According to Universal Japan CEO, SNSD and KARA "real-deal artist"?

[toomanysides.livejournal.com]

Universal Music Japan’s CEO Koike Kazuhiko discusses his promotion plan for KARA and SNSD in Weekly Toyo Keizai (A Business Journal).

“They have good looks and great singing abilities. It's a waste to keep them just in Korea, so they should sell in Japan as well.“ Major record company Universal Music’s CEO Koike Kazuhiko, in addition to being the company president, he praises Korean girl groups KARA and SNSD in this way. He seems confident in giving both of these girls from his company success through full-blown promotions, which will begin this summer.

(omitted)

(Traditionally), for foreign artists to succeed in Japan a moderate level of Japanese skill was essential, unless they were top class artists. However, that’s not really the case now.

Speaking frankly President Koike said, we'll decide which promotion method to use depending on the artists' characters. Whether that means mainly doing activities in the Japanese market, or using a similar promotion method to the one we use for artists from Western countries doing activities mainly outside Japan. Discussed above, KARA has looks like Japanese idols and their Japanese songs should be easily accepted. Japanese was studied enough for them to be active in the center of Japan.

He explains that, SNSD and KARA are completely different, their appeal as “real-deal artists” is a profitable plan, and that Japanese ability isn’t really necessary when using the same promotion techniques as western music.

Translation source: Kanki @ Soshified.com
Source: Weekly Toyo Keizai (no link to Jap source, business source material not online found in 7/13 issue)


SNSD + KARA LOVE

Comments

[bojan.livejournal.com]

tag this post please :)

[toomanysides.livejournal.com]

will do, sorry after the first rejection it wasn't my primary concern :P

[sjuminuter.livejournal.com]

lol that gif.. byundanshin

OT

[ethereal-limbo.livejournal.com]

but did you recently get into kpop or something? D: I remember you commenting on ontd, but never here. o.o

[awashy.livejournal.com]

no love for 4minute? :(

[chungmah.livejournal.com]

ikr. :(

[honeebs.livejournal.com]

hahahaha

[lightspeedsquid.livejournal.com]

It's a waste to keep them just in Korea

LOL OH

[wotdoumean.livejournal.com]

really excited for SNSD!

[dokidays.livejournal.com]

YES THATS RIGHT THATS THE NAME RIGHT THERE
this is for this who have told me i can't call SNSD 'artists' multiple times.

[dokidays.livejournal.com]

*those

[mingobus.livejournal.com]

The article mentions random things and doesn't really have a point tbh. :/

So to be consistent, this post will be the same.

(http://nl.tinypic.com?ref=ml4937)

[jishytea.livejournal.com]

haha excited for KARA's debut there~

[zustyle.livejournal.com]

me too ♥

[bluebandit77.livejournal.com]

lol love ur icon<3 and gif..tiff looks sad or scared..

[wendybaconator.livejournal.com]

Kara is a real artist? LOL

Anyways, the 4minute's exclusion is rude! But then again, it's probably because they're not doing full blown Japanese promotions yet~ Just testing the waters.

SNSD unnideul fighting! ♥

BEST FUCKIN' FIVE

[ethereal-limbo.livejournal.com]

KARA > any of your boy/girlbands be they from past, present or future; local and/or foreign. o.o/

[honeyfunnybunny.livejournal.com]

and that Japanese ability isn’t really necessary when using the same promotion techniques as western music.


disagree. sorry. half-assed promotions won't get them very far.

[sparklop.livejournal.com]

They will probably have some degree of success seeing how SNSD does fit in perfectly with the whole cute japanese girls groups concept but they'll be seen as korean artists promoting in Japan.

They won't acquire whole new fanbase nor will they become accepted as japanese artist. Which they can do without, but no one should pretend otherwise.

[toomanysides.livejournal.com]

I think that Universal CEO is saying is that it he think it is profitable for Kara and SNSD to go into the Japan Market even if they are seen as Korean artist.

[bluebandit77.livejournal.com]

(http://tinypic.com?ref=23jpl00)

can't wait.

[emmapemma321.livejournal.com]

aww boo i've missed you

(http://img203.imageshack.us/i/45811590.gif/)

[jeugd1.livejournal.com]

muhahahaha
well, they are compared to akb48, morn mus, and any other girl group
there

im actually supporting snsd debut in japan....omg im i a closet SONE
nnnnoooooo

[fabledlamb.livejournal.com]

Interesting interview!

He's very clear about the 'new' promotion methods for SNSD and Kara. It's such a departure from how DBSK, BoA and Big Bang had/have to do promo work in Japan. For them, it's been necessary to spend a lot of time in Japan because their record companies wanted them to become massive in terms of their success in Japan.

But if Universal now employ the same promo techniques used with American or European artists it means SNSD and Kara won't have to stay in Japan that long because they will promote for short periods only. It probably isn't their aim to turn them into huge household names like they are in Korea.

The girls won't have to do TV interviews in Japanese, and (most importantly!) they won't have to present themselves as JPop artists but as Korean groups who don't have to downplay their national origins in a way. Which is brilliant because Japanese people will hopefully become more accepting of the Korean pop culture. (But then again, this is me being a bit too optimistic, I guess...)

[lovebum4life.livejournal.com]

LOL you're way too optimistic.....

[ari-meh.livejournal.com]

so he's saying they don't need to learn japanese to be successful in japan.

. . .

. . RIIIIIIIIIIIGHT.

[baboboy.livejournal.com]

MTE!

[baboboy.livejournal.com]

if they stay in Japan and leave korea for a while yes. I do have faith in them but are they willing to jeopardize their korean fanbase? I mean look at big bang they're still struggling in Japan, starting to be known and 2PM took over in Korea.

good luck :DDD

[tribuo-venerati.livejournal.com]

but 2PM hasn't replaced Big Bang in terms of sales, fanbase, and general popularity. I think they've developed a strong enough fanbase to withstand their absence for awhile. Plus Daesung was still doing Family Outing after they left, Taeyang had some solo work, and they were also doing CFs. That's a lot more Korean activity compared to what DBSK was doing during their long breaks from the Korean scene (but they were and still are consistently ranked #1).

[memorian.livejournal.com]

LOL..........what...>__>

[srybutno.livejournal.com]

nicole writes her own raps


she's not an idol. she's a real artist, okkkk?

[faister.livejournal.com]

this article shouldn't be taken so seriously. it's just one guy's opinion, jfc. no one knows how well they'll do in japan, but i wish them success anyway along with 4minute.

[srybutno.livejournal.com]

this article is pointless.

i'm here because KARA and SNSD are my favorite girlgroups ♥

[ashiva.livejournal.com]

SNSD and KARA are completely different, their appeal as “real-deal artists”
LMAO real-deal artists? What this guy has been smoking?

[meccamputech.livejournal.com]

that good good shit

[emmapemma321.livejournal.com]

excited for soshi ♥ the selfish part in me wants them back in korea soon though, i miss not seeing them on shows

[meccamputech.livejournal.com]

I kind of wanted to see what would happen if SNSD did cross over like BoA and DBSK did though... :/

[faister.livejournal.com]

tiffany will hopefully not have terrible japanese anymore.