I feel like K-pop is not actually as popular as every K-pop fan I've ever met wants us to believe it is.
Build your fanbase using the K-pop method
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Re: Build your fanbase using the K-pop method
#42Not as bad as I expected to read.
- Keep in mind these bands are disposable. They're typically tied to a generation, a slice in time, and then they fade away. Perhaps that's by design because sustaining such a high sugar diet isn't possible?
- That said, ultimately it's about connecting with your audience. Marketing is typically about awareness and/or driving sales. But these bands go further and connect with their audience. They give the audience what they want *and then some* and do that on the appropriate platforms.
- But easier said than done. There's a connection I have on LinkedIn. She's always posting - nearly always video - about her (SEO) agency. Dogs in the office, someone's birthday, etc. I don't remember a single time she's posted something of use to me. Maybe that would work if she was a K-Pop band? But for who I suspect her audience is, it often feels off target.
Re: Build your fanbase using the K-pop method
#43Earlier quoted context omitted.
The key with East Asian group bands is a revolving lineup of members so you always have a fresh product to sell to each years target demographic.
The biggest K-pop bands are Blackpink, BTS, Twice etc. All are well-established and have no revolving lineup.
Kpop is a bit different.
Kpop has “generations” in the sense that mandatory Korean military service for men puts an expiration date on them all being present, and they fade away in popularity if only some of the members are present.
Also, the contracts are long, but idols don’t necessarily stay around if they think they can get a better deal elsewhere, or if they want to move onto another chapter of their life which idol employment doesn’t allow (like dating).
It’s Blackpink, BTS, and Twice now. Before them, it was 2NE1, 2PM, Miss A/the Wonder Girls, SNSD, etc.
Re: Build your fanbase using the K-pop method
#44Earlier quoted context omitted.
It seems the K-pop industry has come up with a somewhat repeatable machine for churning out these bands: they manage everything from scouting young talent and training them, writing the songs, merch, events, etc?
That's pretty much what every boy band creator does since nkotb in 1984. The truth is 16 year old boys don't get together with 4 friends and make music like this. So you need someone in the industry to bring talent together, write their songs, etc. Compare that with rock, rap, punk, emo, etc which happens more organically usually.
I'm beginning to suspect The Monkees might not have been a completely spontaneous and organic situation, either.
Re: Build your fanbase using the K-pop method
#45Is any of this much different from pop boy bands of the 00's? You make generic, catchy songs that are hard to resist. Then have a group of four or five attractive teens perform the song. And then Highlight each individual so people form a parasocial relationship with the band members. The fanaticism follows quite easily from there.
It’s wildly different. Not a sports guy but it’s like NFL vs CFL. Sure they’re both football but the industries built around them are millions of miles apart. Kpop has the support and resources of a nation state with an explicit objective to become the world’s leading exporter of culture. The behaviours of the K-pop fans in my life don’t resemble anything like the fans of boy bands growing up. Do you remember vast sw…
>The behaviours of the K-pop fans in my life don’t resemble anything like the fans of boy bands growing up.
My completely anecdotal experience seems to contradict this, the most "mainstream" example I have was when I saw Loona's AMA on the front page of reddit. I read through the thread, and you're going to have a hard time convincing me the average poster was not a 14-year-old girl.
I've also listened to some kpop myself and more directly I always thought, yes, this is type of music I'd go for if I had severe ADHD (not an insult to the genre, I can't say it was "bad", it just gave me that impression)
Re: Build your fanbase using the K-pop method
#46> But activism on unrelated issues, even important ones, puts up barriers for no good reason. It’s interesting framing. Some might view this as pure to your values, some might view this as lacking in values, but it certainly got my attention. Reducing this quote down, the claim is “activism on unrelated important issues has no value [to your business].”
In k-pop we've seen even minor references to the Japanese emperor or Taiwan result in severe backlash. Mainland china also banned the genre for a year in response to THAAD. [0] https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3008531... [1] https://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/19... [2] https://www.vox.com/latest-news/2017/3/3/14795636/china-sout...
I thought for a second you meant that a boy band decided to be named THAAD, which would be a bit ballsy, haha.
Re: Build your fanbase using the K-pop method
#47Question about not getting involved with politics in your fandom: how does this apply to pop stars like Lizzo, Lady Gaga, Lil Nas X, Nicki Minaj? They all have huge, highly fervent fandoms too. And they're pretty darn political all the time.
Question: are those fandoms larger or smaller than without the politics? I don’t know that I’ve seen good numbers on that.
Generally in the US it is assumed, I think, that if a public figure doesn't make an occasional comment about public events, then they are in favor of the status quo, which is itself a political statement. So, I'm not clear on what what a public figure "without politics" could look like.
I mean Taylor Swift managed to dodge the idea of politics for years (it was an explicit strategy because of what happened to the Dixie Chicks), but eventually people started directly asking questions, and saying "I don't want to comment on this thing my fans feel strongly about" is pretty bad for business I guess.
Re: Build your fanbase using the K-pop method
#48Earlier quoted context omitted.
It seems the K-pop industry has come up with a somewhat repeatable machine for churning out these bands: they manage everything from scouting young talent and training them, writing the songs, merch, events, etc?
It's no different to what has been happening in the music industry for decades. Many of the most popular pop songs are written by third parties and the recording companies will often pair artists with experienced producers and tour managers. The popularity of K-pop is more an artefact of the US mainstream favouring individual rap/hip-hop over dance-centric boy/girl bands and leaving a large opening in the market.
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Re: Build your fanbase using the K-pop method
#49Question about not getting involved with politics in your fandom: how does this apply to pop stars like Lizzo, Lady Gaga, Lil Nas X, Nicki Minaj? They all have huge, highly fervent fandoms too. And they're pretty darn political all the time.
That advice from the article is kind of silly. BTS is definitely political.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/20/world/asia/bts-un-perform...
But even though Asia has a lot of rappers, they’re not allowed to do anything interesting or illegal, and if you ever do drugs you’re instantly blacklisted and all your work is erased from stores forevermore.
Re: Build your fanbase using the K-pop method
#50You missed use the most mentally ill teenagers you can find to work 24/7 into creating tweets with your hashtag so it reaches top 10 worldwide or at least in a few countries, K-pop bands do that, a lot: https://melmagazine.com/en-us/story/the-stans-who-post-so-mu...
You need to respect the Kpop teens because they’re the only young people on social media who admit to liking capitalism.