Johnny’s Entertainment Expansion Into Korea

[Guest coconutllime]

Yeah its definately about the money because who truthfully cares about the musical merit of generic pop these days, whether it be kpop or jpop? You can't really say Johnny's have much musical merit either. I have ALL the albums ever released for NEWS and KAT-TUN, including their shounen club performances and most KinKi Kids and Arashi albums. I love the JE boys to death. But I have to admit if it was just about their sub-par vocal skills, mediocre at best dancing, and corny background music, I would have NEVER, EVER liked them. You guys have to admit truthfully that it was not their music but rather their dramas and shows that got you into JE. AND quite personally, I have a HUGE archive of Japanese pop and rock starting from X-Japan in the early nineties to Utada Hikaru, Ayumi Hamasaki, Mika Nakashima, Mr. Children, Uverworld, Alice Nine, Gazette, Orange Range, Remioromen, Namie Amuro and Otsuka Ai to name a few and it really doesn't sound much different from some of what kpop puts out these days. Unless you're a musical genius like Gershwin or the Beatles with consistently classic and timeless songs, pop will just sound like pop.

Sure some artists will put out really crappy music and will able to get really popular because of the way they're packaged but its like that in every music industry. Truthfully how many people out there will admit Britney Spears deserves her fame? She really isn't all that talented but she can sell and that's why I love her and that's why she's one of the most lucrative musicians out there.

So I really think its not fair that you guys are looking down on kpop because of the lack of talent. No one is really very talented. Yeah DBSK doesn't make their own music but I don't see JE boys making all their own music either.

Yes Japan has the second largest music industry. But its not about record sales anymore because there really is NO money in records in Korea. In practically all the world. Statistics show record sales have been on the decline since the early 2000's. Its all about the endorsements you get and how many programs you can manage to get and your popularity determines that. There is a reason why South Korean male celebrities are the highest paid celebrities outside of Hollywood (with the execption of Jacky Chan and Jet Li for their American activities). Endorsements and name related products are what REALLY brings in the money and people can't really deny that South Korea sells.

Record sales also do not include legit paid online downloads so technically they're not representative of a particular artist's fanbase/popularity.

In all honesty, I think its lovely that JE is willing to expand into other countries. I think its about time they promoted themselves other than in JApan. The potential for growth in all aspects, including financial is expansive. Sure the music industry isn't really all that great in the rest of Asia but fans will always be fans that will buy up everything with their faces on it. And THAT is a lot more lucrative than just selling records.

That's just my two cents worth. Didn't think it'd get this long...

[kissez*]

Because they don't.

Japan has a 120 million population that engages very little in pirating China has 1.3 billion with pirating but still, people can sell over a million records there. Korea is the only one where they can't unless they go over to another country.

Why on earth would a company need to 'conquer' Asia when you can't make money?

People have this mentality that SM expanded because they wanted to conquer Asia. No, it was for the money, plain and simple. And you know what? It sucks for Korea, because all his artists spend more than half their time singing in languages Koreans can't understand, all because he wants a profit.

YEP.

That's the mentality of Sm and all of the other makers of these boyband manufacturers. I laugh at TVXQ fans who are glad to see them doing well in Japan and think they are there to "conquer Asia". Because they are not there to conquer and leave. They are there to make money. And now that they are at the top, and can consistently make more money in Japan than Korea they will stay more and more in Japan like BoA and less and less in Korea.

And anyway, Japanese bands are well known in China as well. On Chinese sites, there are always four sections of entertainment:

"Mainland, Hong Kong/Taiwan, Japan/Korea, and American".

YEP.

Thank you!

Now it's not even that it's the boy/girl bands its also that they are way WAY overhyped, overrated etc etc.

I could see if they actually deserved 75% of their fame but like Tony said they get more credit than they deserve, it's all about the profits, its all about the looks, this is why the music industry (Worldwide) is close to dead and k-pop is playing a huge part in the problem, I know people will say "What about JE?" sure most of the guys are overrated but Japan's industry has people with actual talents like Larc en Ciel, Mr. Children, Kinki Kids, Utada Hikaru, Mika Nakashima who actually get recognition they deserve to back them up.

You know it's a problem when you have people like SNSD and Wondergirls outselling people like Big Mama, you know something is wrong when Lee Hyori is outselling Lim Jeong Hee.

GOOD GOD YES!

Yes, it also bores me to the fact that MOST KPOP artists are just POP/RNB. I mean atleast for the Japanese artists they actually have a lot of variety , pop , rock , metal , rap , rnb, disco, visual k, inka. Sorry but to me now , all KPOP is is another image of American music.

OMGGGGGGGG. YESSS.

Recycled mainstream American gargage to boot.

I think it's so funny how fans are going, "It's not about the money........."

Pbbbft. Hello, denial. Wake the hell up already.

[Guest jaejoong.ro02]

If you dislike KPOP, why not leave soompi anyway?

(But I'm glad there's a room for jpop here)

That's the mentality of Sm and all of the other makers of these boyband manufacturers. I laugh at TVXQ fans who are glad to see them doing well in Japan and think they are there to "conquer Asia". Because they are not there to conquer and leave. They are there to make money. And now that they are at the top, and can consistently make more money in Japan than Korea they will stay more and more in Japan like BoA and less and less in Korea.

And anyway, Japanese bands are well known in China as well. On Chinese sites, there are always four sections of entertainment:

"Mainland, Hong Kong/Taiwan, Japan/Korea, and American".

