All the K-pop fans, where do they all come from?

[koganbot]

During last year's T-ara War I was often wondering who all these people were, the commenters, the battlers. I made guesses (that most were in their teens or twenties, most were female) that I can't confirm; also wondered what countries they were posting from. I was watching the ones who posted in English, which I knew was an international language

Comments

[askbask]

Super Junior could probably keep the money coming on album sales alone, but other boybands somehow survive without really selling any music at all.

Youtube have changed the information available on who watches what a bit in the past year. For 'Gee' the "most important" places, whatever that means, are Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand. The important groups are women 11-17 years old, women 18-24 and men 18-24.

Here's a new opinion piece on the state of the Japanese industry http://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2013/01/31/music/diamond-cries-murder-on-the-dancefloor/#.UQn3nb8z0ud

I've been meaning to actually research this but so far haven't: I have a theory that no matter how popular a foreign song gets it will struggle to get to #1 because it's not available through as many channels as the Korean songs. For example I go to Melon and Taylor Swift's Red and see messages about the limited ways it's available to get, apparently only through download, and previews are limited.

Since I'm not a user at any Korean music portal I'm a bit clueless. But my theory is that in general Taylor Swift's music is more expensive to buy and less available on subscription services, thus less likely to get as high numbers on the charts as a Korean label's release.

Whether the changes to online pricing we've discussed affects this.. well I should probably get the facts straight before I speculate.

[koganbot]

Ah, I never thought to look for statistics on YouTube. It took me twenty minutes to figure out what to click on! For the Zombie version of "Lovey-Dovey," the "top locations" are Malaysia, South Korea, and Mongolia. They don't say how they compile this. Is it top locations over the life of the video, top locations in the last 15 minutes, or what? I don't believe Mongolia, I just don't. Not enough people. "Top demographics" are Female 13-17 years, Female 18-24 years, and Male 45-54 years! Hmmm. Fucking hmmm. Seeing as I'm older than that last group, I shouldn't make any ageist assumptions. But hmmm. Or "what's wrong with young men these days?" Also, how in the world does YouTube know the gender and age of the viewers? I don't believe I ever supplied that information to Google.

GLAM's "I like That" doesn't have top countries, but its top demographics are solidly XXO: Female 13-17 years, Female 18-24 years, and Female 25-34 years, in that order, I assume. 2NE1 "I Am The Best" Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, Female 13-17 years, Female 18-24 years, Male 13-17 years. (All right, why am I endorsing cultural prejudices that work against me by being happier about the male 13-17 years for 2NE1 than the male 45-54 years for T-ara?) Primary "Question Mark" is location-free, demographics are Female 13-17 years, Female 18-24 years, Male 18-24 years. Epik High "Up" Female 13-17 years, Female 18-24 years, Female 25-34 years. Okay, it's about time, Mic Swagger ft. Huckleberry P (SOOLj's series) South Korea, Canada, United States, Male 25-34 years, Male 18-24 years, Male 45-54 years. Drunken Tiger "Convenience Store" South Korea, United States, Canada, Male 25-34 years, Male 18-24 years, Female 13-17 years. LPG "Doorbell Of Love" South Korea, Japan, Thailand, Male 45-54 years, Female 13-17 years, Male 35-44 years (okay, scratching my head at the female 13-17 years). Shinyoo "Hands Of The Clock" (currently 25 on Billboard's K-pop chart, which it will never leave, ever), a live version from 2008, South Korea, Japan, Northern Mariana Islands, Male 45-54 years, Male 55-64 years (hurrah! I finally made it!), Male 35-44 years.

[sub_divided]

Google guesses your age, gender and interests based on the websites you visit while logged into a Google service. You can actually see what you're classified - and give them more information about yourself - at https://www.google.com/settings/ads/

I remember the last time I did this, I was a 13-17 yo boy with an interest in fiction and technology. Right now I seem to be an ageless, genderless being with an interest in East Asian Music, har har.

As far as 2NE1 having a lot of 13-17 yo boy fans, based on my personal experience I'm going to guess that those are actually boyish girls.

Meanwhile, another Kpop video with a lot of "middle-aged male" viewers is Sistar's Alone. Maybe it's the music, maybe it's the sexy dancing, or maybe it's Brave Brothers somehow artificially inflating the view count, as he is rumored to have done on almost all Sistar's releases but especially on Alone. Or maybe it's all three.

[koganbot]

Hah! They think I'm older than I am. This must be because I watch all those T-ara videos. (Or maybe because I read economics blogs.)

Age: 65+
Gender: Male
Language: English
Language: Korean
Language: Romanian
Language: Spanish

But this is CIRCULAR! Because I watch T-ara and Shinyoo videos, Google believes I am old, and because Google believes I am old, they think that old people watch T-ara and Shinyoo videos!

Arts & Entertainment - Entertainment Industry - Recording Industry - Record Labels
Computers & Electronics - Software - Business & Productivity Software - Word Processing Software
Games
Games - Computer & Video Games - Casual Games [I don't think I've ever visited one, actually]
Internet & Telecom - Email & Messaging
News - Business News
News - Business News - Fiscal Policy News
People & Society - Social Sciences - Economics
Sports - Sport Scores & Statistics

[sub_divided]

Maybe Google believes you must be interested in casual games because you are old! And round and round we go.

Now I'm feeling cheated that East Asian Music is my only interest. I do other things on the internet.

[koganbot]

If we lived in the same city we could use each other's computer. That would show them.

[askbask]

Looool. Actually, I am going to be in London (where you live?) tomorrow, and for a bit on Sunday. If you really do live in London we could meet for drinks or something.

(Can't sign in on my phone for some reason, but this is subdee. My email's onyabear at gmail.)

[koganbot]

No, I'm in Denver, Colorado, USA. I grew up in Connecticut and spent most of my twenties in New York City and most of my thirties and a lot of my forties in SF.

I assume you are from New York City but I realize that that assumption is based entirely on your having said your mom is Jewish and that you went to a largely African American high school with Asians to bond with. So I flashed on NYC, when Houston or L.A. or Philadelphia or a number of other places could all be candidates too.

[arbitrary_greay]

Language: Spanish

Qué carajo!?

[koganbot]

Maybe it's because I visit Chilean sites like this one:

Or watch Spanish-language classics like this one:

[koganbot]

(Or is Spanish what they surmise is your language?)

[arbitrary_greay]

It's listed as one of mine.

The only thing I can think of are the telenova commercials Hulu forces on me every now and then.

[koganbot]

Or maybe they generalize from where one lives.

Hands Of The Clock relinked 2019

[koganbot]

YouTube deleted the "live version from 2008" of Shinyoo's "Hands Of The Clock," but here's a new link to a live version (no idea if it's the same version or when it was shot):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Got6BjP2eoQ

[koganbot]

(Does Google have access to a lot of people's Facebook info, which people voluntarily give it?)

[askbask]

Mongolia, no. The 53,833 inhabitants of the Northern Mariana Islands, however, are believable as Shinyoo fanatics. Maybe because they share a history of Japanese occupation.

Well Google were doing Youtube stats on gender and age before they tried to force a real identity and various connections on people as they do now. Some people probably register that on youtube, but I don't know what's made of those of us who don't.