Yellow Fever/Yellow Immunity
You probably don't know who Yani Tseng is. But that's ok, because I don't even remember why I know who Yani Tseng is. She does, however, have a few things in common with SNSD: she's an '89er who's claimed a heaping chunk of #1s and just happens to be Asian. She's also the non-face face of the LGPA . . . at least in America
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i think the way western international fans view kpop stars is surely dependent on the way they appear in korea vs the way they appear in america. i feel like when they're in america, the thing is that they're visibly trying, and the average american wouldn't give much of a shit, and the average kpop fan wouldn't have given much of a shit if they'd first spotted them on some american chat show. to try an analogy, it's sortof like if you're watching a tv show that gives a vibe of paper-thin worldbuilding vs watching a tv show that gives a strong enough vibe of a solid, three-dimensional round globe. it feels flat and forced and like it wouldn't hold up to much. i think retaining that too cool for this shit vibe is so important to that, because of course image is everything and they don't have anything like variety to do that in america. even if they're in america, the ultimate kpop hook is personalities, it's what the stars themselves have been bred for, and yet they're left struggling to speak properly, and ( ... )
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it feels flat and forced and like it wouldn't hold up to much. i think retaining that too cool for this shit vibe is so important to that,
Too cool for what shit and does SNSD really do this even in Korea? That is to say, there is something also carefully built on artifice about them even in their Korean appearances. I remember when I read that Taeyeon had professed she didn't want to go solo and my eyebrows went up like "ORLY?" And certainly it's very hard to come out right off the bat and be "too cool for this shit" because they obviously weren't when they debuted, which is kind of what debuting in Japan was like and what it would be like in America, i.e. hitting a reset button.
ultimate kpop hook is personalities, it's what the stars themselves have been bred for, and yet they're left struggling to speak properly, and the majority of them are barely speaking at all.This made me pause and go, "Is it?" In the idol world, perhaps, but it's also true that while I do not "religiously" follow other ( ... )
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Hrm. So it's about being badass and cooler than American media/pop culture icons that will make the American market take notice? Huh. I wonder if that's possible for Asians in media to do that.
That's a good question about fandom and what it would look like if there was only music. But there's plenty of banddom fandoms so there's definitely a form and a culture for it. Ultimately, though, I think it has to be the music that sticks with you. I had a powerful craving for Dave Matthews Band last night because I'd talked about their music with someone recently and the songs were so good in my ears again.
What don't you like about the WG strategy? I'm not up on what strategies they've employed and so would like a crash course.
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i think it's about not coming across as though america is that Be All End All, even though that's basically the reality behind it. did you catch that vid a few weeks back, the korean street-dancing to party rock anthem and 2pm's hands up? (snsd were playing behind, lol). i saw it pop up on tumblr with the caption being something along the lines of 'easy>intermediate>difficult>extremely difficult>asian'. it veers close to fetishising bullshit; some people on twitter were talking about how it's because of stuff like parental pressures that asians have to work harder and cultural mindset (like, "you worked hard" being a staple phrase). but it demonstrates the kind of thing that works - if it looks like asians in their own domain. not trying to play up to american standards, because that's when racist attitudes start to rear their heads, i find.
ugh, sometimes i get that but i really i wish i got it more. i've been veering off of kpop this past year, but ( ... )
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totally. most idols enter the trainee game at such a young age, you have to wonder how much they understand about their likely shelf lives, keeping in mind the industry's rate of change. the cut-off used to be 5, maaaaybe 6 years, right? a group like big bang is a little anomalous in that they're still very popular, but once they'd attained that success they went experimental and sporadic.
with the WGs, i pick them out because they've also had that crazy level of popularity - that's the goal, right, to basically be guaranteed success no matter what you put out? which dbsk, i guess big bang, now snsd has. the interesting part comes after that - the industry doesn't have anywhere further for you to go - so where do you go? the WGs, it seems, go to america, and it's like a popped balloon. it's a career, and they haven't shown any signs of wanting to quit the game. so they're treading water. they're signed into mutual contracts - they've earned JYP a lot of money, therefore i think he should use ( ... )
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I was, er, "gifted" with a link to watch the WG Nickelodeon movie. I have to say I was horrified after five minutes of it--but I bet you it would be awesome to watch with a group of snarky friends. Which is not a glowing compliment. XD But, maybe if I were tween age, the WG movie would totally fly . . . I did see Spice World in the theaters back in the day!
they've earned JYP a lot of money, therefore i think he should use his considerable influence to give them - idk, something.
Chicken or egg problem. He made them a group--trained them, branded their image, wrote them songs, provided them with a PR machine--and opened the avenues for their popularity. So, who owes whom here?
The Fiona Apple MV with her looking really thin is "Criminal"--a most excellent song, though. She pretty much admitted to having an eating disorder--and many other problems. Hoo boy. But her songs come from a personal ( ... )
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i get on ok with disney channel movies, and i think the only nick movie i've seen would be drake and josh's christmas one or something (♥) but even the trailer for the WGs' one was awful.
he opened the avenues for their popularity, and they were popular - and then he packed them off to america and left them to stagnate. it's not about owing, it's for both their benefits, obviously. i really get affected by the WGs stuff because of how much they were affected by it - enough for sunmi to be vocal about it and then to quit, and then for sunye to be working so hard while her father was dying, and after. they can't put any more in than they do, as JYP is damn well aware and has commented on ( ... )
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Which points to an interesting point about SNSD's PR message, which is that they will always be SNSD and, in fact, prefer to be a group rather than individual solo artists. Mmm-hmmmmm. In some ways they are stifled by their huge number and varying levels and types of talents being bundled as a group package because they may have worked themselves into corners in which it wouldn't be possible for those who would like to release a solo single and/or album with full promotional activities while a part of the group to release one. BEG and several other groups have managed it but SNSD has twisted their image to the point that any such attempt now may go down badly with the fandom. . . . The Wank might be worth it.
drake and josh's christmas one or something
. . . What?
it's not about owing, it's for both their benefits, obviously.What you see right now is a lose-lose situation for the parties involved, but it may not look that way from where they're standing. WG may feel ( ... )
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They'll be joining a lot of their peers; there are a ton of idols doing drama work right now.
My tween/teen years were quite some time ago. XD /creepy old man
>:c i'm refusing to consider other viewpoints, work with me here buddy.
Friend, you are in the wrong comm if that is your stance. XD
The only "new" thing I know about is Adele and I cannot listen to "Someone Like Youuuuuuuuuuuuu" anymore. >(
they're very talented, though. ;3
They're SM trainees.
xiao zhu's kpop thing
Who?
(or maybe they'll like the korean unit better!)
This is exactly what I'm wondering.
Actually, I like when songs will surprise me with unexpected or cleverly crafted lyrics. Since they came up on my shuffled playlist earlier, Emily Haines has a few songs like that (she performs and releases albums both as a solo artist and as part of Metric). "Police and the Private" has a part that goes "There's a place that ends here I know / When they close the gates I'll cry." And the way she sings it always ( ... )
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