Asian Junkie Asian pop. Without discretion.
Universal Music Group has signed Psy, helping to advance him into the American limelight, so now it only makes logical sense that they’re going to Korea to make an idol group!
Wait … no … what?
Following Universal Music Group‘s decision to sign with Psy, the label seems to be testing out the waters in South Korea by preparing for the debut of an idol group in South Korea.
A music industry insider revealed on the 9th, “Universal Music Group plans to debut an idol group. The multi-talented group will be trained in a wide array of genres from dance, ballads, and even hip hop.” It has also been revealed that Sandy Monteiro, president of Universal Music Group International (UMGI) for the Asia region stopped by South Korea to watch the group practice.
Another insider shared, “The full details haven’t been confirmed yet, so there are things we are being careful of mentioning. After keeping a watch on the trainees practice, we are planning to develop it into a 4 to 5 member group.”
I have little doubt that UMG will have a broad range of talent to recruit from, that they have the experience, and that they have the means to make a hit K-pop group, but … uh … why?
I’m not the only one who thinks it seems like they’re trying to reinvent the wheel here, right?
K-pop groups usually go in a promotion cycle of Korea->Japan->Rest Of Asia->Europe->America. Like everything they do is set up to have universal appeal, primarily to those outside of Asia. With this though, it’s like UMG is trying to start that same cycle, except from America, and then end up back at America eventually in some type of roundabout bandwagon-riding promotion cycle. It just seems redundant.
Why not have some balls and debut an Asian American girl group in America instead? Or maybe I just answered my own question?
It just seems like an … odd choice.
Maybe it’s their test run?
Why spend 10x the money in America promoting a group than doing it cheaply in Korea and possibly having success?
Then if it’s a clusterfuck they can drop out easily.
i.e. your point, no balls.
That had less to do with monetary concerns and more to do with them bucking social convention.
I wonder who will produce their album.
It was predicted on another blog that once Kpop catches the west’s eyes it will not be the west that is infiltrated but the Kpop market and with this news I am starting to agree. It seems like US companies are going to start debuting groups in Korea and taking over the scene rather than the other way around.
That makes sense
It’s pretty obvious that the idol market is over-saturated now and it’s probably a bad time for anyone – even the big Korean companies – to debut any new groups right now.
However, I have always felt that most of these K-pop companies are poorly managed (especially when it comes to promoting outside of Korea) and maybe it will take an outsider like one of these big American companies to come up with a better formula for success.
While some of these K-pop companies have had their stock prices go up with the Hallyu wave, I think a lot of that is just investors buying into the hype – it’s not really based on financials. Look at the financial statements for the big three companies. Despite surging revenues, they still manage to lose money most years or only produce a minimal profit. Seems like there is a lot of waste in the system in terms of costs.
And in terms of promotional activities, I think a big American label should provide obvious benefits. I was skeptical of Psy’s partnership with Scooter Braun when it was first announced. However, I have to hand it to Braun – it seem like Gangnam Style really only became huge once he took over Psy’s promotion. No way would a Korean company have had all the right connections to get Psy that much exposure to the mainstream market.
So, I think using Korea as a cheaper “test-market” before expanding overseas might be the right move, if it works at all. If it is successful, I could see numerous benefits to being under a huge multi-national entertainment corporation’s umbrella.
I wonder if there will be another Asian country to step up after Korea and create a pop culture “wave” across Asia… Taiwan seem’s to be on the rise.
Since when do the Big Three lose money?
Agree about Scooter Braun.
SM and YG have remained profitable, but JYP has lost money in recent years:
http://chienna.wordpress.com/2012/03/18/income-of-top-entertainment-agencies/
But the actual profit these companies make is less than most people think.
I believe the K-pop companies stocks are riding a bit of the Hallyu fever similar to the old dot-com fever in the US. Psy’s success alone has doubled YG’s stock just in the last few months.
Thanks.
Oh, wow. They don’t make shit.
At least it isn’t a cluster fuck of people though, 4 people is probably better if you want to get any where close to the american industry.
true true groups like Suju and SNSD have waaaaay too many people for American Audiences lol
Lol I know – when I first got into SNSD I didn’t even bother learning their names and thought they seemed to multiply in size everytime I watched a video because there was so many girls.
