Asian Junkie Asian pop. Without discretion.
As a part of the annual debate as to whether K-pop groups will be allowed to perform at ‘Kohaku Uta Gassen’ due to some issue with relations between the two countries, this time around things centered around TWICE and IZ*ONE, who obviously both have the advantage of having actual Japanese members (the latter having already famous Japanese idols even).
“Kohaku Uta Gassen is produced by NHK, which is funded by license fees from the public. If a Korean singer appears on the show in this current climate, it is likely that there will be a wave of protests immediately,” says a record industry official.
That sorta buried the lede, though. As an entertainment official in the Nikkan Gendai report
According to an entertainment official that is familiar with Korean entertainment, the three Japanese members of IZ*ONE are being bashed in Korea due to the breakdown in relations between Japan and Korea. It is so bad that the Japanese trio is considering quitting the group, allegedly.
Now you can take this seriously or take it in the same sense that Matsumoto Jun and Inoue Mao are yet to be married despite “sources” telling Japanese media/tabloids every year that this time it’s for real.
Mainly I’m sharing it because it seems comically unlikely and it’s good for a laugh. But also I feel like it speaks to the ways media in Japan is trying to frame political conflicts around stuff like this as well, which usually is only covered from the Korean side of things but the same shit goes on in Japan as well with their netizens and everything.
