7 Reasons Why K-pop Beat J-pop In Popularity
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| Why K-pop Beat J-pop |
1. Korean wave. Korea is promoting its culture (including K-Pop) around the world. While Japan is not (if you wanna know about J-Pop, anime, manga, video game just search it yourself on google)
2. Many Korean singer became popular in Japan since BoA time, but on the other hand not many Japanese singer popular in Korea. What's wrong with Japan?
Maybe because Korean population is much less than Japan so "Why must I downgrading myself by promoting to Korea?"
You know that K-pop artists usually must learn English, Japanese, sometimes Chinese language. But J-pop artist only know Japanese, sometimes English, that's it. If Japan think Korean population is less, how about China? China have no.1 population in the world. But there's only a tiny bit of J-pop songs in Chinese version.
3. Many Korean labels have official channel on youtube. And they upload HD quality music videos (MV). But on the other hand not many Japanese labels have official channel on youtube. And if they have it, they only upload poor quality or short version videos. Why?
This is like "If you wanna see my PV, just buy it at my country." (Or download it from rapidshare,
Actually youtube is free advertising around the world. With alexa rank no 3 many people became famous by youtube (Justin Bieber for example).
4. Arirang as Korean global television promoting Korean wave with english language & attractive program (for K-pop: Pops in Seoul).
Just compare it with NHK World and you know what I mean.
5. Now many people know about music show in Korean TV with HD quality (SBS Inkigayo, KBS Music Bank, MBC Music Core). And many people upload it on youtube.
On the other hand not many people know about Japanese music show. I only know Kohaku Uta Gassen which is once a year.
6. J-pop have longer period than K-pop. So the lyrics author or music composer have created many songs. And if you have created many songs its difficult to create new song that refreshing.
This is why Mandarin song beaten by J-pop years ago (I prove it by listen to 10 Mandarin songs by various artists, and listen to 10 J-pop songs by 1 artist, the result is Mandarin song is more boring).
And now its turn K-pop beat J-pop with same reason. (Unfortunately this doesn't work for western song. Davichi - Don't Say Goodbye is much better than Adele - Someone Like You. But of course Adele is more popular worldwide)
7. Plastic surgery? Many people talk about it. Ugly became beautiful / handsome. Pros, contras, whatever. If many people talk about it, this controversial thing become advertising.
So, Japan, just follow Korea example (except plastic surgery) if you wanna become more popular worldwide. Actually Japan has more diversity. Korea is too much girlband / boyband. Japan have solo singer, band, rock band, etc.
Update:
My prediction was right for no 3. PSY Gangnam Style became worldwide sensation because of youtube. I'm gonna explain a little about PV and MV. In Japan, video clip is called Promotional Video or PV. Usually it is released before the single or album is out to promote that single or album. In Korea, video clip is called Music Video or MV. Usually it is released at the same time with single or album. So, the strange thing is Japan have Promotional Video but not promoting at youtube. Maybe Japan thinks "If people watch my PV for free they're not gonna buy the single/album." This is wrong thinking. Remember that PV's purpose is for promoting the single/album. Imagine there's company that have product. And that company have ads to promote the product. But people must buy the ads before they can watch it. Strange, right? There are some PV at youtube but in poor quality or short version. If you watch PV in poor quality, do you still wanna buy the single / album?
Update 2: Morning Musume upload Brainstorming PV in HD quality. Also Kyary Pamyu Pamyu Invader Invader. It seems Japan start following my advice (maybe?)
Update 3: BABYMETAL become popular worldwide because of youtube. BABYMETAL is the youngest girlband in the world that doing world tour (Yuimetal and Moametal only 15 years old).
PS: If you like J-pop, support Jpop artists by buying original CD/DVD click here
nope. i still love jpop. especially morning musume.
ReplyDeletej-pop 4ever, j-pop better than k-pop.
ReplyDeleteespecially for supercell...
well in the j-pop but supercell is more Vocaloid music, I love vocaloid music!!!XD
DeleteI don't like J-Pop, I think K-pop is much better because J-Pop is boring.
ReplyDeleteI think C-Pop is better than J-Pop too.
And the most important thing is that K-Pop and C-pop is not listened to by freaks like in J-Pop.
i think you like kpop or cpop because the cute girl/boy ryte?
DeleteOn the other hand, I think J-Pop artists like AKB48 and Morning Musume should really lose their eternally-cute facade because it actually holds them back from reaching audiences out of Japan and its currently declining music industry.
DeleteSo you're saying that anyone who listens to J-Pop is a freak? -.-
DeleteJ-Pop for life :):)
Look. To me, Jpop bands are good. Yes, I know you love kpop. But think about. I do feel sorry for some kpop girls (hope you know why) but you can't judge or compare. They both produce good music. All Jpop and kpop and cpop just wanted to share their music with you. They wanted to let the world know that music is something that can make you smile, cry or love.
DeleteIf you don't believe me, why don't you try "We can sing a Song" or "Miss you" both songs are from AAA. Just think about, you do realizes that some songs make you smile right?
That what makes you smile right?
UnKnown Dreamer.
you sicken me, have some respect to people who actually listens to jpop you inconsiderable person.
Deletehonestly,for some reason i sorta understand J-Pop though not knowing translation but i feel something's missing in K/C-pop
DeleteI can feel emotions when listening to J-Pop...............
wht do u mean by "listened by freaks" huh? I offended becuz I'm in of it. different people different tastes yaa know :)))
DeleteK-Pop is Plastic surgery
DeleteBefore you say J-pop is boring , You ever listen as all?
DeleteJ-pop isn't one group or one band
have many style not same all as K-pop
[[[ K-Pop is Plastic surgery , you look only they're face ]]]
Based on your comment, I am SO glad that I adore Jpop instead of Kpop or Cpop. I consider Jpop a more niche genre compared to mainstream pop music like Kpop or Cpop which are CATERED to the generic public. It's like how Louis Vuitton and Gucci bags are being carried around by any Tom, Dick and Harry - just mainstream, no big deal.
DeleteYou like K-pop? Wow, have fun. Don't insult J-pop.
Deletetry listen noriko sakai. oldies but if you like c-pop, you will like her.
ReplyDeleteLets do wotagei, lets do chant mix. In Indo, they used to say that K-pop> J-pop but when AKB comes and JKT48 was creaed. Now J-pop is the best in Indo. Ota got their secert weapon. K-pop said that they are the best then they better watch out
ReplyDeleteYou know that J-pop ido, singler, solo artist hate scadal right.If fans prefer something natural then let choose J-pop, if they wants something fake then let choose K-pop. Yes
ReplyDeletefake? haha fake is J-POP you have holograms and CGI even a member of akb48 is nothing but computer imagery? and you have the nerve to call kpop fake? seriously.
Deletefake is K-pop
DeleteThey're all look the same!
K-Pop is Plastic surgery
so what wrong with plastic surgery everyone wants to look good!
DeleteNot only are Korean's faces and bodies fake (plastic surgeries), even Korean culture and language are imitations of Japanese. When I started learning the Korean language, I discovered more than 50% of Korean vocabularies were imported from the Japanese language. Kpop and kdramas that we see are not the true Korea. They are a means devised by the Korean government and people to deceive ignorant young people around the world. They are politically and racially motivated. This is the true face behind the so called "Korean wave".
DeleteGuys.. Korea and Japan are coming from the same roots! Have you learn history? Its no wonder if they share something in common about their culture. Just like Malaysia and Indonesia. And for your information plastic surgery is everywhere in asia, even in Japan but true Korea is more open about it. I used to live in Japan, and one of my friend told me about it. One of most popular surgery in japan is double eyelid surgery.
DeleteI wanna ask you why Jpop must be popular in Kpop???
ReplyDeletewhat do you mean Jpop must be popular in Kpop??? Are you mean in Korea?
ReplyDeleteI mean in Indo. Do you know about AKB48. Before their sister group in Indo which is JKT38 was created, I heard from the fans in Indo said that Korean flow is more stronger. But when JKT48 appear then it turns out different way. With just autotune, dance and free download, K-pop got many bad stuff which is scandals, the risk when uses a lot of autotune(because when it turns out live, the quality is not like in the MV). J-pop might be not famous at J-pop but they makes more money. I don't know why but K-pop really like to Japaneselization. I'm not really sure if K-Pop's fan outside of Japan can pay that much. Thats he quality we looking. The another quality of being an idol is something that we can discuss later
ReplyDeleteIf you think J-pop makes more money, then you're all wrong because K-pop advertises a lot they gain more popularity and that makes their fans become more interested and buy more albums and stuffs that's why they gain more money than J-pop.
Deletewell....Japan Already Make Money From Anime And Many Merchandise From Anime Chara.
Deleteand Yes i Agree
Japan More Have Band,Solo Singer....Especially Vocaloid....
thanks to them now i love japan.
i'm the type that more like Listening to Music than thinking other opinion :3
akb48 uses auto-tune or it sounds like it to me..
Deletejpop is more controlled unlike kpop which just basically flings everywhere literally.
DeleteROFL dude.
DeleteLook at KPop concert at youtube.
Not much different then in their MV.
Pay for what?
Their albums?
Of course there's many who can afford to buy an album XD
@henrydang93: no, that is comment to Ken Nguyen
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, K-pop is too much lip sync. I don't know why but their fans still like it. Even BoA, solo singer whose not supposed to lip sync, did "Only One" come back with lip sync
yeah i agree with your article above. Japan are really difficult to reach, to buy some CD I need more effort by ordering or even auction. About youtube thing yes you right its worldwide promotion tools,and also a piracy tools right?Im sure you know how easy to download any video on it. And Japan are really against any piracy,thats why you will think Japan are still closed even since Meiji Restoration.