When I first saw SNSD I was like Damn, how many of them are there? This group has too many members. I’m done.
it took me around a year to finally distinguish the members and even then i mix up jessica, yuri and yoona all the fucking time
NOOOOO- PEEPO WILL LUV THEIR PERSONALITIES!!!!! IF THEY DON’T, IT’S BECAUSE PEEPO AREN’T ACCEPTING AND RACIST
I’ve honestly seen this from so many of those ridiculous ELF and SONE fans. Blows my mind
People can’t love their personalities if they don’t really have any to began with. Nothing about them stands out. Stupid Sones.
at least the members of suju actually look different unlike the snsd-bots
SuJu has Heechul. Not even my hate for Siwon can outshine the gloriousness of that fucking troll.
SNSD are just a bunch of boring bitches.
@No_Min
omg- he is so sassy.
i love it
hahaha this is what I always thought it will happen if kpop become a bit popular the US companies will just take the concept and remake it just like the movie business with those japanese horror films etc
but I’m really curious about what they going to do all the new kpop girl groups really bore me glam, twoX ,tahiti,AOA tiny-g others I dont even think any of them did too good
I smell an Epic Fail waiting to happen.
“The multi-talented group will be trained in a wide array of genres from dance, ballads, and even hip hop.”
So basically they’ll be trained to do the same shit every other idol group does already.
“Why not have some balls and debut an Asian American girl group in America instead?”
That would mean empowering Asians in the media and giving them an opportunity to become a sex symbol/icon instead of a sexualized fetish or joke.
Yeah. This group would have to be extremely amazing to change that. Highly doubt that they will be
I just hope they won’t debut a bunch of girls that look like Psy.
i just hope that they’re as insane as you so that they can spread your glorious values like STD’s
I really don’t get why people (fans, entertainment companies, producers, ect.) are coming in with guns and tanks and an army trying, desperately, to make Kpop popular in the west. Why? I just dont get it lol.
I actually thought it was only a matter of time until SM put together a white boy band after the success of One Direction – to debut in the west.
I get why companies do it, I don’t get why fans do it.
I couldn’t care less.
Do they really go to Europe before they head into the US? Because I have never heard about any activities on the good old continent, except maybe an SM concert in France, but it was apparently a huge flop.
Lol no !
SM Town in Paris was very successful, tickets were sold out in 15 minutes (they even added a second date)
I think you confuse with Music Bank and SS4 in Paris.
It’s possible I confused those two… but you really never hear about kpop related things happening in Europe. Or maybe I just don’t care enough to pay attention?
@Tap: in september was cn blue’s concert in london. 3000 people were there.
in paris were 6500 people on the concert.
huge succes? i don’t know. kpop in europe not very significant
Oh, I think Kpop is quite popular in Europe and they have been a lot of events here since 2011. SM Town, Music Bank and SS4 in Paris, MBC Culture Festival in London, JYJ in Berlin and Barcelona, CNBLUE in London, Beast in Berlin… – it was not always sold out but still ^^ Also after SM TOWN in Paris SNSD performed on a french TV show and Lee Sooman held a conference with music producers… there has been Korea Brand & Entertainment Expo 2011 in Paris with SECRET… auditions for Kpop Star, YG…. etc etc
For SM TOWN in Paris around 12000~13000 tickets were sold, without any promotion. So yeah I think we can say it was a success…
@Ran-chan: not counting the fans of the musical genre, kpop is not significant in europe.
do you really think that had been successful 2 concerts which had a total 12,000 viewers: in a country with the population 65 000 000 people.? in a capital city with the population more than 10 000 000 people?
(and a lot of non-french fans came to the concerts)
yeah, it’s not that big. the korean media tries to make it seem like it had a huge impact when in reality nothing stuck
Who said it was a sold out? Like where’s your source? Cause everywhere I’ve seen it was a big flop. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen “__ concert was a huge success!” and it was utter bull.
I don’t think that kpop is significant in any place on the earth other than some asian countries
True, you can find kpop fans everywhere but they’re still a minority and most of them are teens and will eventually grow up and get over it.
And for a big continent like europe 12000-13000 is still very few.
Someone who is lives in France, who is also a regular on this site, says otherwise
Yeah, and the media and people were so impressed by the crowds at the airport in NYC and at the hotels when SM Town came…. Even though SM posted the airport gate they were going to be at, and all that info.
It’s all about the image. Lol.
It was reported on a lot of websites, you can check it. And I live in France so I know well there was no more tickets available. A lot of fans were angry lol. Anyway do you think SME would have added a second date if it wasn’t sold out ?
