K-Pop Popularity in Japan Declining (again)

[hisjulliet.livejournal.com]

On September 5, Japanese newspaper Asahi reported that the popularity of K-pop in Japan is declining this year. Their analysis pointed out that Japanese fans are not sick of monotonously identical styles of K-pop artists and various political controversies between Korea and Japan have affected general attitude towards anything Korea-related.

Asahi’s report said that while 15 K-pop artist made their Japanese debut in 2011, only 8 new teams debuted in Japan this year. Data from the Oricon charts show that the average debut album sales of a K-pop artist also declined from 37,000 in 2011 to 18,000 in 2012. The report also pointed out, “In June, an event featuring K-pop artists like Kara and Supernova in Hyogo was cancelled due to slow ticket sales.”

Moreover in the survey Asahi conducted from August 15 until August 30, 18% of 3164 participants between the ages of 30-60 answered, “Public interest in K-pop has withered away.” When asked, “Do you think the ‘K-pop boom’ is likely to continue?” 47% answered, “It will end soon,” and another 25% of the participants answered, “it already ended.”

Many recording labels and distributing companies seem to agree that K-pop popularity has reached its end. One anonymous representative commented, “Because they do not attract new fans anymore, we are having a hard time selling CDs. We are worried about the rookie K-pop group we are working with. I hope they make it to the next year.”

Director Kim Young Duk of the Japanese office of Korea Creative Contents Agency commented, “I think K-Pop in Japan has reached it’s peak and is now settling. Since there is a big market for live performances and a lot of die-hard K-pop fans, I do not think the fame and popularity of K-pop will diminish drastically anytime soon.”

Source: Soompi
lol I think they meant "now sick".
Maybe if companies didn't half ass everything from the begining, the wave would have went on a little longer.

Comments

[laeryn.livejournal.com]

ok, just re-read the statement, lol.

This was bound to happen, tho. Not that I've ever bought the kpop takes over (insert country here), anyways :S

[erbalurbal.livejournal.com]

One anonymous representative commented, “Because they do not attract new fans anymore, we are having a hard time selling CDs. We are worried about the rookie K-pop group we are working with. I hope they make it to the next year."


The average sales statistic they are using is misleading. Sales dropped because the groups that are debuting don't even have a small amount of recognition in Korea, some are even debuting in Japan first. They should probably stop trying to sign every rookie group they can find if they want to strengthen the hallyu wave.

[scubajr.livejournal.com]

My thoughts exactly.

[gacchiri.livejournal.com]

debut even more kpop groups tbh

[soramai.livejournal.com]

well, come in Europe please. ;p

[scubajr.livejournal.com]

I cringe every time another group debuts in Japan, especially if they are some rookie nugus.

[sai12.livejournal.com]

I feel like I've been reading this article for the last six months. Yes, we know, they killed it with their flood.

[45s.livejournal.com]

seriously. it sounds like a terminal illness at this point.

[22by7.livejournal.com]

maybe if they focused on actual music sometimes...

[konichiwacobra.livejournal.com]

Now groups come straight out with a Japanese version. Before they'd wait years, then it became months, now it's debut with a Korean and Japanese single at the same time. Why not just skip Korea altogether at this point? They can't even be making money.

[eishastan.livejournal.com]

Not surprised tbqh...

Once Kpop and Jpop companies saw Kara and SNSD's sucess (with the new hallyu) they all wanted a piece of the cake but it didn't happen, and they blew their chances in the future imo; they should've waited a few years and debut with a bang like Kara and Soshi did instead of sending even the most random and irrelevant nugus.

Dumb companies are dumb, they saturated the market and killed it, and just like everyone predicted only DBSK, Kara and SNSD will maintain a spot as solid acts in the jpop industry, at least for a few more years.

[mizzyoung.livejournal.com]

Exactly. It's more about quantity and greed versus quality

[charlotterhys.livejournal.com]

I just wonder why they used the '30 to 60' age demographic to prove their point. Really now?