ReplyDeleteAbout TV show are sure you are only know Kohaku Uta Gassen, there are several like A Nation, Girls Factory, Music Station, HEY HEY HEY etc, man do you really know about both side when comparing Japan and Korea??at least you must know something or even one thing.
Sorry if you find my comment are bashing in any side. I do love Korea especially Vassline and Nine Sins (since you love korea so much you must know what ae those,am I wrong?)
OK, I also know Kayou Kyoku. But I know that show because AKB48 (no 1 in Japan now) is often performed at that show. But the popularity of that show worldwide is below Korean show.
ReplyDeleteI see, but when you made an article like this you must provide your reader with relevant data,for example for AKB48 concert there are 281.094(Acchan's last theater) people watch it via live streaming in official channel, if you provide that a reader like me will never criticize. Especially in this kind of topic, as you know this kind of topic are really sensitive. you can easily get a bashing or even a troll comment.
ReplyDelete-Cheers-
hey puhleeez.. that's all prove that J-pop doesn't need technologies to make their song known worldwide.
ReplyDeleteArashi for example. Their videos are restricted in all countries. but still, their popularity is increasing daily. Japan has their own identity and also Korean. I'm not bashing either of them. I just love both. so please, watch what your write =D thanks
Maybe let's stop trying to rank things as best, not best. Listen to what you like. I love K-pop, I like the sound of the language. J-pop sounds too harsh to me - just because of the language. My son likes listening to Japanese. My best friend listens only to Cantonese (Not Mandarin!). And we all get along. I like some J-pop tracks, too, they're just what I like best. So let's try to be global and praise all the artists who make this great stuff!
ReplyDeletei like ayumi hamasaki... i think she is the best and her lyric also the best.. sometime when i read the lyric, its like a story.. not like kpop lyric almost repeat the lyric.. boring.. and Jpop music use a real instrument.. not like kpop almost all kpop song using fake instrument.. make the music just using a computer..
ReplyDeleteposeur
DeleteYEAH... J-POP lyrics are like stories... n some songs even give motivation for me... that's why I love J-POP...
Deletewell, she should be a poet. but not a singer.
Deleteand you say that Davichi - Don't Say Goodbye is much better than Adele - Someone Like You.. ithink you are wrong.. are you deaf?..
ReplyDeleteI'm make a poll about this. Davichi Don't Say Goodbye = 155. Adele Someone Like You = 48. So I'm right. The melody is better, the music video is better, and Kang Minkyung is more beautiful than Adele. If you say Adele is more beautiful, then you need to buy glasses (you're not blind, because if you're blind, you can't compare it). But why Adele view in youtube is 200 million and Davichi only 2 million? Because Adele is more popular than Davichi. For western song it's easy to break 100 million views. But SNSD (no 1 in Korea) having a hard time reach that. PSY can break that because hollywood celebs tweets. Without this I think PSY also difficult to reach that state. I hope in the future people choose quality over popularity. thank you.
Deletethank you. I agree with you. I'm still love K-pop and J-pop <3
ReplyDeleteI like Jpop WAY better than Kpop.
ReplyDeleteI like Jpop because it's VERY different than the same boring stuff that I always hear. Yes, I listened to Orange Caramel, Super Junior and a few others and didn't like them. It actually made me cry because it was the only thing I could listen to on the school computers for the longest time. >w< I missed my Jpop.
What made my decision SOLID was Momoiro Clover Z's song Farewell My Dear Sorrows~! That was such an excellent and original song~! It's NOTHING like Kpop at all (or anything for that matter~!
It just makes me a bit angery that people (mainly kpop fans. I have yet to see a Jpop fan do this) prance around and say Kpop is better than Jpop and stating it like it's a world renowned FACT! Guess what it's all opinion.
Just in case someone argues with me in the last paragraph, NOTE that I say I THINK in front of "Jpop is better". I THINK, I LIKE, IN MY OPINION are opinion phrases.
In a nuthell, Jpop is better than Kpop, in my opinion, because it's unique. I don't like it when people prance around saying it as a FACT (Kpop AND jpop fans alike).
Happy Holidays~! ^o^
I like J-pop because it has more variety, creativity and depth. There's more attention to the lyrics with the use of metaphors and similes. J-pop deals more with love, happiness and sadness.
ReplyDeleteJapan has the 2nd largest music market in the world, that is why J-pop has remained in Japan for years with no effort of expanding.
South Koreans are extroverts, they like to show off. Japanese are introverts, they like to keep to themselves. Difference in culture, difference in attitude towards music.
K-pop likes to show off and develop by expanding. J-pop likes to keep to itself and develop from within.
Japanese are introverts? sure they are.. they sure were when they went and attacked Korea.. don't say stuff you don't know about..
Deleteyes to anon#1 so much. i do remember that time when arashi made it into the "english" newspaper (newspaper in english outside japan) that said they got the first highest single sale. arashi even beat akb48 in terms of popularity, album sales dvd sales everything basically when akb was super popular. arashi isn't boring, well jpop isn't boring let me tell you. jpop is already super popular in its own little community and even though most of them dont have social network sites they're popular enough to reach worldwide without advertising too much and without the help of networking sites. these are all just biased opinions coz neither of us like both genres EQUALLY.
Deleteare we done here?
Anon1, your comment tells me that all this "kpop vs jpop" thing is only about hate from koreans and korean lovers. And a great inferiority complex.
DeleteThere is just sooo much wrong with this article lol
ReplyDeleteJust because you don't know anything about J-Pop does not speak for the rest of the world.
While J-Pop music is not very famous in the world (and let's be honest neither is K-Pop really... youtube views means nothing because in my country (usa) walk down the street and hear ZERO Kpop (other than Psy which people basically just make fun of) and ZERO Jpop.
I like both Jpop and Kpop and I know about Japanese shows... not so much Korean shows because I think Korean music shows are so boring.
I think it's clear that if you look at Kpop now you can CLEARLY see the Jpop influence even if the music is more Westernized than Jpop but just the whole concept of idols and even the music shows remind me of Japanese old shows like Pop Jam.
Musically... I think Japanese artists are much better and more diverse and original. Of course in Jpop there are western clones like in Kpop but for the most part there are way more REAL musicians in Jpop than Kpop...
Who say I don't know anything about J-pop? Sometimes you can find newest J-pop lyrics only in here.
DeleteYou're right about K-pop shows are boring. For example Music Bank. Every week the performers are same. Maybe only 2 or 3 artists that different. So it's like watching the same performance with different costume. But K-pop shows have official channel on youtube so it's more popular. And K-pop now doing concert around the world, while J-pop only in Japan. So why K-pop beat J-pop means in popularity.
well to cut this crap out...although many jpop label doesn't have youtube channel J-pop album sales much..much higher than k-pop..stop brag all kpop things out..there was time suju made into world monthly album sales ranking at no 7th if i'm not mistaken. well to cut this out arashi made into monthly album sales in the same year suju got this ranking but they got no 1 and that year arashi the only asia artist made into the year world top 30 album sales and they beat up some others popular western artist(i don't remember whom). this arashi sales continues for the next year until i lost count their sales for the next, next year..although they don't have youtube channel or not so famous music show but they album sales are higher than kpop..and that's why k-pop like to go to japan..don't you see it?and well, at least they never copied their fans in their dvd concert to look they have lots of fans such as 2pm..
Deletethey copied fans for no reason the stadium was filled for 2PM there was a mess up. and the reason why korea goes to japan is because more people are there so that's why. and only kpop artists like IU got into Billboards top 21 under 21. also, there is a k-pop hot 100 but not j-pop.
Deletealso for the Fine Bros more people liked kpop and k-stuff than j-stuff.
k-pop did copy jpop but they took it to a whole new level while jpop is stuck doing the same old thing in the same place.
they westernized their music that's what kpop did, as they say when in Rome do as the Romans do they and of couse then would the western world pay attention to them because their music is similar, the sold out to be popular lol Japanese people don't give a shit if the world thinks they are weird they like their stuff and they do "whateva they want!" they love their "weirdness" i admire them for that. I like some korean stuff though just not all of it
DeleteNice BLOG...
ReplyDeletevisit my new blog ya: whatskpop.blogspot.com
Heyoo,, thanks for the lyric translation, very helpfull , any way I love JPOP n my sister is a KPOP hardcore, we keep arguing everyday which one is better, and its going nowhere and tiring >__< , Its about taste and both goes par, Here in my country KPOP wave is huge, a Local Boy/Girl band Korean Wannabes keep showing up (which is I think its lame :P) , but since the rise of JKT48 (im a big fan of them so it might biased.. heheh) K-wave is about to die here peeps are getting tired of the same concept, nevertheless there still loyal fans rooting for KPOP. hehehe
ReplyDeleteCheers from Indonesia! ^^
Thank you for all comments. Actually this is not about K-pop vs J-pop, but it's okay. I think K-pop win in popularity, J-pop win in diversity.
ReplyDeleteI don't agree much with the article but I agree with this comment~
DeleteAnyway, I love both genres ♥
After above comment G-Dragon Criticizes K-pop For Lack Of Musical Variety. It's no secret that K-pop is a very formulaic industry. Simply look at SM Entertainment's biggest boy band, Super Junior, and you'll see they've been promoting the same basic song year after year since 2009. Big Bang member G-Dragon, an idol who also produces music, has taken issue with the recycling of K-pop industry.
