Papa YG and his wise words about today's music industry

[lilmissniza.livejournal.com]

Recently, YG Entertainment’s CEO Yang Hyun Suk watched the “C’est si Bon” segment on “Come To Play“. While enjoying the show, Yang expressed that, “This year is another turning point for the Korean music industry.” What is the meaning behind this thought?

Last year, YGE’s girl group 2NE1 set a new album record with their ‘Triple Crown’ win, and now Big Bang is conquering the music industry with their all-kill comeback. Yang called OSEN out of the blue and asked, “Do you know ‘C’est si Bon’?”
 

 

“The music industry has changed again. I knew it when I watched ‘C’est si Bon’. Music fans have started to want singers who sing very well.”

Yang first mentioned older top idols who sang very well, such as S.E.S, Fin.K.L, Big Mama, and Wheesung. He mused, “The public is starting to get sick of the uniformity of idols.”

Yang pointed out the weakening popularity of idol groups and said, “As expected, there are too many idol groups. With idols and girl groups debuting left and right, I feel that I don’t know who’s who lately. It seems that music fans are getting sick of it as well. This is also why ‘C’est si Bon’ has been receiving a lot of praise.”

However, this does not mean that idols have no influence. “This turning point is just like before; it’s not a complete change, but public appearances are split half and half between idol members and singers who sing well.”

When asked about how YG Entertainment plans to balance idols with the changing view of the public, Yang revealed that his company is preparing to introduce a new artist who has the same style as Big Mama. “An underground jazz musician in Hongdae is very charismatic.“  However, Yang is keeping quiet about this matter and simply said that, “You’ll see later.”

Yang Hyuk Suk concluded his interview with a promise. “YG Entertainment is the company to whom musicians, indie artists, and underground artists send their demo tapes to the most. After receiving such responses, I promise to never abandon the personal mission I carried when I first started this company. I’m really happy when I think about this turning point in the music industry.”

Source: AKP / OSEN via Nate

i always go back and forth between loving and hating this man...
but he speaks the truth.

 

Comments

[shimbi.livejournal.com]

"Yang revealed that his company is preparing to introduce a new artist who has the same style as Big Mama. “An underground jazz musician in Hongdae is very charismatic.“

I'M INTERESTED !

[lilmissniza.livejournal.com]

I CAN'T WAIT FOR IT!
i hope it's a solo artiste. preferably a female. even a duo would be cool.

[imfogi.livejournal.com]

but he speaks the truth.


True that.

[danceinthedark.livejournal.com]

He's kind of wrong, or the music wouldn't keep selling, which it is.

It always kind of entertains me when Big Mama are brought up when it comes to YG being so great and amazing, cause didn't they end up leaving cause they were unhappy with how they were being managed and the material that was being forced on them?

[lilmissniza.livejournal.com]

i feel like this whole thing with idol group is a fad. it'll be hot now, and soon there'll be hundreds of idol groups in SK - and they're all bound to be the same as one another either style or music wise. by then, people will get sick of it and demand something new. so no ... he is kinda right.

and from what i know, Big Mama left because their music style is different, and YG just can't help 'sell' his non-idol artistes. so they left. but i don't think they're 'forced' into making music they don't agree to.

[anthonymarie.livejournal.com]

"“The public is starting to get sick of the uniformity of idols.”

i agree with this sfm.

[prlsb4swiine.livejournal.com]

lol whut? so hispters have less substance than hip hoppers? im so confuse.

[brianathebard.livejournal.com]

I am so jaded at any new groups, especially girl groups. It's like all of these companies want to make a quick buck off of the fad before it runs out. The Korean music industry is quickly turning to only sexual appeal. While it's always been a factor for both boy and girl groups, it's sickening how much the companies are trying to capitalize off of it now. It's not only that a musician can sing and make a good song, but they also have to be good looking, be able to dance, be funny, and have this shining fake personality. Solo musicians are quickly being lost and it's almost like you have no merit unless you're some hot chick/guy with a distinguishable feature to set you apart from the other hot chicks/guys.

