy Thai and other foreign fans are about Battle? .___.

Word... and they mentioned something about "spreading wings in the international music scene". Why, I think Battle has just achieved that in what, less than a year?

knowing how to speak different languages telling the people that this group planned to pursue greater thing and they gonna have the ability to do so.

Fine. Agreed. If we wish to look at language capabilities, Battle members can speak Japanese AND Chinese (with Lio being fluent in the latter). Chris is fluent in English. As for Kara, I do know that Nicole can speak English as well. If that's an indicator of long-term commitment (i.e. "this group planned to pursue greater thing"), then haven't we just debunked that third accusation of that wretched video saying that their interests are "short-term"?

As for the first two accusations, that's just a load of &%^$!

Seriously, if we based success on musical skill, Battle and Kara would have been up there with the rest. These people haven't even trained for decades (ok... or three to five years), and yet, their live capabilities (dancing included) even exceed those who have devoted so much more time to training. Isn't that telling?

Finally, looking at musical creativity... how DO you judge creativity nowadays? In what form does "creativity" come? A repackaged remake(s)? Group structure? Revived music trends? It's very possible for me to see creativity in something, while you might not. Vice versa... And that's because creativity has a subjective aspect. Besides, can one say that these two groups lack creativity purely because they have been branded as following in the footsteps of an earlier group? I don't think so. It's an image cultivated so that people can keep comparing. It's an image that has the ability to immediately cloud people's judgments.

[Guest anne&top]

^

i agree.

we shouldnt brand any group a failure.

whether they're successful or not;

these people worked their butts off.

practicing till the wee hours and such.

so a failure? i doubt so.

poor promotion? yes!

no talents? definitely not.

arirang's just trying to create a stir.

[Guest candysyrup]

Arirang doesn't seem to understand or acknowledge what lesser management companies have to do in order to get their artists in the spotlight, and if it means comparing them to other groups, so be it. If you think about Good Ent, the only thing most people know about it is that Shinhwa's managed by them. Lesser companies especially can't focus on more than a few artists. It is unfortunate that the majority of artists YG and SM puts out deems to be a success, because it's always put in commercial terms. See A.sia Vol. 1? One of the best Korean girl group albums ever, packed with talent and good songs, but even less commercially successfull than KARA and Battle. 5tion put out far better music than recent boybands. SNSD's album is just bubblegum pop, and there's nothing innovative or creative about it. It is unfortunate that Arirang chose to look at this issue with such a shallow viewpoint, although they made a couple of good points.

[Guest heejae]

i didnt like the article.. it was just plain rude...

yes, i admit they have a point but it sounded a bit close minded..

Instead of seeing their failures, why not anticipate their success??

I personally like KARA and Battle

its just that these bands also needs to step out of the box.

The reasons why people say they have "no originality" is because people keep calling them the 2nd... Kara and Battle should stop living up to the expectations of being a 2nd this and that... they should start living as being the 1st of this and that...

Calling new artist the 2nd _____ should seriously be stopped!

[Guest Kimmie]

Aww but I love Kara and Battle, thats so mean =(

[Guest tsubomichan]

WTF these people are seriously messed up

if you wanna know whos a failure its baby vox re.v and cats

they are failures and they didnt even include them

SNSD IS A SUCCESSS!

[Guest sockrahtease]

Why do they mention Big Bang?

I know they only got really successful this year with 'Lies,' ?

In my opinion, Big Bang has been really successful before Lies. The Documentary days, the 'We Belong Together' demo clip in the YG building, SO many people know of their We Belong Together single---even if Korea doesn't measure that song as a "successful hit."

I remember when everybody thought of BB as the "second 1TYM." I'm glad that stopped as the boys found their own way.