ReplyDeleteDuring a press conference held for Big Bang's world tour stop in Seoul, G-Dragon was not shy when he began expressing his criticism of the South Korea's music industry.
"I think Korean music, for the most part, has been limited in scope to just one genre. When I produce music, I try not to simply make music that appeals to the masses," he stated.
Korean music has a tendency of focusing on electropop or R'n'B ballads, with certain trends catching on and becoming popular with a sudden influx of music mimicking that sound. G-Dragon steers clear of being sucked into those trends, making a conscience effort to expand his musical horizons by listening to a wide range of musical genres and styles.
"Instead of just listening to K-pop, I listen to a variety of music from many genres. I wish we could go back to a time when we made music with memories," he said.
G-Dragon was also critical of the way music is discarded like stale bread. Songs that are popular one minute are too quickly forgotten as listeners move on and demand new music to enjoy.
"In other countries, as long as the songs are good, an album can have a positive response 2, 3, even 6 months after it is released," he said.
And because G-Dragon is also K-Pop, he was criticizing himself.
I love your comment. This is right. I very like J-pop because their music are more variety, creativity and depth. There's more attention to the lyrics with the use of metaphors and similes. J-pop deals more with love, happiness and sadness.
DeleteI listen to J-pop very often and every playlist that I have. Songs from 6month ago, 1year ago, or 2 and 3years ago I still often playing it.
But I also like K-pop, well even if it's just Girl generation.
Every human is created differently. With views, opinions, hobbies, preferences, and tastes different. We are not the same. There are people who like Japan, There are people who like Korea, there are also people who like the West, and so on. So, no need to boast to our own favorite is the best. So, respect each other.
Sorry with my bad English
I like JPOP most than KPOP . But still KPOP is relevant . But not more really interesting . Because all the sounds are alike . No Difference ! But still both the Best !
ReplyDelete( Popularity does not matter anymore , but how fan keep them in their heart are MORE important ! )
- It's just opinion -
check out crayon pop. totally different. new sounds are coming from korea. sad, funny, happy, lovey. it's very different.
DeleteHello sir, we have to look at the fact that Kpop artists always promote their music outside Korea whereas Jpop artists seldom do so. Result is Kpop artists are more popular than Jpop artists. However, this is not the only basis for popularity.
ReplyDeleteKpop groups might be more popular than AKB48 all over east and south east asia but AKB48 sold more albums, and imagine that they only achieve the feat in Japan. How many albums each Kpop artist have ever sold in their own country alone?
Keep in mind that Jpop listeners are not the social bunch. They happen to be a niche who love music even if it is not popular among the general population. In my country, Kpop artists are more popular than AKB48 because Kpop artists always come to hold concerts and promote here. There is slim chance that AKB48 will ever come into my country but listeners like me never need them to come for concerts and sell their albums here. We turn to YouTube.
We have to consider that AKB48 and other Jpop artists never need to go abroad except for Japan expo shows to be popular. If their music is good, listeners will find them.
In 2011 Japan population is 127,817,277 while Korean population is 49,779,000. So that's why J-pop selling more than K-pop in their own country. And that's why many K-pop Artists promoting in Japan using Japanese language. And it's almost impossible for AKB48 to promote in Korean using Korean language. So Akimoto Yasushi is promoting to country that have more population than Japan. Indonesia's JKT48 and China's SNH48.
DeleteSir, you have a point on the population and I agree with you that J-pop artists selling more in their own country. And quoting " And that's why many K-pop artists promoting in Japan using Japanese language" J-pop artists do not need to do similar things like that as aforementioned. Just because they are popular in Japan does not mean they should also be popular outside their country. No need to promote their material using the languages of my country. The otaku communities who are interested will do the extra effort to find them and understand Japanese.
DeleteIt is never impossible for AKB48 to promote their music in Korean. They can do that, but it is not among their goals. If you say so, it is also impossible for Kpop artists to promote theirs in English and in the main five languages of my country. The management that looks after AKB48 does not deem it necessary for AKB48 to promote in local languages when they can organise "sister groups" like JKT48 and SNH48. Unlike Kpop companies, the AKB management and Jpop companies do not need to create many artists and have them go abroad to be famous.
J-pop artists have Japan as their only market while Kpop has Korea, east asia(including Japan) and southeast asia (including my country). Different visions of promoting music, different strategies, different goals, different markets. It is not the aim of J-pop artists to be very popular in my country that's why you will not find many Jpop records in record shops here and that the otakus need to go to Japan to buy records for us here.
So you mean Japan doesn't need income from J-pop. Only Japan that know this. You just assume things. Here's article from japantoday:
DeleteJapan losing its manufacturing edge to South Korea
TOKYO —
“I got the feeling that Korea’s Hyundai is clearly surging past Japanese models,” automotive journalist Toshifumi Watanabe tells Shukan Bunshun (Jan 26), after returning home from the Detroit Motor Show. “I was particularly struck by their innovative and challenging designs. Japanese automakers, by contrast, are content to introduce their new ideas using concept car prototypes. That’s a stance that makes them vulnerable.”
It was about 30 years ago that U.S. politicians swung sledge hammers on Japan-built cars that appeared to threaten their domestic auto industry. This year, however, it was Hyundai’s compact Elantra that took the honors as “North American Car of the Year.”
“Among the three finalists in the passenger car category, there wasn’t a single Japanese model,” sighs an editor of an automotive magazine. “Since 2000, every year there was at least one, and sometimes even two models nominated. Since 2009, the Nissan Leaf electric vehicle was the only one to be picked.”
How the mighty have fallen. In previous years, Japanese models had been selected in the passenger car and light truck categories, the latter of which includes SUVs. And in 2006, Honda Motor Co drove off with double prizes, taking two categories. But since 2009, when Hyundai won its first prize, the appeal of Japanese models has declined.
“By 2000, Hyundai had already passed Mitsubishi and Suzuki, and over the past five or six years has become a real competitor,” says a journalist who covers the auto industry. “Now their Elantra and Sonata models are contending with Toyota’s Corolla and Camry. In terms of price, I get the feeling the Korean cars are ranked above their own class. And Korean car designers are also working for European and American firms, which recognize their flair for design.”
Pros in the industry still give Japanese models the nod for more robust stability, quieter operation and superior finish. But in terms of design and price, Korean brands are giving them a run for the money—and the latter’s 10-year warranty service has made them particularly appealing.
DeleteMeanwhile U.S.-built hybrid models like the Ford Fusion, with its claimed 42 kilometers to the liter fuel consumption, are mounting a strong challenge to another Japanese specialty, hybrid vehicles. In comparison, the Toyota Prius claims 37 kilometers to the liter.
Shukan Bunshun moves on to lament Japan’s rapidly plummeting TV industry. It seems the inflated value of the yen is not the only threat to its continued existence.
At the Consumer Electronics show held recently in Las Vegas, two Korean companies—Samsung and Lucky Goldstar, both introduced 55-inch organic EL TVs. In 2007, Japan’s Sony had previously launched sales of an 11-inch model with similar electro-luminescence, considered by some to be the next-generation technology to succeed LCDs.
Sony also had hopes that organic EL technology would lead to a resurgence of its brand.
“Our efforts to master the manufacturing technology failed, and our yield rate was poor, wrecking efforts to reduce production costs,” then-president Ryoji Chubachi had announced. “We also failed to develop large-screen technology. So Sony effectively decided to withdraw from organic EL TVs.”
“Other Japanese firms made efforts to develop the technology, but any way they worked it, the results showed they would incur major losses, so their management gave up trying,” a business reporter tells the magazine, adding “But Samsung pulled it off. They might lose money, but they’ve got the desire, and the financial resources, to persist. If they manage to boost the yield rate and achieve profitability, they will take another bite out of Japan.”
“In the past, it was Japan’s TV makers that drove foreign manufacturers out of business,” observes Osamu Katayama, a business journalist. “Call it karma, but now it seems to be time for them to receive the same treatment at the hands of South Korea.”
Source: japantoday.com/category/kuchikomi/view/japan-losing-its-manufacturing-edge-to-south-korea
So why not make music as source of income?
I don't think population has anything to do with this. Because AKB48 sells over a million copies of all her singles. But Miley Cyrrus -remember the US has the triple of people than Japan- sells only 500.000 copies....... worldwide!!!!
DeleteJust remember that JapanToday has an anti-Japan agenda. ;-)
Deletewell i guess kpop fashion are also in this days..those stiletto boots that match up with some colorful clothing,i would say that their fashion styles too evolve along with its music.
ReplyDeletecpop better than jpop...hehh thats funny..kpop beat jpop..thats gross.
ReplyDeletecpop better than jpop? you funny
Delete^ hey have you ever heard of respect?
DeleteYou mean like Afterschool change Morning Musume Songs "Love Machine" into "Dream Girl" and then uploaded in youtube?
ReplyDeleteDo you see whos the real musician?
Some Kpop were buying songs and
remake photobooks from Jpop.
Popularity ?
I thing Jpop Fans Are Widely spread into kinds of Jpop artits. And Why Kpop artis keeps copycat Jpop Artits?
I think the Kpop artits popularity are temporary. Is there any Kpop Artits survive longer than Jpop like SMAP?.. I mean, Come On, Do you really think you will keep this articles to the next 10 years?