/2 cents

[sundrunk.livejournal.com]

they're all pretty irrelevant to me. i know this sounds bad but any new group that comes out, i just dismiss them as irrelevant mostly because i'm just annoyed

i just can't with all these new artists, and most of the idol members that are outside the major three companies can only really be successful through variety programs, it's kind of not even about the singing anymore.. but it is.. but not... yeah

[sundrunk.livejournal.com]

"there are too many idol groups. With idols and girl groups debuting left and right, I feel that I don’t know who’s who lately."

[brianathebard.livejournal.com]

only the relevant/good ones

[waltz-in-code.livejournal.com]

i think yg put into words why i haven't been feeling kpop too much in the past year

or maybe it's just me

[qrizta.livejournal.com]

His comment about how there r so many idols these days was really what I've been feeling about KPOP lately. I was very good in keeping up with new groups and names like I could memorize SJ and SNSD members in one go. But since last year I just dunno anymore and duncurr unless they make themselves relevant to me.

[light-lee.livejournal.com]

whooo here we go.

Four lists for reference to anyone who wants them:

2007 Debuts (http://community.livejournal.com/kpoplists/13915.html) | 2008 Debuts (http://community.livejournal.com/kpoplists/4931.html) | 2009 Debuts (http://community.livejournal.com/kpoplists/5127.html) | 2010 Debuts (http://community.livejournal.com/kpoplists/8536.html)

it's interesting to look at the lists and realize just how many debuts go unnoticed or are lost in the shuffle.
it's also interesting that debuts in 2009/2010 were almost double that of 2008/2007.

[qrizta.livejournal.com]

The double amount of debuts in 2009/2010 is mainly coz becoming a celeb/idol is the most desirable job/future career of Korean kids now.

Some of the names up there need to be more relevant tho like Nia, VNT and Vanilla Lucy for example.

[la-geni.livejournal.com]

It's the same thing everywhere, though. We have those throwing their panties at Bieber but that's like 10% of the loudest and stupidest part of the American population.

[akaich0u.livejournal.com]

I miss the days when most YG fans--and everyone--called him Yanggoon. OG nicknames fosho.

Anywaayyyy much love for YG solo artists. Gummy and Se7en need some company.

[lilmissniza.livejournal.com]

lol - it makes me feel old when i know who Yanggoon is. but i only called him Papa YG after he (literally) became a papa. or when starts to be an overprotective big boss over 2NE1. :|

AND YES - GUMMY AND SE7EN NEED SOME COMPANY! but know what i REALLY want??

a YG family album.

[fivil.livejournal.com]

Whut.

Korean singers have been good singers for quite some time now.

Here's a radical new thought: STOP WITH THE FUCKING AUTOTUNE when the fuckers can sing well on their own.

I agree a lot of the newer groups are very similar in a rather dull manner, though.

[okkitten.livejournal.com]

ROFL comment twins.

[okkitten.livejournal.com]

While he raises some great points I wish someone would write him a similar letter about the use of autotune -_-;;

[aescapes.livejournal.com]

lol this is probably going to garner me so much irritation from folks but oh well:

i don't understand why people keep praising him for his wisdom and insight when so much of what he says is hypocritical... the majority of his artists are idols. and he promotes them as idols. the only artist on his current roster i feel qualifies as something truly different is Gummy. i am a fan of both her work and 2ne1's, in particular, but just because 2ne1, for example, leans more in the hip hop direction than bubblegum pop does not detract from the fact that YGE promotes them with choreographed dances, cute CFs, and all sorts of other 'typical idol' traits and activities. for the longest time Big Bang promoted the same way; they're only now starting to change up some of their performance style into something generally more improvised, which i appreciate. and do those groups perform on idol music programs or not...? >>

also, why is it alright for him to namedrop Big Mama and Wheesung, as if he's able to take some sort of credit for them, when ultimately they and YGE did not see eye-to-eye and switched labels? he might make random attempts at different styles, but on the whole his company does not see it through. it caves to what sells (not that this isn't typical of any other big business in the industry).

i'd take his remarks more seriously if, in light of all this, they didn't sound so disingenuous.

[light-lee.livejournal.com]

you've said what I've always wanted to ♥

[carmendove.livejournal.com]

Is he serious? There aren't that many more idols today than there were before. The only main difference I see today is that idols who are not from the big companies get more of a chance to shine because of the influence of the internet and other unorthodox promoting techniques. That's why people don't remember any other groups from the 90s except S.E.S, Fin.K.L., H.O.T, ITYM, g.o.d, Sechkies & Shinhwa. Back in those days groups just faded away instead of finding small but dedicated fanbases like U-Kiss or One Way.

