In case it wasn’t already obvious, Asian Junkie is a hobby for a collection of friends who enjoy Asian pop music. We felt that in the effort to mainstream J-pop and K-pop overseas, certain people slowly began to take all the fun out of it because it wasn’t profitable for them.
It’s a fair decision to go corporate and become a news media outlet, but in reaction to that, since we consider ourselves somewhat successful and intelligent individuals, we decided that a part of Asian Junkie should involve talking honestly about aspects of the overseas mainstream media sites that we considered questionable.
While it’s understandable that companies aren’t thrilled with the criticism, it’s another thing entirely to be delusionally resistant to it. For the most part, allkpop has kept quiet about it, or at least they haven’t been dumb enough to leave a record of their behavior for everybody with editorial/writer access to see. Soompi, on the other hand, has been doing exactly that, and within their complaints and conspiracy theories about Asian Junkie, they reveal the core problem with their own site.
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A recent comment thread about Asian Junkie taken from Soompi’s staff’s private group on Facebook demonstrates what we’re talking about perfectly.
We don’t hate Soompi, we simply critique their work. One implies inherent bias, one is simply a matter of opinion. Significant difference.
The worst part about this is that it starts the theme of Soompi staff members believing that finding out who is writing about their work is equal to invalidating that person’s work.
Guess logical fallacies aren’t a strong suit.
Honestly, it borders on deranged.
Let’s run through the conspiracy theory insanity one-by-one, shall we?
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1. “Asian Junkie is helping out allkpop and bashing Soompi.”
A quick list of editorials published on Asian Junkie that have been written about either site.
Soompi
Critical Eye: Soompi’s “Attention Grabbing Actresses” Editorial
Critical Eye: Soompi’s “K-pop = Japonisme” Editorial
Bias Tracker: Soompi’s silence on New.F.O shows their true colors
Critical Eye: Soompi’s Editorial On “Sick Of K-pop Cult” Article A Hypocritical Mess
Bias Tracker: Soompi And The Japanese Anti-Hallyu Wave Movement
Critical Eye: Soompi’s Netizen Overreaction Editorial Generally On Point
allkpop
Critical Eye: allkpop’s announcement of their “world changing” girl group New.F.O fails
Bias Tracker: New.F.O already receiving nauseating amount of special treatment from allkpop
[Review] [Single] New.F.O – “Bounce”
[Review] [Music Video] New.F.O – Bounce
Bias Tracker: allkpop Switches Reviewer & Review Style For The Worse
Bias Tracker: New.F.O’s Record Amount Of Features On allkpop
Both
Fluff journalism & fan delusion doing more harm than good for K-pop in America
Bias Tracker: allkpop, Soompi, Billboard, and K-pop Masters
Alright, so that’s 2 negative and 0 positive for both sites, 5 negative and 1 positive for Soompi, and 6 negative and 0 positive for allkpop.
Wow, the evidence is overwhelming…ly against their insanity.
Additionally, I will point out that a lot of the criticisms about Soompi to this point have been analysis of their editorials, which can’t be done for allkpop, because they don’t even write them. So yeah.
Besides, even if it actually did come out one-sided, aren’t we entitled our opinion? To think that you might not be as good as you think you are? Perhaps instead of looking for excuses as to why somebody is critical of your work, you could take the criticism and work towards improving.
But hey, ad hominem attacks are always mature too.
2. “The owner of allkpop and Asian Junkie follow each other, therefore they are working together.”
Wonderful observation. The problem? Asian Junkie doesn’t follow him. I checked our follower list and he does indeed follow Asian Junkie, but what does that matter? Apparently the Soompi staff follow Asian Junkie close enough to get indignant about criticism, so by your own logic, does that mean Asian Junkie is in cahoots with Soompi?
Flawless.
3. “allkpop is absolute trash and they know it, therefore allkpop planted a site to criticize Soompi and lump allkpop and Soompi together in order to debase Soompi’s reputation.”
Actually, I’m connecting the two of you because you are the same. The delusional part? You don’t think that’s true.
By far the most annoying thing about Soompi’s attitude towards Asian Junkie is that in the midst of all their psychotic ramblings and speculations, they steadfastly refuse to address the actual criticism itself. Why would they? They believe themselves to be clearly superior, beyond reproach to the extent that they don’t have to dignify such things with a response.
Not only do they take offense to the criticism, but just to be mentioned in the same breath as allkpop is clearly absurd to them. They believe this to the extent where they are willing to dig into the people behind the words, because it has to be about the people criticizing them, doesn’t it? It can’t actually be borne out of their own incompetence, could it? No, never, it has to be the problem with somebody else, because their shit could never stink. The arrogance is nauseating.
