Shifting Tides in K-Pop and J-Pop

What if the K-pop industry as we know it is on the brink of a significant transformation? Join us as we tackle the seismic events that rocked the K-pop world at the end of 2024, from the disbandment of girl group, Rocket Punch, and NewJeans struggles to the systemic issues plaguing female artists. 

We don't shy away from controversy, exploring G-Dragon's turbulent post-military journey, riddled with unfounded scandals and relentless investigations as well as his current media complications.

Then, give us a moment as we shift gears to hype the potential for Boston to rise as a new concert hotspot. 

In an industry navigating a tough landscape, the challenges are not just for K-pop but for entertainment as a whole. We dive into how misinformation affects artists and companies, reflecting on Takizawa's outspoken stance against rumors and malicious social media posts. 

Amidst these serious issues, we celebrate the lighter side of the entertainment world, from Travis Japan's exciting new releases to the heartwarming news of Akito Kiriyama's marriage. Join us as we anticipate a brighter, more equitable future in the worlds of K-pop, J-Pop, and beyond, with hopes for positive change in 2025.

Transcript

Speaker 1 0:21

Welcome everybody to another episode of Music Elixir with me, Sarah and Miss Panic. Yeah, so now that we're rolling into the new year well, we've been rolling into the new year A few things. What Say it Say what? Oh, happy new year. I'm like say it oh, it's a little late, but still that's what I was saying. We're we're rolling into the new year this could be the second episode of our podcast.

Speaker 2 0:55

So okay, then, happy new year. Why? Not yeah, it's still, it's still fresh yes, so I'm going to date stamp this. Today is January 4th of 2025. We're going to be talking about some news that happened a few months ago, like 2024. But maybe on vacation. Also, sarah has taken some days off for family we have dedicated. December is usually family time.

Speaker 2 1:26

Yes, very much, so, you know family, travel, check on, you know, our older generation, make sure everybody's fine and spend time with everybody you know. And then you know after that de-stress from spending time with your elders.

Speaker 1 1:42

Yes, family can be a little trying sometimes.

Speaker 2 1:47

Yeah so you know. So sarah and I have not sat down and we have seen some news that we're like oh my god, have you seen this? And make some few comments on our emails, but not done a chat like we're gonna be doing now, because oh and g talk about the end of 2024. They have been some I want to call them blowouts for the k-pop industry.

Speaker 1 2:17

Yes, definitely major blow-ups like wow, well, it was stuff that was building up, oh yeah.

Speaker 2 2:24

You know what I?

Speaker 1 2:24

mean Little by little things coming out here and there, and yeah it finally came to a head.

Speaker 2 2:32

Oh yeah, you know they have been groups that are not renewing contracts with agencies. They have been partial members renewing and the other parts of their like not, we're not coming back. Yeah, and plus other news that were like flabbergasted yeah, like definitely um, should I say the death of an employee was not reported? Yeah, that was weird that was just not good, very that was. I was like what, how can you not?

Speaker 1 3:04

it was in like yeah, in in the the premises exactly you know, but oddly that's not an isolated case, because there was something that happened here. Same thing, like three days security was walking around checking stuff like nobody noticed a person deceased at their desk like.

Speaker 2 3:27

So it's not unheard of the, oh my god, fargo yeah, yo right anyways but yeah, the ending for 2024 has been quite grim. You know we're hoping that for this new year there's a new chapter, a new year, better things to come after like I don't even want to call them shit shows. This is just disasters.

Speaker 1 3:58

It's been really strange. There are like a lot of awakenings, I guess, people realizing systems are broken, that things are wrong, and it's coming to light. These are all things. We've talked about. This before in the entertainment industry be it music, movies, whatever there has always been, always been, always been, always been, always been a darker side of things. Not everyone has a wonderful story to tell about their experience, but it's definitely this past year has brought to light so many things that we can hopefully start seeing change. I mean the past few years, but there have been a lot of rapid fire things coming out this past year and it's like, ah, so hopefully 2025 will bring some changes in some brighter hope well, you know, when something bad happens, it's for some reason change happened when you knew that, uh, hello, let's take care of this before it gets bad.