OK. Let's wait until ten years later who's the winner between K-pop vs J-pop. If J-pop not change it's way, I think K-pop still win (in popularity). Actually you only need to wait 5 years. Allkpop beat jpopasia. Both is launched more than 5 years ago.
DeleteTo answer your question about any Kpop artist survive longer than SMAP; yes, there is. Go search for Shinhwa. They still promoting until now.
Deletehem...still shonentai and matchy way much longer than them..b'z, amuro, mr.children, every little things and etc..they stay longer and international
DeleteRidiculous article ever
ReplyDeleteindeed! <3
Deleteabsolutely agree :3
Deletemost ridiculous comments ever..
Deletei m fan of japanese . what makes you think that KPOP beat JPOP? also don't forget there re still JROCK, another JMUSIC
ReplyDeleteit s not that japanese behind the koreans in publicity, it makes me more proud that i am jap-fan.Your article for me means japanese is more exclusive and original. so unlike some random people who claims to be kpop fan,, who just follow the flow / trend.
i think that lots of japanese fan are amazing, they re all over the world, even though the japanese doesnt make promotion as big as koreans, we still do the searching, it makes them look greater because they don't do many promo stuff but still people are loyal and love em
about koreans products such as electronic, cosmetic, comic book, i think it s still below and behind the japanese, because no originality they always impresonating the american and japan. personally i think korean's stuff looks plastic and not long lasting just like the price they put on their stuff: cheaper than japan's
... seriously.. samsung galaxy.. everyone has it.. oh no I don't see a japanese phone! hm...
Delete^ lol just no.
Deleteopen your eyes.
also for the japanese who uses japanese as their language i think it s great,, that makes us who love japan, to learn japanese. they really proud being japanese and love their country.
ReplyDeletethey don t need to "try too hard" to get world attention, but the world is approaching em
Yes. But you must use another language to promote to another country. Korean must use Japanese language to promote in Japan. If Kpop use Korean language, it's almost impossible to top oricon chart. What I like about Jpop is the song use original title for example EGOIST Namae no Nai Kaibutsu. But Kpop use English title (this is Kpop news website fault). No one knows about Lee Seung-Gi Doedollida. One website translate as Turning Back, the other as Looking Back, another as Return. So the lyrics website like this is confuse about the Kpop song title.
DeleteMy sole issue with this is the fact that Japanese artists don't gather worldwide attention because they don't need to. When you are the #2 largest music industry in the world, why would you need to? The Japanese pop industry is technically larger than Britian's and Britain's is pretty huge. Japanese artists sell exceedingly well in their homelands, expansion requires unecessary promotion.
ReplyDeleteAlso, as for the Plastic Surgery thing, I'd say it has nothing to do with J-Pop or K-Pop. This is a worldwide obsession. You see it with Western Artists too. You can't actually be talented and attractive (actually, talent is irrelevant) without clearly having had work done. People are too skeptical and desparate to pull the celebrities who are advertised as near-perfect beings down.
DeleteI think all music is nice an thank you for translating and posting song lyrics
ReplyDeletehaha seriously people? fighting over nonsense :D so much violent reactions. it's just his opinion. if you can't accept what was he said, why don't you put your own blog spot and make it why JPOP beats KPOP?
ReplyDeleteit's just a matter of accepting the fact that when it comes tong english they will both say "ENGRISH" ;))) peace on earth ^^,v
by the way i love dong bang shin ki and one ok rock :)EQUALLY :)))
Well, the thing is, if you're into something, you'll definitely look for it. But for me, at first I myself was a K-pop and a C-pop lover, but now, J-pop is the best that's there is for me. I know that there are flaws in everything, it only takes one's perspective to ruin one. In my point of view, since I've been in the Japanese since 2004, that J-pop has more fans than k-pop. Just take a look at the anime-lovers out there, or the so-called Otakus and weeaboos. They love Japanese music as well. Although they're nerds, the fact is they are still fans. I know some people who are much geeky than me when it comes to music, and all they can think about is Korean pop, Korean drama, Korean this and that. While I myself can only think of "Japanese everything". So I don't think there's any problem voicing out. Although voicing out your own opinion doesn't mean that everyone would agree, at some point, I'm just a guy who happens to be respectful, so I respect your blog and all :D
ReplyDeleteAlthough there's one comment who said that Jpop lovers are freaks, well we aren't. Is it because we're that much in love in Japanese music and anime, we're not freaks. I know some Korean-culture lovers who are nerds themselves.
well some jpop lovers are a little weird.. some anime gets on the dark side..
Deletebut most korean stuff doesn't get on the dark side.
^ you sure about that coz last time i checked, it does.
Deletethis article is like...kind of creating fanwars among KPOP, CPOP and JPOP fans. -.- Although i like KPOP more than any music genre in this world,but it doesn't mean JPOP don't have any talented singers :D now it's KPOP wave,sooner it might be JPOP nor CPOP coz JPOP and CPOP fans are increasing day by day :) so please stop arguing about which genre is better -.-
ReplyDeleteI found interesting comment from fb:
ReplyDeleteLara Danielle Cartujano-Takarai: And another thing, J-Pop doesn't care about going international. They do not have a Japan Wave or a movement that calls for their artists to promote in other countries. They are all contented with their country, selling Japanese material. It's Korea that has this movement and mentality and desire to promote and promote in other countries. That kind of desperation isn't in J-Pop.
See how effortless it is in J-Pop? Ayumi Hamasaki and the others can sell a hell lot of records even without learning the languages of other countries and debut there. They just do their stuff, release their songs in their own country, and sell like hot pancakes. As opposed to Korea that oh well, k. We all know how they so wanted to conquer the Japanese market.
See how effortless it is in J-Pop? Ayumi Hamasaki and the others can sell a hell lot of records even without learning the languages of other countries and debut there. They just do their stuff, release their songs in their own country, and sell like hot pancakes. As opposed to Korea that oh well, k. We all know how they so wanted to conquer the Japanese market.
My opinion: If J-pop only sells in Japan, that means no income. Meanwhile K-pop is like dracula sucking Japan's money.
Come across this blog to drop by and saying thanks for translating Kanjani8 - Hesomagari. Ah hey whoever, look at this article, just for comparison. http://aramatheydidnt.livejournal.com/4776405.html Yup Japan, you don't need to go abroad, indeed.
ReplyDeleteYes. In terms of sales J-pop is much higher than K-pop. But in popularity it's different. I'm just curious which more popular: aramatheydidnt or omonatheydidnt?
Deleteto that opinion..for what reason they want really popular when the thing is not sales well..i really confuse there..and wasn't sales is one part of showing popularity?and is it fault not singing others language than their own? britney never sing in korea..queen never sang in chinese..lady gaga never sing in tamil..by singing in their language is a strategies promoting their country (still they got really good sales). for some reason the thing need to be question is why k-pop need to sing others language..you should be proud of you own language.sing as it suppose to be. don't change because of others and be proud of it (and western never sing in japan to enter japan market sales..).
DeleteLittle mix sang "wings" in korean nobody sang any song in japanese.
Deleteand japanese tried to sing english a long time ago to enter America's market.
*BOOM*
oh that was just the sound of them crashing to the ground.. hm.. call an ambulance?
I agree with some people that this article is starting fanwars. I don't really agree with this article that much really. Just because one is more popular DOESN'T mean that it's better. People have their own preferences as to which is more suitable for them. Mine being J-pop, but I do like K-pop too. Just some aspects of it.
ReplyDeleteFirst, thanks for your lyrics translation! By the way, I like this article because if you REALLY read it, it's just a general facts why Kpop beats Jpop ONLY in popularity. The one who starts fanwar is just someone who said "blabla is better than blabla in quality". And why Jpop doesn't appear in Korea, because Kpop fans on there are so fanatics(sometimes offensive). When AKB48 came to Korea, they bashed AKB48 for "taking" their oppas. I think that reason is very silly, so I think Jpop will not come to Korea again. And nowadays, Jpop started to get world popularity too, for example, 48fam and Hello! Project. I wish Jpop can be more popular because they deserve it (because of their diversity. Even you can find many genres in one album). And I don't say Kpop is bad.
ReplyDeleteSorry for my english.
Ah I'm sorry. I want to say thank you for your lyrics romanization!
ReplyDeleteKorea are Shit with plastic skin. thats how they,re popular...
ReplyDeleteI really agree with your 3rd point. I used to become an avid fans of JE (Johnny's Entertainment) boys' fans but because of the difficulties of getting the stuff, for example the video etc, and also their attitude towards international fans, I gave up.
ReplyDeleteIt's a good change seeing that now 48Family and also H!P already have their own Youtube channel and gain their popularity worldwide gradually. Hopefully, their step are soon to be followed by others :)
PS:
a. I'm still a fan of Shimizu Shota though even though his Youtube channel is forbidden for Indonesian viewers #sadbuttrue
b. Thanks for your lyrics's translations!
i don't like kpop, they are too much of girly..jpop the best..rock
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI love both music.
ReplyDeleteI grew up with JPop and then I started to like Kpop because of Shinhwa. Although, I can't deny that Jpop has more variety than Kpop. That's why now I only listen to Shinhwa, some old Korean songs and Jpop.
I'm getting bored with all this boyband and girlband stuff.