Look, I may be critical and cynical, but unfair? Hardly. I call everything like I see it, I don’t pretend that you have to like it nor do I expect it, and if you disagree, I would discuss it with you in the comments or in private, not hide behind a private wall and whine.
The fact is that the only thing Soompi does to address the critique is to make ad hominem attacks, which speak clearly to the lack of confidence they have in debating the merits of the criticism itself. Being held responsible for what’s written and having questions about their credibility are relevant issues, but they don’t address them. Instead, they arrogantly sneer at the notion of it, as if repeating the mantra that they are in a different league than allkpop is enough to make it true.
Personally? I’d like for them to actually prove it and show that it’s not just meaningless rah-rah rhetoric that’s spewed behind closed doors.
4. “People who visit allkpop over Soompi are ignorant sheep. Soompi doesn’t want those people visiting their site.”
Remember kids, Soompi thinks you’re dumb.
5. “Johnny Noh is a scumbag that needs humbling.”
Apparently this is Soompi’s way of proving they are of a higher moral fiber.
—–
To be honest, I’m not even bothered because I expected such a reaction from somebody eventually. What I want to know is why this type of thing had to happen.
Both sites are run by companies and both tout themselves proudly as credible news media, yet both of them act like children behind closed doors the minute a group of assholes like us have the gall to congregate and think critically about their role as media outlets.
Asian entertainment media is probably the only industry that would have such an immature reaction to things like this, as media watchdog and media critique sites are a dime a dozen in every other media industry. It simply comes with the territory. Yet when some irrelevant site like Asian Junkie points out the obvious a few times, it has the owners and management throwing hissy fits? Come on.
Asian Junkie has kept its critiques site related and avoided personal attacks, and we would prefer to keep it that way, but if they want to cross that line, we feel we have the right to have our voices heard as well. If Soompi or anybody else has a problem with anything, they are free to e-mail us or leave a comment, that’s what it’s for, and we have no problem with that.
By writing this, we wanted to show people why we feel the way we do about Asian entertainment news media in general and why Soompi continues to get lumped into that category. Feel free to change the perception and accept the criticism if you like…or just keep up the personal attacks and delusion.
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Disclaimer: To be clear, this won’t bias my analysis of either site going forward. Shit like this happens all the time. The reactions from both sites have remained true to their character, so nothing about this exchange changes anything since we’ve always known it to be this way.
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I don’t get why they are so serious about it. They are so serious about it they already started to conclude that AsianJunkie and Allkpop are working with each other.
Personally I’ve never actually visited Soompi for news, I don’t even visit the website. To think they think this way about this situation oh wow.
To be fair, they are serious about it because it’s their job.
The point is more that real companies have better shit to worry about, hence they handle it rationally.
Tried as alternative to allkpop and it wasn’t.
Chris is a fucking idiot.
Tinfoil hat.
HOLY FUCK
WE’RE ALL ON 6THEORY MEDIA’S PAYROLL
Think I explained this before in one of the bias articles, but I used to think the way Soompi thinks in private because their news department was new and didn’t have the troll history AKP did.
As they continued to develop though it’s clear that they are the same type of sites, I even see some trashy tabloid shit they run that AKP doesn’t.
They can blame whomever they want for that shit, but I’m not alone in that feeling, and you’re simply pointing out what a lot of others are noticing on their own.
It’s just good for people to read about it in a formal manner so we have something to link to when people get stupid.
My two cents.
I knew about it forever and I figured with enough time it would come to light.
Didn’t expect it to happen this fast though.
I’m guessing they probably wish they didn’t go down this road.
Well…now, yeah.
preach!
^_^
I wish I had more sources like you, otherwise I’d have more material to work with.
But seriously, all corporate media outlets are driven by one thing: pageviews in relation to advertising. To think just because your “history” is not tainted by the trolling akp had doesn’t mean you’re squeaky clean. There is an invested interest in the workers of soompi (as well as allkpop) to WRITE something that even subconsciously they’ll push something out that might be of less quality than they’d hope for.
I’ll analyze this later, but half the articles pumped out by news site are unnecessary (at least).
As I said, they are free to make money, but I don’t even think the constant flow is beneficial in the long game.
But yes, any time it’s a for profit venture, always think of decisions in terms of money.
Nothing necessarily wrong with making money though.
Nope. I have no problem with that.
The issue is how they go about it though. You can make money as a respectable outlet with responsible journalism.
It’s not like you can’t run juicy stories or anything.
What I mean is that I don’t think running constant fluff articles actually HELPS make money, not that they can’t do it.
Both of them are fucking stupid, and Allkpop is a sell-out for trading their original approach to k-pop in favor of “special giveaways” and money to produce New.F.O’s shiteous debut single.
I have nothing to say about Soompi except for the fact that it’s run by a group of whiny individuals…
And the layout of their page is horrible.