Music Bank was a flop (they canceled one date) but not SM TOWN…
Also I’m not saying that Kpop is really big in Europe, of course not… but I think it’s as popular as in the US, at least in France. I don’t even find it surprising. A lot of people are crazy for Japan here (if I remember France is the second largest consumer of mangas after Japan) so they were introduced to Kpop easily (and now more and more “non Japan fans” are discovering it too)
@Ran-chan
yeah, if it’s as famous as it is in Europe, it isn’t doing all too well in america. no one really knows about it here
and who’s your avatar? i think i remember watching a japanese drama with him…..
@kaf: ran_chan’s avatar is kazuya kamenashi
http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3cz6o1QTm1rtcfrxo1_500.gif
I heard SM in France was a big fat flop, the tickets didn’t sell out, and it was all bullshit. Didn’t someone on here say that the place that the concert occurred was able to be filled by French artists who weren’t even that popular? I don’t remember what article it was on.
Yeah someone with a Nana avatar
http://www.asianjunkie.com/2012/07/snsd-is-dominating-japan-according-to-billboard-but-cant-get-1-on-oricon/
Thank you taro.
Someone with a Nana avatar can’t be wrong, ever.
Always seemed to be a lot more accepted in Europe than America.
If not, then just put America and Europe in the same place, doesn’t change the cycle.
Makes perfect sense. Use Psy’s American popularity and UMGI reputation as an American company with this group to attract the rising k-pop consumers while mooching off the talents they found in SK and if by chance they ever got popular then win win situation but even if it flops no losses guaranteed still.
Basically treat this whole thing like another JYP or SM company debuting into the scene only this time it’s America that wants a piece of dat ass.
Debuting in SK under an American company? They better have fucking good English or at least lyrics that make sense.
Meanwhile, JYP is still trying smh
The Wonder Girls would have more relevance being Psy’s back-up dancers at this point…
My first comment. But I’ve been reading for ages.
Anyways, at first it seemed super weird.
But then I realised that there was Universal J in Japan, that has many big singers/groups including Perfume.
So expanding their label to Korea and producing a group doesn’t seem all that weird now.
It is a world wide company after all.
HEEEERRRRRRRRO THHHEEEERRRREEEE
tell me the name of your bias and I shall spam then as a welcoming gift to this glorious site
how come i didn’t get anything when i first came here
and i thought you loved me
but i see the truth now
me too :(
when I first came here all I got was a simple pat on the shoulder and a hug………..I think :(
ZOMG KAFKAF IS A RACIST, SHE IGNORED US BROWN COLORED PEOPLE ON PURPOSE
@iamtired&Schizo:
http://purplezest.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/28hzn8l1.gif?w=450
@schizo
@iamtired
@taro
OMG MY RUVVVVVVS- IM SO SOWWY FOR THIS!!!!!
GIVE ME EM- GIVE ME THE NAMES OF YOUR BIASES SO YOU SHALL BE WET ENOUGH TO TRAVEL BY SLIDING PENGUIN STYLE THROUGH YOUR LIVING SPACES
@Taro
Thank you dear >///////<
http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m2bxd48s7W1r5msn4.gif
@Kafkaf
It's O.K
YOUR UNCONDITIONED LOVE AND ACCEPTANCE IS MORE THAN ENOUGH FOR ME
http://i489.photobucket.com/albums/rr257/breakforever/ATRL/28mliqb.gif
But if you insist….Jonghyun please :)
http://alldayshinee.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/hot-jonghyun.gif
oh YOU TWO
uh hyunseung, onew or any member of miss a.
@Schizo
http://30.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m1c2saeke41qd2ojpo1_r1_500.gif
http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_maqovoDu3B1rfor6jo1_1280.jpg
@iamtired
http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m85fehWrcY1rz38z5o1_500.gif
http://img39.imageshack.us/img39/8113/ggbg26.gif
http://27.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lr7vdnT0yz1qezhoco2_500.gif
Perfume isn’t their group though, they just moved to them.
I kinda feel like after a while, everyone will hate Gangnam Style. Everyone seemed to love Party Rock when it first appeared, but now everyone seems to hate it.
You mean people don’t already hate it?
None that I know of
I do. Lol.
I’m starting to hate it. It’s been washed and dried SO many times already, I’m sick of it.
Yeah I’m just not noticing it that much. It’s like people know about it, but I don’t hear of anyone liking or hating it
*loving
An unfortunate reality of modern pop culture.
Find something catchy and then play the everliving shit out of it until people hate it.
Maybe they should make their music videos about not giving a single fuck to gain instant fame. It worked for Psy.