Maybe you are getting bored because you only listen to Shinhwa. Try to listen to other soloist k-pop artists like IU/Lee Ji Eun, G.na, Joo, J-min (korean singer but debuted in Japan first and recently, in Korea) and SNSD Kim Taeyeon (Part of Girls' Generation but called as the OST Queen of Korea because of her soft and mellow voice)
DeleteHere are some of my favorite songs, please try to listen to them:
IU - Mia, You and I (Kor. and Jap. ver) and Good day (Kor. and Jap. ver)
G.na - Because you are my man and Black and white
Joo - Because of a man
J0min - Stand up
SNSD Taeyeon - If/Manyage, Can you hear me, I love you, Missing You Like Crazy, Closer
This blog is so right, K-pop is more popular than J-pop because of their colorful music video concepts and fancy hair styles and clothes. About that Korean-artists-promoting-out-of-their-country stuff, it's just normal to advertise your own product to other people.... why? because if they don't do that why would they release their album if they don't want other people to buy it, right?
ReplyDeleteBecause of their popularity (K-pop idols), they gain 86 million dollars in 2003 but has became 220 million dollars in 2008 in their dramas sold outside Korea, and as for their exported music, they gain 189 million dollars in the year 2007 and has risen to 313 million dollars in the year 2010. See?
That's the big effect of using mass media in advertising your product all over the globe. So if you think that the K-pop artists advertise out of their country just to gain more money and a huger fanbase, you maybe right but you are wrong because if you have that so-called "Talent", why would you hide that inside a box. K-pop artist went outside their country to show other people that they have the guts and pure talent to be proud of. They did it, because it's the right thing to do.
Please don't kill me, I love both genre, but it's just that Japan must do the right thing, to share their music and get it outside the box.
Japan as a whole needs a change if they don't want to lose in global market. I don't understand why they so much closed to the world.
DeleteI was a fan of Jpop, Jrock, Anime and Tokusatsu. But i found these day K-pop and K-Drama is more relevant.
Also Japan don't seems like to hear Global opinion. And don't want to appeal people outside of japan. I take example on anime and tokusatsu that has become controversy among global fans (ex.Kamen Rider Den-O and Decade or Gundam Seed/Seed Destiny). Many global fans criticize those show, but their respective company doesn't care about it since they were well received in japan itself(though there also domestic fans that share opinion like global fans). That's why thos shows still become cashcow for Kamen Rider and Gundam franchise respectively until now.
Also K-pop get expanded globally because of support from Korean Government itself. While J-pop didn't show interrest to appeal global market maybe have something to do with Japan Government policy.
I'm starting to get into Jpop more because some of my friends, but I've always been more into kpop. I'm not hating on either! It's just that jpop and kpop tend to have completely different styles. Like, once my friend was telling my about how she can always tell is it's a korean artist singing a japanese song (other than their pronunciation) because the overall sound and beat and style is different. Plus Kpop basically has more of an influence from American music than Jpop does. You can see it in like they costumes and clothes, rather than in the Jpop costumes.
ReplyDeleteIf you really read the article, the author doesn't seems to hate J-Pop. Just stating the fact that industry music people in Korea gives more effort to promote their artists outside of Korea.
ReplyDeleteThey promote digitally using youtube even going overseas and let their artist perform in cultural festival in other countries, making the songs in other languages (Mandarin and Japanese, etc). Also aided by their government who promote Korea's tourism through drama, tv shows, music, etc. So K-Pop become more well known.
I agree with the author that recently J-Pop & J-Rock artists start to promote outside their country too. That's a good thing.
I think that we all must ask: do japanese people want worldwide recognition? I mean, reading this post you clearly get that the person who wrote it, want that japanese music get in everyone mouth. I mean like you're talking with someone and he asks you @hey have you heard the new X japanese group song?"
ReplyDeleteanyhow, my point is that: why japanese will want to get worldwide recognition, like the korean music...well, I won't call it korean music, the only "popular sound" is, the unmeaning "K-pop"...why unmeaning? Because their music has nothing special to be creating a Sub gender of pop music.
"k-pop" is the same thing has any other pop song around the globe but just sung in korean, and that is why I won't call it a sub gender otherwise why not call A-Pop to American pop or P-pop to portugal music? Because is not a sub gender is only the same pop music but in a diferent language!!! So, why call it J-pop if this is the case?
Easy! Japanese pop sound is soo diferent compared with other pop songs, have we ever heard any song that sound like any other song outside the japanese music? NO because j-pop is a different sound compared with the normal pop! So, I won't never call it "K-pop" because is unmeaning!.
Going back to the main topic, not all japanese people want a worldwide recognition in music! They only make music for themself! Why? Because japanese understand other japanese! Have you ever notice that those thing we call "weird japanese things" are normal for them? Like when you heard "look this WEIRD japanese video" I don't think that in japan they think is weird Or if we watch a weird TV SHOW, for them is just normal. So, why they will want to do something for a worldwide? They only care about themself! And that is the reason they only do things, that will only be consumed for themself, otherwise why exist in japan "The Galapagos Syndrome".
Other thing to be think is, do we want that everyone listen japanese music? At least, I dont. Japanese music is somehow "special" for me and, I don't want that everyone thinks is the "best in the wooorld" I know japanese music is the best so why share it? Why ? It is just stupid and pretentiousness and also to think that you're just the best person because you hear that music. I don't consider myself a pro or anything! Im just a normal guy with a different taste in music! Not like "korean music fans" and I'm not making it out! We all have read the comments from korean fans, "KPOP IS THE BEST" "YOURE STUPID BECAUSE YOU DONT LISTEN TO THEM" and all that garbage we read around!
I don't hate korean music! I've heard several songs and groups! So I know they are not bad and make a great music, but is not that unique or special has everyone says! We must enjoy music not fight for them!
Peace! :) Pardon my english!
Don't say "same pop music but in a diferent language". Different country have different music. Try listen to Latin, Indonesia, India, Middle East, Thailand, etc...
DeleteBased on all comments above, J-pop quality is better than K-pop. But if no one knows about it, what's the point? This is different than anime & manga. Anime & manga doesn't need promotion to become popular and make money for Japan. Why? Because anime & manga doesn't have rival. American cartoon & comic quality is below anime & manga.
But J-pop have rival. World class western pop, latin pop, and now rising K-pop. You know why Gangnam Style became popular? Because Hollywood celebs tweet. But without quality can it defeat western pop? No. With quality Gangnam Style can defeat the reigning champion Justin Bieber Baby. So if J-pop quality is better than K-pop, can it defeat Gangnam Style? Maybe it can with the help of promotion & popularity. Without these it's almost impossible.
@Icy Teru: first of all, thanks for the lyrics translations. So you want J-pop to be more well-known? Nah, i don't think that's a good idea. J-pop's unique & have good quality - true - but don't forget it's a part of the Japanese culture, which is weird to lots parts of the world. It means that many people out there won't fall so hard for J-pop like we do and maybe, on the opposite, find it quirky. I've experienced this. You see, i live in Vietnam, where K-pop Wave or Hallyu (right?) has been sweeping all over the country to the point a lot of youngsters willing to run away from home or kill their own parents just because they're not allowed to go to the SuJu Shows (they had a tour here in - maybe - 2011) ==. But there're NORMAL people too, and when i get them to hear some J-pop songs like "Hoshi ni negai wo" - flumpool or some KAT-TUN songs: "hey, it's weird dude, turn off or switch to the blabla (K-pop) song." ==* And if J-pop get popular here, there still have problems like - someone mentioned before - the fans who follow the stream and anti-fans. So lots of Vietnam J-pop lovers' communities had decided that we don't need to expand the popularity, just let the ones who REALLY care about J-pop as well as Japanese culture explore themselves and surely, we'll help with all we can (as the copy-right law is still loose here, we still can share lots of stuffs :3).
DeleteP.S: sorry for my English :">
Japanese doesn't need Worldwide Recognition because The world already Recognize THEM, who in the world that don't know about JAPAN? they dominated every single item in the world
ReplyDeleteK-pop is just "new breed" in the industry of POP, and also the J-POP music doesn't always use the song with "Cry-Desperate-Dying" lyrics.
and also Japanese Artist name never conflict with another Japanese Artist because they have their own unique name (not like korean with ONLY 3 word with their name & always DOMINATED with KIM,CHOI etc)
the Greatest annoying news about the K-POP artist is Plastic Surgery, some of them already Tune (korean word for Plastic Surgery) their body for better but some just denied because he/ she doesn't want everyone know abut their UGLY face...who wants to marry a Plastic Man / Woman lately?
for me i prefer the ugly-original face more BETTER than Beautiful-Plastic face
last but not least is NETIZEN, yeh the NET-CITIZEN in Korea is way more Brutal than a GANGSTER / YAKUZA in Japan because if they already know the minus side of You, they can KILL you with WORD...yeah Words have you ever HEARD about HIGHEST SUICIDE Rating is in KOREA, many Korean Artist is Kill by anonymous user in Internet, they Invide your CyWorld giving you Curse Word so you can kill yourself
and that is my point of View about J-POP & K-POP, i'm not saying i Hate K-POP but please can you do a better or MORE Better than Now about what i'm saying
sorry for my bad English
I ♥ both genre.. Kpop and JPOP.. i'm diehard fan of IkimonoGakari! hahaha
ReplyDeleteYou should change the title of this article to "Why K-Pop beat J-Pop IN POPULARITY" to avoid fanwars
ReplyDeleteHere in Indo you can find people listening to K-Pop everywhere, even if most of them are teenage girls.