I remember the way akp used to be. When I was new to kpop I hated it but the more ive grown into this type of music genre the more I realize now that I wish they would go back to their old way of journalism. For that reason I love asian junkie this site is great for giving me news and for actually looking into things before they write them. It’s not ja bias site here.
I try.
Except with Lee Min Jung.
She can be a serial killer and I’m still on her side.
I’m not convinced what they were doing prior to going legit was a long term plan either though.
Given the current environment, I don’t think it would have lasted or become as impactful.
But yeah, basically they have to appease companies.
I would respect AKP more if they stuck to their guns and continued to voice their opinions about k-pop. I mean, minus all the “____ is gay” sentences. That was unnecessary. I’m pretty sure that they didn’t intend for it to be as popular as it is now, but they sure are two-faced. Even worse, they try to hide it.
If Soompi and Allkpop are going to promote themselves as “k-pop news sites”, then they should put being as neutral as humanly possible as their top priority. Their little war with each other is ridiculous and it’s making them both lose credibility. And then, god forbid, overseas k-pop fans are going to have to learn Korean to read any k-pop news. *gasp*
Yeah, that’s why companies generally don’t do it.
By the way, they are aware of people like you and me and others who feel that way about just saying whatever, but the reality is that it’s not as mainstream marketable.
Soompi’s layout is way better than allkpop’s.
Lulz soompi epic fail
You are my soulmate. The fact that they’re making assumptions based on their on opinions proves that they have no reliable source against you. They’re “supposedly” the best reliable news media according to themselves but reading what they have said they obviously aren’t. That’s the whole reason why i do not go on their site. It’s full of immature kids running their stuff and can not be taken seriously. If they really want to have an established news outlet they should keep improving their sources instead of defaming other sites such as this and allkpop just to improve their own status. Although allkpop is just as bad as soompi, allkpop only translates korean articles and put them in english. This makes soompi differ greatly from allkpop but being as immature and badmouthing others is why you guys are often compared to each other. Honestly soompi and allkpop are just news sources for people to look at, quit looking down on others while giving yourself a pat on the back. Stop acting all high and mighty and face reality because you so called news sources aren’t reliable.
they’re both monkeys flinging fistfuls of shit at each other.
what i don’t get is how they both think people will care about who was dirtier, when they’re both covered in shit.
There’s a reason companies don’t generally take their beefs public, because the consumer doesn’t want to see a bunch of for profit CEOs sword fighting with their cocks for who deserves the right to gouge you for the most money.
Being professional is not a strong suit.
I don’t understand why they don’t even source articles.
I don’t know if it’s just me, but more and more I’m seeing an uprising in the “anti” KPOP crowd. Not “anti” as in we’re against KPOP but “anti” as in the more cynical and risque (and cooler) fan alter ego.
It’s sad to see how people have become so delusional.
Could just be that fans who got into K-pop years ago are growing up and going to college.
I remember being on this site back in like 2004 before it shut down and yeah, I agree.
What was your old handle?
I have recognized Jane and Webster already.
Not just you.
Ahahaha i had to reply 4 dis one. You are scary, w your mad connections! I remember u even knew about nufo b4 everyone!! Plz continue these, its so terrifying to seee who runs these websites! I want to see more!! This comes to mind: pot tellin the kettle that its black!
Respect for the reader/viewer are paramount in media.
Wow look at johnny noes twitter, i think he is trying to start a flame war w soompi! Looks like he has mad connections too!
What’s his Twitter?
http://www.twitter.com/#!/johnnynoh
when will soompi finally accept that more people visit allkpop than their site now?
I think they do accept it, they just think you’re a fucking idiot if you visit allkpop over Soompi.
All this has done is make me want to know who you are?
:-)
Didn´t know this is so serious problem…people visit rather sites which gives them more. People doesn´t visit smaller sites cuz bigger sites gives them all they want. Have tried people to watch my site´s videos but thought all uses allkpop…so I don´t care anymore and I accept my lost…more visits better site that´s my conclusion. Anyways pretty fanatical to choose one site cuz many sites gives more than one….think also soompi, allkpop and this site all of them has nice layout and convenient too.
Thanks for the compliment.
And yeah, it’s hard for smaller sites to just post stuff up and develop a readership because for all the standard stuff people go to allkpop or Soompi.
i can’t say much about soompi because i never read it, lol, but i do agree with what you said about allkpop. it is very biased and only spreads drama, starts fan wars and posts random things that no one cares about. i used to really love allkpop, but within the past couple of days, i have really lost respect towards their cowardice to actually post something that should be recognized by the public. WHAT ARE YOU AFRAID OF AKP!?!?!? so i am absolutely done with them :)
All the same.