Speaker 2 5:08

Yeah, but then it happened. Then bad happens and it's like oh okay, now we'll, we'll do something about it. Oh, I guess it's time, yeah you know one of them being, uh, new jeans. We know that that's completely you know, girls were mistreated, the company was mistreated, everything was just. You know, there's not gonna be no new jeans.

Speaker 1 5:28

You know, that's what I can think of yeah, well, we had talked about that before and I did finally read something that they they cannot take the name no, which we thought was going to be the case, because I was like, I don't know, you can't start somewhere that they get. If you went in there and said, hi, we are so and so, and yeah, will you sign us, that's different, but they can't, it's gonna completely change things for them. And yeah, there's it's been weird with, though, the someone yeah, so and so, signing back with this, but so and so's not, or so and so is getting dropped by the label because they don't want to deal with them anymore, and you know, it's like what the hell is going on.

Speaker 2 6:11

So, uh, one of them that, um, we're very disappointed that we enjoy their music and or hardly anything was released for I'm trying to find was it rocket punch?

Speaker 1 6:24

article. Yeah, we had talked and we had talked about them. God, three and a half, four years ago.

Speaker 2 6:30

Four years ago, yeah, when they dropped that song, we're like, oh my god, they're amazing, they're awesome, we're they. We, you know, we were expecting, yay, the girls, you know, hopefully something will happen. And uh, yeah, it was like, yeah, they were hot for that year. And then, hello, any more music.

Speaker 1 6:50

Like, yeah, the label just sort of gave up on doing anything for them and that was sorely disappointing, because their music was really good and fun. Those girls had great voices. Yep, they had potential and it's. You know and this is the another thing we always complain about it's always the girl groups that really get royally the shaft, like nothing you know.

Speaker 2 7:12

So, yeah, they soompi made this report on december 27. Four out of five Rocket Punch members leave Womblin Entertainment. Rocket Punch members Young Hee, yuk Young, so Hee and Dayoung will be parting ways with Womblin Entertainment On December 27,. Rocket Punch agency Womblin Entertainment announced with the following statement I don't know if I want to follow this statement. I'm just going to be like I'm disappointed.

Speaker 1 7:45

Yeah.

Speaker 2 7:46

So, oh, I didn't know this Originally debuted with six members. I only knew them as four, four, I thought five. Oh, okay, originally debuted with six members. This is I'm reading from Soompi Rocket Punch has been promoting as a five-member group since Takahashi Yuri departed on May of 2024, following the expiration of her contract with Wombland Entertainment. With today's announcement, sooyoung is now the sole member remaining at Wombland Entertainment.

Speaker 1 8:23

What so they didn't just leave the group, they left the whole.

Speaker 2 8:27

Yeah we, so they end. We extend our best wishes to all rocket punch members in their future endeavors. Omg, wow, one member. That's crazy. So there's only one member for that company.

Speaker 1 8:44

That's crazy, though, because it's like not just leaving the group, but leaving the whole shebang. Yeah, we're out of here, we're done with you guys.

Speaker 2 8:53

You're not oh, probably thinking you're not doing anything for us Like why do we want to stay?

Speaker 1 9:00

Yeah, exactly.

Speaker 2 9:01

Because you know Wow.

Speaker 1 9:03

So good luck to the girls, you know Whatever their future endeavors are yeah, let's just hope that the remaining member maybe I don't know maybe they'll do like a tryout to be a new member of Rocket Punch, who knows?

Speaker 2 9:19

I don't know, maybe those girls will like start a group or just do some individual projects, who knows? So there's a. G-dragon was also here for something. I'm back with Soompi. This article reads G-Dragon's home, sweet home, deemed unfit for broadcast by KBS. G-d always gets some GD is always something with GD. What's unfit? Let's see what is the ridiculousness of the unfit, because we'll read this and we're like what that's like really we were just talking about him the other day.