While on the other hand, in comparison, there's only a few who like J-Music (because it's not only pop), and most of them get it first from things like anime, tokusatsu, dorama, J-movies, and games
So yeah, you could say that K-Pop vs J-Music here is like fanatic-teenage-girls-who-like-artist-because-their-looks vs nerds/otaku/weaboo
Unfortunately, K-Pop stands at 0.1% in my iPod, as compared to J-Pop and J-Rock, which takes up 99.6%. (Let's not forget 0.3% of English songs). I wouldn't say Japanese songs aren't popular anymore, because composers and singers wouldn't need that type of international recognition.
ReplyDeleteThe nature of Japanese pop, rock, jazz, indie, etc. songs is innate. I listen to Japanese songs since I was 7, starting from Utada Hikaru's Hikari (yes, I played Kingdom Hearts lol), and 15 years down the road, I'm still with Utada Hikaru, I can still listen to Hikari on loop without getting bored. My 'taste' doesn't change, because Japanese songs can be so addictive. I have SNSD songs, and honestly, I don't play them anymore. They just exist on my playlists for the sake of collection.
So this article doesn't even interests me, and I'm sure there are people out there that feels the same way.
I also play Kingdom Hearts. The strange thing is I watch Kingdom Hearts III trailer in Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix, but it is not released on PS3. And news about it just released now that this game is for PS4 and Xbox One. I think video game console is going to extinct because of upgrade2 that in fact pricey & useless
DeleteI think j-pop sucks! its just a bunch of FOBs and little children singing around. k-pop is more like awesome music that you can jam out too. j-pop has some very unorganized groups. Ex: this one group has like 40 girls (like wtf!?) this other group had girls of all ages from 11-20 (kinda creepy). j-pop is sorta like high pitched anime music that only pedos would listen to, its TOO kawaii and annoying as hell.
ReplyDeletestrange. you can say kawaii but you don't like jpop? try listen to j-rock.
DeleteLOL YOU SO FUNNAY XDD
Deleteget out.
I don't think you know much about Kpop, Jpop or Cpop. Jpop was and still really popular in Chinese speaking countries. And each has a variety of genres in music if you really search for more.
ReplyDeleteYes I don't know how Super Junior Bonamana album remained at the top of Taiwan's Korean-Japanese Music Charts for 61 weeks, breaking their own previous record of the said chart. And I don't know why Jpop artists not going to learn Chinese language.
DeleteAyumi Hamasaki + J-Pop Artists > K-pop
ReplyDeleteJolin Tsao > K-pop.
Kiss kiss.
Hmm.. I'm sure that Jpop and Kpop have it's plus and minus.
ReplyDeleteActually, I'm prefer Jpop than Kpop. Because I've know it since long time ago and because Kpop is make me bored with too many boyband and girlband (I like band better).
But, what's makes Kpop better than Jpop, because in Jpop, everyone with 'kawaii' face and nice body can become a singer/idol even if you don't have beautiful voice. Well, not all singer in Jpop like that.
Well, I like both though in a way. Oh, I remembered something.
Is it true that Jpop singer can't have concert or even sell their album/single in Korea?
Actually it can. But it is not worth. America is better market. But even Utada Hikaru who have multi million album selling in Japan, fail to break American market.
DeleteLol, reading all those comments....
ReplyDeleteI listen to both K-pop and J-pop and if you ask me, they both have songs that catch my attention and some others that make me wanna mute my pc.
But if you compare it to real life singing,I'm sorry to say K-pop have loads of singers who are more a pretty face than a pretty voice...They kinda suck on stage (seriously I've watched many reality countdowns like M-net countdown and came to this conclusion) and as someone up there said, they have the same few artists performing every week, with the exception of a few others here and there who pop on and off the charts.
J-pop, I've not really watched their reality singing programmes but I've watched a few perform live, I can say I'm quite happy with the few so far. Some like Nana Mizuki or Chemistry and the list goes on. ESPECIALLY when I see seiyuus singing on stage or at a seiyuu event and the songs sung on stage sound exactly like it is in the anime (perfect in every sense of the way ^^ ), I go nuts squeeling. Try watching Uta-Pri's seiyuu events and you'll understand =)
I used to listen to quite a lot ( and I mean loads and loads) of K-pop, but after a while, I just get really sick of it. The girls groups (like example:SNSD or Hello Venus or SISTAR) dance and act like bitches. It gets on my nerves after awhile. =P
ReplyDeleteI even remember watching Super Junior or Vixx perform on stage recently (YouTube duh..)and their voices kinda "cracked" (if that's the proper term to use). Their voices just don't match the same pitch they used in the music videos or in the cd itself. I was very disappointed that time cause I really liked Super Junior.
There are SOOOO many things wrong with your reasons that I am only going to bother mentioning a few.
ReplyDelete1. Lots of Japan music companies dont do PV's because of licenses issues.
2. Most kpop companies do PV because thats how they attract their audiences, through visual appeal. Why do you think they pour in so much money into their music videos compared to japan? Have you seen the stats on SNSD gender and age groups? It ranges from 13year old girls to 45 year old men. Do you think those most of these men enjoy those music? No. They watch it for visual appeal. Sex sells. Its universal, and thats why it gathers more attention. That is not to say japan doesnt do that, but it is very few.
3. Lots of music companies don't need to advertise themselves to the world. They can sustain themselves in japan, compared to koreans low population, they have to advertise themselves.
4. Music shows are popular for kpop because of what? Visual appeal.
5. Jpop GENERALLY focuses more on the music itself. While kpop has to work with music videos, dances, beauty, western influences, and their music.
Now kpop isnt bad, but to say its better than jpop is like saying the piano is better than the drums.
I was a huge fans of Kpop in the past but now I've "migrate" to Jpop since I get crazy in to AKB48. I don't mean to dislike Kpop but you know what Korea and Japan are the best music production among Asia. Before I was always listening to C-pop but somehow when come to Kpop and Jpop I found out that most of the C-pop (in the past) mostly have been translated and it wasn't their (C-pop) own production. But yearly, C-pop started to make better music. In fact, Kpop and Jpop still take the advantages. I don't compare Asian and Western because all you knew they are completely different.
ReplyDeleteOne of the reason I prefer Jpop compare to Kpop which most of the Kpop songs are such a sad lyric even though the music is powerful, strong beat unlike Jpop songs are in balance but mostly cherish songs and they did cheered me like AKB48. You know what AKB48 producer Akimoto Yasushi known as one of the best lyric writer in Japan, he can really comes out such meaningful lyric. He was an ONLY businessman but ended up collaborate with the entertainment industry and produced AKB48 since 2005, until now.
In fact, it's really hard to keep such long generation to handle an idol group such like Super Junior, ShinHwa as a Korean idol group. But Jpop idol can maintain more than 10 years. The truth is, Kpop is more tough and mature than Jpop, it's just my opinion though please don't take it hard.
I just found out this article:D
ReplyDeleteI love both Jpop and Kpop. Sometimes i more like Kpop rather than Jpop,and other times i like Jpop more rather than Kpop.
I agree with number #2. The most factor why Jpop was beaten by Kpop is really hard to found Jpop video on internet. There are some site that upload many Jpop video too,but Kpop is multiple times. Jpop is really tight with piracy. If you want to see the video, you should buy it from japan store or any online shop (which is almost 2x expensive than korea), or other alternative is try to find the fanbase. Jpop fanbase rarely using blogspot,or wordpress. They more using livejournal or forum that (I think) more complicated. Many forum that using minimum post too.
2nd reason is mostly japanese idol don't have any social network. for example, artist from Johnny Entertainment, the biggest company idol in Japan, not using twitter. This is what i heard from my friend,company idol in Japan are very tight with their idol,and give heavy punishment. I found one article (I don't know this is right or not,please tell me if its wrong), there is one member from female group that found out by media, she is went out from one of boy group house, and 1 or 2 days later, she was sending apologize video,and her hair was bald. Some people said that was punishment from the company. (you can google it about how thight they are)
3rd reason is I think Jpop had stronger culture than Kpop. They promotion strategy is different. That's why many people think that Jpop is weird or freak.
Im not saying that Jpop is better or Kpop is better. They are shine in their way. Its just depend how people score them. At first time, I thought too that Jpop is weird, but later I start liking some idol or actor. There are some good or worst idol both in Kpop or Jpop.
I said all of this just based on my opinion. Because I love both Jpop or Kpop, so I understand it. please tell me if there's something wrong in upthere. thank you
-FA
Everyone knows that KPop is better then JPop. But u miss other stuff Japan is selling, even though Korea is making more money, Japan is making money of gaming consoles like Playstation. If Japan never made that then they would of made very little money. Of couse animes and stuff help get them money. But if Japan never made the Playstation system, only thing they would be making is like 20 million dollars or less while Korea would make more like 1 billion dollars.
ReplyDeleteI don't even understand why people still compare Kpop and Jpop. Just let people enjoy what they want. No need for justifications. It doesn't even matter since even if you write this sort of article, at the end of the day, people will still listen to what they like, not what you write about.
ReplyDeleteHAVE YOU EVEN EVER HEARD OF KYARY KYARY PAMYU OH MY GOD EVEN KATY PERRY TWEETS ABOUT HER. IF AMERICAN PERSONALITIES TWEETING ABOUT CERTAIN ARTISTS IS YOUR BASIS FOR SAYING HOW WELL-KNOWN AND HOW GOOD A CERTAIN MUSIC GENRE IS, THEN I RECOMMEND YOU TO RETHINK YOUR VALUES AND THOUGHTS. :-) You seem to think as if the world only is about the westerns. That's wrong.