No. That's the mentality of you people who always say that KAT-TUN and everyone else in JE outsell DBSK. Boo! (I'm a fan of KT but it makes me sick how you always compare the album sales) Yes DBSK & other SM artists don't sell that much but I'm proud that they appreciate every single blessings they have. Look at JEs or any other JPOP artistes, if they sell less than 100K or 200K that would be a pity. But for Tohoshinki, even without selling more than hundreds of thousands with their single, it still makes them happy. It's because we see the progress of their career.

Please, don't compare JE to SME because JE is already written in history. I respect them a lot. JE has already gained a solid fanbase in Japan as for SME in Korea. But the slump of KMI is too bad.

They are not there only to make money. Let me give you the definition of the word "conquer" that can fit into this

situation.

conquer: [verb] to gain, win, or obtain by effort, personal appeal, etc.: conquer the hearts of his audience.

I'm pretty sure the artists benefit from this "conquering" they do besides not making money [because they don't make much]

They've pretty much conquered the hearts of many fans which is obviously evident.

Thank you.

You go girl!

One thing I like about Japan's music industry is that theres a separate line between idols and actual music artists, whereas Korea's music industry is basically run on idols.

Sorry for cutting your post but you don't know KPOP really well.

It's called passion and chasing your own dreams. It's a big risk being in the industry not knowing if you're going to be successful or not. These artists want to work hard because they want to. Sure, money is part of it but if the artist does not have passion for what they do then it's useless.

The word. Passion for music.

Some can't go deep on that. So saddening.

I agree 100%. SM is not about the music anymore its about the profits he can make out of it .Sure , YOU'D hope that its just about the music but the music industry has changed so much that its not about the artists as much as it was before. SM knows boybands sell so well because all he has to do is get a few good looking guys , train them to sing and get them to follow good choreography. All boybands are are people who are packaged well. I mean sure maybe 2 out of the 5 band members can write songs but most of the time it isnt so . Thats why I say that boybands get more praise then they actually deserve. Thats why Im disliking KPOP more and more nowadays , its just bombarded with boybands/girlbands be it SHINee, DBSK , WonderGirls, 2PM,2AM, SUJU,XING, KISS, CSJH. Seriously theres so many to list. Music corporations know the market and they'll do whatever it takes to make money because they are looking out for their shareholders.

Excuse me, so you like BigBang?

You agree because they are your allies. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Don't say hilarious things such as DBSK (KPOP) is not good at music because I even remember your post where you said you like Mirotic. Sorry for reading that.

Do you people seriously think that KPOP is a trash? Don't say "I was a fan then I got bored because blah blah." We don't need it coz you are an anti from the start anyway.

BACK TO THE TOPIC. I'll support JE in any way around. I won't be selfish coz I know and I heard them say, "We also want to go out of Japan once in a while."

In all honesty, I think its lovely that JE is willing to expand into other countries. I think its about time they promoted themselves other than in JApan. The potential for growth in all aspects, including financial is expansive. Sure the music industry isn't really all that great in the rest of Asia but fans will always be fans that will buy up everything with their faces on it. And THAT is a lot more lucrative than just selling records.

That's just my two cents worth. Didn't think it'd get this long... biggrin.gif

That is what I'm trying to say. Thank you. But DBSK is indeed talented and I don't mind to be repetitive.

[Guest Tonyc402]

Excuse me, so you like BigBang?

You agree because they are your allies. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Don't say hilarious things such as DBSK (KPOP) is not good at music because I even remember your post where you said you like Mirotic. Sorry for reading that.

Do you people seriously think that KPOP is a trash? Don't say "I was a fan then I got bored because blah blah." We don't need it coz you are an anti from the start anyway.

I said I liked it but that isnt going to stop me from saying how I like them in general . I thought it was catchy , no more no less. No I dont think KPOP is all trash , but I do hate it when people put KPOP on the highest pedestal . An ANTI from the start? ROFL are you kidding me? Just because I say whats factual?

If Im such an anti I'd be making mindless claims of how I hate them/him/her or even make negative rumors/lies about them , no my life doesnt revolve hating on celebrities because I actually have a life. I just dont like how some fangirls are so blind. And just because I have an opinion doesnt mean Im an ANTI.

If you dislike KPOP, why not leave soompi anyway?

Just because its a forum for "KPOP FOR THE MASSES" doesnt mean everyone is in it for the Korean entertainment. If you havent realized there are tons of sections and subsections that arent even focused on Korean Entertainment except for Korean Celeb Photo Thread, Korean Music Thread, and Korean Movies and Drama. Other then that all the other threads are pretty general.

[Guest sUperhAppySUZU]

hahah awesome ~ =] but then they'll be so much busier o_o i hope Johnnys Ent wont push them too hard for that. like they dont work hard enough already =[

does that mean that they'll have to sing in Korean like how SM people sing in Japanese for their Japanese audience though ? o_o *shudders at Arashi's Korean version of Venus >__<"*

*EDIT: *after reading some of the latest replies to this thread* woww @ all the discussions/debates/arguments that began because of this topic ! o_o hahah

hmm.. well as for me, i like both Korean and Japanese music, though i often lean toward Japanese music. i like Korean music mostly because of the strong voices that most of the artists in the industry have. however im kind of turned off by the massive fanbase that Korean artists like DBSK, Wondergirls, Super Junior, etc. that is making Korean music kind of overrated (as in people at school dressing up as them for halloween and etc lol). Not that i'm saying that Japanese artists dont have massive fanbases, but i find their music more original because there are a lot more popular genres to choose from and many artists/groups are really different from each other in their own way. but at least that is the way that i currently see it, so dont take it as a presentation of what i think is fact.

but anyway, i hope you guys calm down soon ! ^ ^; dont kill yourselves over something so opinion-based ! we should get back on topic hahah

[Jaeho]

Closing due to many requests

btw, why is this in the photos forum