[soramai.livejournal.com]

mte

[setsuna16.livejournal.com]

It's totally true. Nobody really takes the TIME to devote to leaning the language and giving the J-pop market something more than just a Japanese cover of a hit K-pop song. I can understand why they do it. It would be hard enough to learn how to sing a song in a language that you don't speak, but throw in the choreography and stuff and that just helps complicate matters even more. But if you're going to try and break into the market, PUT THE EFFORT IN, dammit.

BoA did it best. People forget that so easily, but her early years in Japan are a template of success.

[tsuyoi-hikari.livejournal.com]

It's sad to see her sales at Japan now. She managed to sell millions a few years back, where are all her fans went to? :O

[poopwoon.livejournal.com]

you'd think they would realise this and stop debuting groups in japan...
imo, only the groups that take the effort to learn japanese and about the culture, people, etc. deserve to do well.

[goldynchickie.livejournal.com]

Only here for the OP

Nice icon boo <3

[hisjulliet.livejournal.com]

<3

[asnindie.livejournal.com]

Ofcourse, half the groups can't string a sentence in Japanese, can't even get the pronunciation right, on top of it they don't actually bother promoting properly. And expecting Korean flops to sell in Japan is just dumb.

[xoxoknlove.livejournal.com]

Not surprised since the Hallyu Wave wasn't aimed to gain interest with 30 to 60 year olds.

[45s.livejournal.com]

these nugus don't offer anything new, fresh, or original. this is one of the reasons why popularity is declining there and why they've yet to hook over in the US (there's other reasons but not getting into it here)

when they started, big bang, kara, tvxq (even with the shitty anime hair) offered something different and fresh. once the fans in japan lock into that, they're fans for the long-haul. and this is why arashi, perfume, crystal kay, and hikki still have careers while msot of these nugus are lucky to see a comeback.

[soft-daisy.livejournal.com]

lol, i always felt like tohoshinki started improving their hairstyles after entering the japanese market. it seemed like it was during their early korean eras that they had unbelievable and like you said, "shitty anime hair"

[mjspice.livejournal.com]

As usual. XD

[lysblack.livejournal.com]

color me surprised.

[seungtoria.livejournal.com]

I honestly think there will always be space for someone who actually tries to actually reach the japanese by learning their language and culture instead of just obviously trying to cash in with half-assed releases and remakes.

kara, tvxq and boa did that. you can't even say they're k-pop acts in japan, they're pretty much j-pop acts who happen to be korean.

snsd is a bit of an exception imo. they have members who are japanese familiar, and they are also pretty big anyway regarding both worldwide popularity and talent, so they were bound to keep their success wherever they debut (if they debut in china, for example, they would also be huge), but they are popular as a k-pop act reaching their fans in japan and not as korean j-pop act as I described the others. imo, of course.

[l3luelillie.livejournal.com]

+1

[l3luelillie.livejournal.com]

"Their analysis pointed out that Japanese fans are not sick of monotonously identical styles of K-pop artists"

Seriously, this is also the reason why I got tired of K-Pop as well. They just overdone it somehow.

[bflayhd.livejournal.com]

welp, i guess there wont be no Japanese "Gangnam Style"...

[kamelover101.livejournal.com]

Indonesia? really?

[pinky-fairy10.livejournal.com]

As long as UKISS is fine in Japan, nothing else matters. lol

[mycorrhizoid.livejournal.com]

I've been noticing this myself.

I really think it's a difference in the markets though. In Korea if you don't attract some attention/sell decently within the first two or three years, you don't get anywhere. But if you do manage it, you'll sell well for several years afterwards. Barring major scandals, you'll probably have at least four or five years in the spotlight, and typically groups break up before they find themselves flopping completely.

But in Japan there isn't really a "best buy" date - you can get popular immediately or after ten years of nugudom, but the sales will almost always taper off after a while. It happens to pretty much everyone.