ReplyDeleteI don't even think Japan cares enough to let the whole world know about Jpop. They create music for their country and people should be thankful then have the internet so that they can listen to japanese pop. Aren't Vocaloids pretty famous? Hah. Fictional singers yet they have a huge fan base. You should have thought of a better title for this article - "Why Kpop is more popular than Jpop" because nothing is better than the other unless proven scientifically. This kind of thing cannot be proven easily because people have different opinions and taste.
it's your right to said "Kpop is better than Jpop" but the fact Kpop is temporary in Asia... let's face it Kpop artist trying very very very very hard in USA market and unfortunatelly they got NOTHING...
ReplyDeleteKpop don't realize that their influence in Asia still HALF BAKED!... why so proud if Kpop only grab SMALL COUNTRY like singapore,hongkong,taiwan,thailand,etc??? even one main island in Indonesia is bigger than those small country... Why kpop such in hurry playing LOSING GAME in USA??? fool Kpop they should learn from Jpop.. Jpop really focus their market in Asia... Jpop knew "the formula" :)
haha whattttt. japan is asian? pshh no. jpop in america? pshh no.
Deletekpop in asia? um.. yeahh. kpop in america? EVERYWHERE. you don't even know... kcon.. crowded, filled with white people. jcon.. oh wait there IS no jcon. :P
korea.. topping charts in china and japan..
japan.. not even touching the charts in korea..
hm...
Who cares both genres are great in their own way. Btw, Japanese artists don't chart on Korean charts because they sing in Japanese, the reason why some Korean artists chart in Japan is because they make Japanese songs. That doesn't mean that chart higher than the Japanese artists. Fyi there great Japanese artist like Crystal Kay, KAT-TUN and Arashi but of course an immature K-pop fan like you would rather hate on the genre instead of giving it a chance. Both K-Pop and J-Pop are awesome. Please stop trying to put one genre down in order to make the other look better just because one is more popular than the other doesn't mean that the music isn't good. Fyi there are a lot of J-Pop fans not as much as K-Pop but they have them. So please stop and just enjoy the music, please.
Deleteamen to anon#2.
DeleteSo far I've seen more comments either putting J-Pop down or putting K-Pop and I can't help but think that most of these people commenting are immature. Who cares if K-Pop is more popular than J-Pop both genres have their fair share of artists who make great music. I still enjoy watching J-Pop videos just as much as I enjoy watching K-Pop videos, I love listening to BoA just as much as I love listening to Crystal Kay and I love learning about Japanese culture just as much as I love learning about Korean culture. K-Pop and J-Pop fans spend so much time arguing and fighting about which one is better that they look a bunch little kids fighting over a toy. Music is here for everyone to enjoy, it's suppose to be a form of expression that everyone can relate to. I just wish everyone would shut up, stop being immature and enjoy the music. And I really wish people would stop fighting and grow up.
ReplyDeletewhy k-pop fan is always saying "k-pop is better then J-pop" and so on?
ReplyDeletewhy always compere to japan?
its becouse all of korean modern movement and its prodact is "more or less" includeing the will of anti-japan which trying to "beat japan" by korean prodact. as this blog is saying so too.
even if that anti-japan education in korea is sterted, becouse of past ww2 things or so, its ended at 70years ago. no one care it, except korea and koreanboos.
so why korean is always try to say that they are better then japan, even about topic of pop-music or electricity prodact? why always compere to japan?
no one care.
kpop -- > they have same face, same body shape ( women / men ), same music, same voice, same lyric, same dancing, same attitude
ReplyDeletejapanese, the don't even bother touching chart in Korea,, why competing with fake,.
ReplyDeletejpop and kpop , both are totally different.. don't even try comparing them.. jpop isnt as low as kpop (kpop --> imitating the american (outfits, sexy dancing, music) they will fade out soon ( people will get bored if he/she eats the same kpop for 24h/365d )
kpop is good at marketing and worldwide promotion. That's it/ kpop is not as diversified as Jpop, that's the truth. However I don't f* understand why these two sides argue everyday, why don't just shut up and listen to your favourite songs?
ReplyDeleteThis is just my opinion but I don' think the Kpop business model is sustainable it is just like a bubble and bubble can only get so big before it pops.I am not trying to bash Kpop because I actually like it but this eventually happens to anything that is over saturated and over exposed.However I understand why Korea is trying so hard to expose Kpop to an international audience they can't thrive on a global level with just the Korean Market however if lets say Japan declares that they will completley ban Jpop outside of Japan it would still be at least top 5 music industry in the world.I won't deny it Jpop sales and popularity are in decline while Kpop is rising in sales and popularity but that doesn't mean that Kpop is dominating Jpop in sales, revenue and profit.Please don't think I am putting down the Kpop industry and thinking the Jpop industry is perfect because they are doing some crappy things nowadays like 2 minute videos, that piracy law that did nothing to boost sales but only pissed people off, only pushing those prepubescent girls on a somewhat global level while they have whole diverse range of muscians and entertainers including in the Jpop genre itself.Let's not even talk about how AKB48 became the number 1 selling group in Asia trust me it wasn't because they are popular.I know a lot of Kpop fans can't see the popularity ever fading but it will remember music from Hong Kong was once the most popular and Korean music was not on anybodies radar but look at how those roles have reversed.Who knows what country's entertainment industry will have a boom in popularity in the future?2025 just called and said Brunei and Laos are the top two entertainment industries of Asia and asking what is Kpop or Jpop.Think it will never happen?Well as the old saying goes never say never.
ReplyDeletelook at the title of this article well. which side of people is provokeing a quarrel to other side at first, most of the time?
ReplyDeleteand who is competeing to otherside all the time,as like this article?
who is calling otherside as otaku and insulting?lol and otherside is just replying for it. isn't it?
let us free. so annoying.
it's really unfair ! you just comparing them about their popularity and music genre... how about their talent? yes! k-idols can dance very well but most of them can't do a back flip! but most of j-idols can do a back flip even they cannot dance well! and about the official youtube channel, you wrong about it...please check about it again... i've know about kpop for more than 5 years, so i know their weakness in this industry! so, stop comparing them! they have their own talent and weakness! they have their own way to be popular! if you dont know about it just shut up!
ReplyDeletewoah! this hurt me, I guess you should have search a little more about J-pop. I guess all you write about here is all about comparing j-pop and k-pop about youtube. The poor qualities you saw is just uploaded by fans so blame the fans for not uploading a better quality! and for more info there are a lot of Japanese artist who is famous around the world. And of course they called it PV cause they're going to promote their album! Are you sick? if you buy an album/single of some artist of course you'll get a MUCH MUCH BETTER QUALITY!
ReplyDeleteif you are not a fan either of j-pop, k-pop or c-pop of course you'll will be bored listening to a song of a different lang. you're not used to.
better watch what you are going to post!!! and FYI Japan won't follow your advice!! they are UNIQUE and have a different way of becoming popular! so DON'T just post something the fans will be irritated.
I don't hate K-pop but it is just I hate comparing it from j-pop. I also don't have enough knowledge about K-pop so I won't compare them to others.
I know that I don't have the right to say this things to you but I really love J-pop.
Excuse me while I correct all statements:
ReplyDelete1) Japan has a large enough population to promote in its own country. South Korea is small, so international promotions are necessary. It's not that the world doesn't like J-pop, it's that J-pop doesn't need to reach out of its own country.
2) Same as above.
3) Other video streaming sites are more popular in Japan than YouTube (such as NicoNico). It all depends on the record label. For example, Avex has its own YouTube channel to which it uploads all songs of its artists. King Records often creates individual channels for their more popular artists, such as AKB48.
4) I have no clue what you're trying to say there, but refer to #1.
5) Many music shows stream on national TV over in Japan. People just don't upload them to YouTube because, once again, international promotions aren't necessary. In Japan, popular music groups sometimes even have their own TV shows (AKB48 has at least 3, and I think H!P has some too).
6) There's nothing wrong with sticking to a classic style, and modern music is still very different from older music in Japan. It's just the Japanese style of music. Learn to respect it.
7) This is your attempt at turning the whole, "South Korea is the plastic surgery capital of the world." thing into a good thing? It's not working.
The company promoting Kyary (I forget what they're called) uploads videos for all of their artists, and they always have. It just depends on the company.
J-pop all the way, more inspiring.
ReplyDeletecomeone!!! Kpop rarely have good lyrics in their songs!!!!
ReplyDeleteJpop was my first love, so Jpop 4ever all kpop is being so shit specially in this 2013!
I love the both of them...JPOP and KPOP has their own characteristic..
ReplyDeleteJPOP more varied in color, while the popular KPOP usually have the same type of music.
for some famous Korean artists who gain popularity in Japan, personally I prefer the Japanese version of their song :P.. *no offense*
... Why can't you just say that music is music no matter the language, country, style, or genre? If you like Jpop more than kpop, fine; if you like kpop more than jpop, also fine; if you prefer cpop over kpop and jpop, that's also fine too!
ReplyDeleteAlso, the reason why kpop artists lip sync is because it's hard to dance while singing, so in order to help them during live performances, the people working the sound systems play the song in the background. Also, if you listen closely, some of the artists DO sing while dancing, but not all the time, since some of them have complicated choreographies so they have to focus on that. And, when they're singing ballads, they're NOT lip syncing (95% of the time).