Speaker 1 10:04

Right, right, that's like, really we were just talking about him the other day.

Speaker 2 10:07

Right Can never catch a break.

Speaker 1 10:11

All right.

Speaker 2 10:21

So apparently reading from Soofy G-Dragon's new song Home Sweet Home has been deemed ineligible for KBS broadcast. Has been deemed ineligible for KBS broadcast. Released on November 22,. Just a month after Power, G-Dragon's new song Home Sweet Home quickly gained popularity and topped several music charts.

Speaker 1 10:38

Of course it's GD.

Speaker 2 10:45

Well, plus, he performed it with at least Taeyang. It also drew attention with features from his fellow Big Bang members, Taeyang and their song.

Speaker 1 10:53

I was going to say because I thought they performed it.

Speaker 2 10:57

The song conveys a message of returning to fans, describing as my happy home, and reassures them they have never been abandoned.

Speaker 1 11:09

It's not okay, all right where do we get okay, okay I'm still reading there's there's two more paragraphs.

Speaker 2 11:18

On december 4th, kbs ruled home, sweet home, ineligible for broadcast. Kbs explained that the decision was made due to its lyrics mentioning specific brands such as Airbnb, which violates Article 46 of the broadcasting regulation that restrict advertising effects. If a song is deemed ineligible, the artist can revise or remove the problematic part and resubmit it for a re-evaluation. The song can only air on kbs programs after receiving approval. If not re-evaluated, it will be bare from all kbs broadcasts, including television and radio because it says airbnb because of one word.

Speaker 2 12:20

Because of one word, because that's the only thing I see here is such as such as airbnb, so I guess there's other well, I think that there are.

Speaker 1 12:28

But that's interesting, although it sort of sort of makes sense because it sort of aligns with like how when people are doing like live, live stream, live whatever, they have to make sure that any type of name brand stuff doesn't show up in the background, just because if it's not a paid advertiser, whatever. But it's still kind of weird, because I actually would not consider airbnb a brand yeah, I guess you know it is but because it's also generically used as a term for anything where you go.

Speaker 2 13:09

Yeah, a bed and breakfast.

Speaker 1 13:11

You know what I mean. So, I don't know it's crazy, but I think it is sort of in alignment with the kind of rules we have here.

Speaker 2 13:21

Yeah.

K-Pop Industry US Tour Plans

Speaker 1 13:21

That if it's not a direct sponsor, you can't let it be seen in the background of things. So but it's just funny because, like I said, I know that they they were on a show performing the song, so I don't know if they left that out, those lines out of how they handled it, but then I'm thinking it could be a different channel and not kbs yeah, that's true. Maybe poor gd always everyone just likes harassing him. Oh my, god why.

Speaker 2 14:01

It's just why you know wow, exactly, poor gd. Come on, the poor boy. He comes back from military, from like drama after drama after drama like really I know right, never ending.

Speaker 1 14:16

He's had dating scandals, he's had illicit oh yeah, the whole drug charging thing, oh my.

Speaker 2 14:23

God, that took months to find nothing. Nothing. They have tested every inch of his body.

Speaker 1 14:34

I know they were like clipping nails and snipping his hair and blood, urine, saliva, oh my, God the poor guy, everything Pretty soon.

Speaker 2 14:48

they should have said cry over here, cry, cry, let's test out your tears, yeah, oh my god don't forget the earwax too, because mom might as well go at it.

Speaker 1 14:55

I know, and his boogers, you know.

Speaker 2 14:59

I know I'm trying, I'm being graphic, but I mean that was just so obsessive to find him guilty.

Speaker 1 15:06

Yeah, they were trying so hard to prove something, yeah.

Speaker 2 15:10

It's so maddening. So, so maddening, stupid. And now this You're naming brands on your thumbs and we're not going to play it. I'm like you know what? He doesn't need you. You know his fans. I'm like we don't need you. We don't need you, kbs f you too much yeah, all right any what other k-poppy?