If the group consist of Koreans from Korea then it will be a fail even before debut
Seems stupid but i give props to UMG over any korean company trying to debut their groups on the west. Not saying that they’re flawless but at least it looks like they give some thought and study to their investments, something that k-companies sometimes don’t seem to do, just swinging their idols from one place to the other.
I can’t wait to see them win shit tons of grammys.
LOL
After reading this, I remembered what I read at Omona; http://omonatheydidnt.livejournal.com/9984149.html
It’s disturbing how so many kids want to be idols. Really :’(
There really is no point
agree
I mean idols’ lives is nothing but pain and hypocrisy and the chance of really making it past the idol image in the future is very narrow and limited yet the amount of hopeful trainees is frightening.
I really feel sorry for these kids :s
Oh, you’re back! We missed you!
http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ma3zshwnwA1rsw1yf.gif
YESSSSSS
now we only need to retrieve Lakorn Diva and No_Min……
media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m4ln0pJfra1qkqvl5.gif
@Tap
Awwwwwwwwwwww missed you too baby
http://i1087.photobucket.com/albums/j474/gifsfory0u/cryingsammi.gif
http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20120504235323/glee/images/e/e6/Let-me-love-you.gif
Too bad you’re already taken by Taro :(
I ship TATA to death tho
@Kafkaf
http://www.fohguild.org/forums/attachments/screenshots/92385d1225169183-animated-gif-thread-fuck_yeah.gif
But I am heeeeeere, kafkaf!
LakornDiva is missing for a while now – where is that cunt?. Also Ren’s cookie hasn’t been too active lately. I miss that bitch – she is my soulmate in sex fantasies because she wants to bang the same people as me.
Welcome back, schizo. Took your sweet as time!
@Schizo
http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lyhw5gLbAI1r1s9ki.gif
@No_Min
Oh you!
http://static.tumblr.com/s99rbpy/kX7m61qxu/taemingif.gif
Not to mention that you sometimes have to sleep with troll-face CEO’s just to make it
Oh god THAT
Simply AWFUL >< ugly JYPs and all ugh just awful
http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m7sl9nGx9a1qzbqw1o1_500.gif
-the least disgusting throw up gif I found-
You know I’d suck all of the penis juice out of JYP’s cock if he could hook me up with hot people afterwards. I’d also puke in his plastic pants afterwards so he could keep it as a souvenir of the greatest fucking blowjob he has ever received.
I get shivers thinking about JYP’s rumored nickname ><
“there are no more children dreaming to be scientists”-from the ad in omona
I would do anything to try to make a difference in this world! Which is why I shall be a teacher! :D
But these kids over there just want to be idols with very little pay and little chances of actually making it big???? I tutor elementary kids in my neighborhood (ghetto) whose dreams are to do well in school and graduate! And these kids in my neighborhood don’t have many resources or support to do better in school, but the wannabe idols don’t give a rat’s ass about what they have. It’s pretty impossible to survive in this world now without some education. Why hasn’t Korea strengthened their child labor laws yet so there won’t be so many trainees? It really sickens me.
The fuuuuuck is going on. Why are so many people on here teachers or aspiring teachers?
Invite me for a guest lecture on cocks and the different consistences of jizz as soon as you start with sex ed.
Guess I am the only one who landed in an industry that actually fits my retarded ass.
Sorry No_Min I’m not gonna teach sex ed. lol I seriously want to lol out loud just reading that
But maybe I should…so the kids in my neighborhood can stop having babies ugh T_T
I want to be a teacher to replace those nasty teachers I hear about in my neighborhood. *shivers* And to influence kids in a good way ^_^ v
Mostly my other main reason is to help the ghetto kids get on the right path in life.
BLESS YOU BLESS YOU
and yeah- NEW ASK ASIAN JUNKIE QUESTION!!!!!
wai so many teachers on here? any correlation-> teachers + AJ
LOL I did not know that
Maybe because they want to be educated lol and not have their brains turned to mush/become delusional by AKP and all the other idiot k-pop websites
And maybe another question like: why do so many kids in Korea want to be idols? (no wait nvm too obvious :P or is it more complicated than we though?)
*thought
T_T
There is a point and one point only. You get to fuck all the hot people.
What hot people? There’s no more hot people T_T
Reminds me of Coconuts Musume.
I wish they had a better and longer run.
I knew one of their members.
:o
Which one? Ö
Secret.
Is there anything you can tell me about her/her experience w/o giving too much away? :<
Wasn’t for her as she grew up.
Figured as much.
They all seem to be better off doing what they’re doing now anyway, which is nice.
What? No Chad Future?