Music is music. It's how the composers choose to write their music, and how the agencies choose to promote it. They are all unique on their own.
Korea's copying western music? don't forget that there was this scandal thing that Lady Gaga was stealing songs from SNSD.
And if you think I'm only a kpop fan, you're wrong. I listen to ALL kinds. Cpop, Jpop, Kpop, American--- I liked this ONE filipino song..which is the only song i know (because someone was singing it at a party... but i forget it's name).. and some indian songs...
hmm, now i think about it, its not wrong at all
ReplyDeleteJpop > Kpop.
ReplyDeleteThat is all.
So this page still exist, heh?
ReplyDeleteHhe, discussing about Jpop and Kpop is endless,,
sugoiiii........
ReplyDeleteAbout point 2, I think that japanese people are more open to foreign music than korean people. Or maybe korean are just too close for *japanese* music.
ReplyDeleteI found this site looking for BabyMetal lyrics. I need lyrics because I don't know japanese. My first language is spanish by the way.
ReplyDeleteI discover Asia because of Japan. I discover South Korea because of Japan. I did see a lot of koreans movies and dramas.... because of Japan.
Koreans do good movies and dramas.
But...... I never listen to their music. I'm not interest on it.
And I'll never get the oportunity, because I get tired on koreans.
Why? Because of her continuos anomisity towards Japan.
WW2 has ended a long time ago. Get used to it!
Koreans are always bitching about japanese invation.
Well, japanese people never speak about americans burning all their cities to the groud.
They move on!
Koreans should do the same.
Very heartless comment that has no clue of what they're talking about. Japanese are just has bad with their own atrocities and they very seldom give apologies freely. Think of the comfort women Japan is still ignoring.
DeleteI came here for your BABYMETAL's Megitsune translation (which is THE most accurate of all of them on the net currently IMHO) but WOW. A lot of people are taking your opinions WAY TOO PERSONAL. Geez, it's only an opinion and you've backed it up as much as you can. And you even specified that you didn't hate j-pop. Some people must learn to read objectively. :p
ReplyDeleteI liked reading your opinion on why k-pop has trumped j-pop, but I just think a lot of people are tired of j-pop. It's been around the world for a long while and a bit of linguistic and visual change doesn't hurt anyone. K-pop is the new asian musical sensation, me thinks.
Now now, if i could say something...
ReplyDeleteEveryone have their own opinion about music, someone thinks korean is better, someone thinks western is better, but i think, japanese is better
In my school (note : i live in indonesia, and i'm indonesian), korean is much more popular than japanese musics, specially between girl (except me, of course). Korean music has much more fans than japanese, but i don't think that more popular the music, then the music is better than the other. For me, a good music is a music that touches the listener's heart.
Now try to listen to Junko Iwao's song, "scarlet" (released around year 2002, maybe), or Nana Mizuki's Eternal Blaze (2004). Are they good for you? Or make you bored? Your opinion might be different than my opinion.
All musics are good, but how someone thinks about them is the main problem (or, not a problem actually... how i say this... ahh, shit, i don't know how to say it. Find it for me, please :D ).
Then i want to say. Just Kick Out that assumption that "korean music is the best" or any trash word and assumption like that, just enjoy their music.
and forgive me for my bad english.
JPop is less popular than KPop because......they don't have to be popular in order to beat one genre, because it's music! I like JPop better but before those koreaboos will throw rotten fruit at me, I have to spread my word to the world so we can go back and listen to our favourite songs.
ReplyDeleteBack in 2007, when I got introduced to one of mychonny's early YouTube videos, i moved onto yourchonny's YouTube videos which one of them has SUJU's Sorry Sorry parody (?) video. This song got me hooked on the song, and it makes me discover more KPop songs....until 2011, where I got tired of KPop due to repetition in mainstream KPop music (autotune, dancing, not majorly good singing in live, similar appearances in KPop girl groups, you get the idea), and decided to listen rock music before late 2013, which I came back to JPop (I also like JRock :3).
Judging the comments sent from you (author), I respect your opinion/article on why KPop is better than JPop in popularity but popularity ruins the fun because it makes people feel bad.
And as for fandom stereotypes, PLEASE STOP! Not all KPop fans are koreaboos/fanatic-teen-girls-falling-over-guys-because-of-their-looks/over-40-year-old-men-who-liked-KPop-girl-group-songs-because-of-visuals and not all JPop fans are nerds/weeaboos (most of them only know Japan is all anime, which I like to watch)/freaks/weirdos/losers because we came from different appearances/background/size/shape/etc. Comparing KPop and JPop is like comparing Metal and Rock (both have instruments but sound different) or Hip Hop and Rap or well, you get the idea.
To koreaboos, please put away rotten fruit and save it for crazy fans (not just crazy JPop fans, also crazy (insert genre) fans, even your kind.
Yours truthfully,
a JPop fan who also listens to rock, Eurovision songs, some RnB, anything
well, how you like J-pop is simillar to me
Deleteback when i was in Junior High School, i was a fan of SS501, and korean music, korean drama e.t.c., but then i was introduced to a japanese singer Mai Kuraki when i watched TV. But as time goes on, bit by bit, i was getting bored listening K-pop all of the time, specially Super Junior (but i still like SS501, though, until now), and try to listen Mai Kuraki's song, and i like it (starting from Secret of My Heart, then Aitakute, Shiroi Yuki, and many more).
and sorry for my bad english
Of course K-Pop is more popular, but that's all they can do. ADVERTISING. J-Pop in the other hand have more specialty in every artists, you know even in PATICULARY SAME GENRE, they have unique voices / arrangement / composition and even unique lyrics between artists.
ReplyDeleteWhat i'm trying to say is, go ADVERTISE MOAR PLEASE.
I definitely cannot say that KPop is better JPop...the only thing that I know is JPop singers take effort to make sure their lives are perfect and so do KPop singers...I like AAA for JPop cause their lives especially their concerts cause they sing perfectly in pitch...as for KPop, even though they have music shows like music bank, inkigayo, some they lip sync which I did not like...I think that JPop should expand out more as in the same as KPop then only we can compare which is better...
ReplyDeleteI see your point. I love that you pointed out how there is more variety in jpop than kpop. I still think jpop has more quality especially in their instrumentals, BGM etc. Despite halyu (korean wave) I never became a kpop fan for some reason. I prefer jpop rather japanese songs and soundtracks in general. I only listen to a few k-artist that somehow really catches my attention, very limited few.
ReplyDeleteWanna see some good looking girls/boys. K-pop all the way.. Wanna listen some good music? K-pop would never come in the same league as J-pop.
ReplyDeleteI have listen both for years. So i'm right of-course.
wow, so many people are sharing their opinions here xD i personally think that Jpop is better than Kpop, but that's just my opinion. I know that Korean idols or girlband/boyband members work really hard to gain their popularity, and they deserve it. i've seen some of their performances, like SNSD and BTS, and they dance really well :o they move in sync with each other(results of years of training, i believe), and in a whole different level than AKB48 or any idolgroups.
ReplyDeletebut i like jpop better because the songs touch my heart, i honestly cried when hearing some of the songs because the meaning is so deep x'D and i really admire vocaloid producers (you can find them mostly on Nico Nico Douga) because they work really hard to produce their music. sometimes they work alone, or with the help of their friends. they make their own lyrics, songs(which is really hard, i tried to use vocaloid once, it was complicated and tiring) instrumental, art, and even the videos.
so the point is, everyone works hard to produce music, why should we bother to argue about who's the best? everyone's opinion is different, afterall.
People should stop comparing JPop, KPop and CPop every country's music is unique in it's own...so I hope the world will stop comparing them...
ReplyDeleteI never got immersed in Kpop. I think because Japanese music is so diverse, it's much interesting to listen to. (Especially the narratives of Vocaloid music)
ReplyDeleteGenerally, Japanese artists don't really need to market themselves internationally because they're self-sufficient. That's why Kpop group move to Japan because the music industry there is great. So international popularity doesn't really amount to much for them. They just do their own thing and I think that's better because they don't lose their identity in the process.
And FYI, Arashi made it to world charts even beating Katy Perry. And they don't even use any gimmick for their releases (e.g handshakes, fanmeets, codes, etc.). That I think tells how much they are well supported by the fanbase.
I have been a fan of jpop for most part of my life (more than 15 years). No need to waste time arguing, anyone with a little knowledge of music know what's better. If they are just into entertainment, then that's something else, but definitely not real music.
ReplyDeleteFave musician: mr.children, every little thing, laruku, triplane, maaya sakamoto, chihiro yonekira, mikuni shimokawa etc..mostly seniors, and I don't regret it, because while I don't really follow many new artists I also know that I listen to what's best (for me) and not give a damn about the deteriorating trend.
lmao theres actl a lot of solo singers and rock bands and bands in kpop its just that u dont know ��
ReplyDeleteok your opinions isnt completely wrong, but not right either except for #6, that is just plain silly, i really laughed my ass off, thats just your taste in music, not even a reason. and there are actually more composer in japan than korea, lot of singer/band actually write their own lyrics/musics unlike in kpop
ReplyDeleteJpop for your ears and Kpop for your eyes.
ReplyDeleteI was exposed to kpop when I was small. We had Korean channel. I liked them because of their looks. People mostly watch kpop because of looks. Now I'm no more into kpop and I hate it. Japanese music is the best
ReplyDelete