Speaker 1 15:35

let's see, do we have any good k-pop?

Speaker 2 15:39

it's, it's been um, it's, it's been a. So I'm still reading this is all like happening, like in december. Oh, okay, you know, like things like that happening. You know rocket punch is gone. Uh, you know bruce is doing really good with that the song. Oh yeah, yeah, uh well, it's so catchy.

Speaker 1 15:58

Yeah, the whole album.

Speaker 2 16:01

And bruno mars is loving it because he's like yeah, getting on that he can do whatever he wants at this point. So he's doing it. So kudos to him. Oh, I just found this out. So Baby Monster is announcing it's a world tour. Oh, really, wait a minute. Oh, probably New York, yeah, yeah, so there was an update on December 11. On December 19,. Baby Monster will be visiting Japan to perform in Kanagawa, aichi, osaka and Fukuoka. The poster further teases more information to be announced at a later date. I bet that's only Newark and Los Angeles.

Speaker 1 17:04

I was just going to newark interesting newark well, you know, okay, isn't that the? I mean, a few other people have gone to joysy to. You know, perform so prudential center.

Speaker 2 17:18

Isn't that where we saw jungi?

Speaker 1 17:19

no, no, no, no, no, no, no no no, no prudential center.

Speaker 2 17:22

Okay, they have been there before.

Speaker 1 17:26

I don't think we've seen anyone there. No, we've been to other venues in Jersey.

Speaker 2 17:31

Yeah, I think there was a K-Con there that I missed.

Speaker 1 17:38

Maybe that's why I was thinking of that. Yeah, no, we saw Yoongi at UBS UBS okay, out on Long Island, long Island. Ubs, ubs okay, out on long island, long island. Sorry, new yorkers, I'm not making funny. Actually half my family talks like that and they're from where are they from? Fall river, yeah, fall reeve okay, representing over here, Miss.

Speaker 2 18:02

Sarah. Ooh Treasure is actually announcing a CD for his first ever US tour. Oh, hold on, Ooh Treasure. Treasure is coming, let's see.

Speaker 1 18:16

Interesting.

Speaker 2 18:17

I'm surprised family has not said anything. Maybe they didn't. Maybe they're just not United States. We have New York, washington DC. Maybe they didn't, maybe they're just not united states. We have new york, washington dc, oakland and los angeles. Trish are coming to the us.

Speaker 1 18:34

Those really are like the main places people go.

Speaker 2 18:37

Yeah, chicago, you said right uh, we have no, uh, new york, washington dc dc oakland and and los angeles.

Speaker 1 18:47

So callie gets two dates. Yeah, I don't understand. Well, I guess they figure you know california takes up that whole, almost the whole uh side of I don't know why.

Speaker 2 19:01

I don't know about new englanders. They don't really like new england, the closest that they come to new england is new york, so like I said you know you, you gotta figure.

Speaker 1 19:13

California take up a huge chunk of the west coast, so two dates over there is like new york and d over here. We're individual states. We all deserve Boston. Boston, come on.

Speaker 2 19:27

I don't know. What can we do for the Boston people over here. What can we do? I don't know. Maybe we'll need to. I don't know, Sarah. What do we need to do, Like some really PR, like PR the heck out of Boston for people to come and play over here? What can we do, Sarah?

Speaker 1 19:50

I don't know We've tried telling people how great Boston is. Yeah, I love it. I mean, I love New York, but it's not an hour away, it's three and a half.

Speaker 2 20:06

I want you to be near me. Come on, you know boston is. Boston is great for one thing you have the airport right there. You don't have to like 10 buses and trains and and like our you know taxis just to go somewhere. You know, yeah, you know taxis just to get somewhere. You know yeah you know you have logan is right there. The city is, uh, very light, walkable, very walkable you can take the tea. Uh, just like I said walkable, you can rent bikes.