[vanhangels.livejournal.com]

Someone already proved it. Here you go:

http://community.livejournal.com/omonatheydidnt/6139426.html?thread=694016546#t694016546

[nandexdame.livejournal.com]

Oh, this guy and his label where the biggest acts idol groups pumping albums filled with the same auto tuned electro-dance pop song just done like 10 different ways or something. Which is more or less the same thing most other idol groups are doing. And then Se7en giving up his performance slots to 2NE1 as if they needed the help or as if he DIDN'T need the help. Ummkay.I don't see how he can claim a turning point with both of his major idol acts--and others--still doing so well.

[22by7.livejournal.com]

I don't actually understand how he can so fail at promoting artists like Gummy and Se7en, go all-fucking-out promoting BB and 2ne1, and then turn around and say that he's looking at some underground jazz musician in Hongdae. I mean, I want to hear that hypothetical jazz musician, too, just. You already HAVE non-typical acts who've been made to sit on their asses repeatedly. Deeds, not words, YG.

[lydzi.livejournal.com]

Great. Captain Obvious to the rescue here :/. Then again if I was an idol, I would be glad to work for that guy. He doesn't seem to see you only as meat and dollars so it's always good.

[fivil.livejournal.com]

Word! (And hi! I'm back into kpop now. Well. Getting back into it I should say. :DDD)

[theesteem.livejournal.com]

Hmph.
This is the man who fucked up with Big Mama, Soul Star, 1TYM, Moo Ga Dang, Se7en, Lexy, and Stony Skunk . . .
Let's see how the new guy works out.

[sundrunk.livejournal.com]

1TYM?

Just so you know, 1TYM "signed" onto YGE without a contract. 1TYM just decided to join because theyre good friends with YG (there was some story but i forget the full details) and they still maintain their relationship with YGE without a contract. Just because they're not promoting doesn't mean that they've had problems

And I'm not even entirely sure I understand your comment..

[erbalurbal.livejournal.com]

I think he's right about idols flooding the market. I really have no interest in most of the new idols that are debuting and it seems like korea could care less as well. Most just seem like a watered down version of something that is already out there.

Secret, Miss A, and Sistar are doing extremely well because they are bringing something a little bit different to the table. IU, Gina, and Jieun(yes i know jieun is a part of secret) have proven that solo idols can be profitable too. I hope these companies start putting some quality solo artists out there after seeing the success they had. I always wonder when the next rain, hyori, boa, se7en will debut and nothing even close pops up.

[sundrunk.livejournal.com]

"Secret, Miss A, and Sistar are doing extremely well"

they are?

[epona.livejournal.com]

lol because big bang and 2ne1 totally aren't idols.

thery're so much more elite and better!! yg forever best company everyone else bow down no one can ever compare lolol!!!!!!

Idols who sing very well

[jing-16.livejournal.com]

Re: Idols who sing very well

[honeyflavor.livejournal.com]

T_T ♥

[dbsked.livejournal.com]

I loke korean idols because they sing well..

tbh I think that it is global tendency, people love good music, but nowdays they don't have to buy disks to get it, you can download or buy digitally the music you like, you can just listen to it online..
in idol world though fans buy everything to show support and to put their idols higher..

that's why imo idols are all the rage, and unlikely it will change anytime soon

[dbsked.livejournal.com]

the interesting tendency in kpop for me is flooding with strong girl groups^^

I love all relevant girl group to some point, can't care less about most of boybands except for SHINee and JYJ/TVXQ though..

[the-lazy-one.livejournal.com]

Ngl, he has a point that there are way too many groups/idols debuting right now. There's so many of them that I've actually stopped caring and don't really even bother with them unless they do something that really catches my attention like Miss A and IU did(my two new loves right now. LOL ♥)

I'm looking forward to that underground jazz musician though. Sounds awesome.

[qrizta.livejournal.com]

D'AWWWW U like Miss A as well? we really stan the same groups and people. But i won't classify IU as a rookie or new idol tho, she's beena round for nearly 3 years in the industry. lol