Speaker 1 20:34

It's cleaner, smells better that's another one you know, and I'll think about all the concerts that we do go to they have amazing hotels as well, yeah, but think those venues like the orpheum is just on the opposite end of the street from the wang, the schubert, the royale um wilbur, so it's like they're all really close.

Speaker 2 21:04

They're walkable Even the waterfront, even TD Garden. Yeah, you know, it's not too difficult to get to the TD Garden, which is another bigger menu that we have Once in a while during spring and summer. You have also Fenway. You know, we have the MGM, the new MGM, the new MGM you go there more than I do.

Speaker 1 21:25

I know we just call it MGM Fenway actually.

Speaker 2 21:29

Yeah, it's MGM Fenway, amazing new venue Love. Yeah, it's beautiful.

Speaker 1 21:34

Love, but we have the pavilion down on the water. That's cool.

Speaker 2 21:40

House of Blues Another amazing club.

Speaker 1 21:42

There's awesome venues there big places and granted td garden, which is just boston garden to most of us considering it's like the biggest venue arena is still kind of on the small side, but it's big enough. I mean, people go, lots of people go there, yeah, lots of people.

Speaker 2 22:05

So you know now we have the royale, which is nice.

Speaker 1 22:08

Yeah, that's a smaller one. That's sort of that's like in line with uh, paradise, it's bigger a little, but it's the same type of setup it's. It's more intimate than, say, going to TD Gardens or the Pavilion, but at least it holds like 2,000 or 3,000.

Speaker 2 22:26

Oh yeah, so it's a little bit bigger than Paradise. Oh no, no, it's only 1,500. Oh no, I'm thinking the Royale or something. No, the Roadrunner, the Roadrunner, yes that one's bigger that one.

Speaker 1 22:37

That's what I was thinking of.

Speaker 2 22:39

Not, that's what I was thinking of Not the Paradise, the. Roadrunner Okay, yes, the Paradise. Yes, it's a bit smaller club.

Speaker 1 22:45

So Paradise and the Royale, where we saw I Am, those are comparable in size. I'd say the Royale's set up a little bit better. Yeah, Sightline-wise you can see more there. But Paradise is a tradition, you know. I mean it's oh, that's. That's like punk rock, Rob. Yeah, that's like like CBGBs in New. York you know that's the same sort of thing, right? Actually we also um Brayton pavilion.

Speaker 2 23:12

Oh, my God the Brian we have not been there in a while, yeah it's been a while, but yeah, oh, we have the, the outdoor venue, the amphitheater. We saw pet shop boys. Yeah, that's the pavilion that's the pavilion okay leader.

Speaker 1 23:34

I think it's called leader pavilion now. Okay, that was cool.

Speaker 2 23:38

It's been a hundred different pavilions, but it's yeah right on the water it's nice, that's a nice one too, so we're naming all those places people. There are places, big, small come on.

Speaker 1 23:54

We just went on a huge boston tour with you and they're not that difficult to get to well, I mean, we saw, oh no, uh, p1 harmony was at the bach, right, yeah, I was. But we saw epic high at the orpheum, I mean, and they're great, they're great venues, I mean they're just, they're all classics, except for the, you know, garden is sort of more modern now, right, it was classic, they've updated it. But you know, I mean, you just got a lot of great places, the house, of the celtics, you know, and yeah and the brun.

Speaker 1 24:31

So they gotta make it, you know but we have big places, we got little ones.

Speaker 2 24:35

I mean, you can take your pick, yeah, but just come exactly and, like I said, if you're coming from abroad, it's easy to get to a hotel. It's easy to get to the venue from whatever hotel you're gonna be staying at. We have a lot of decent hotels. Come on, we got from the you know uber expensive designer, you know and to like airbnbs as well and we better be careful oh, yeah, that's true, but I'm sure you'll have a friend who is, uh, we have the major colleges.

Speaker 2 25:10

You'll be like, hey, yeah, you still. You know, can I stay at the dorms with you? You know like, come on, come on, come to boston. New New York has nothing, nothing but smell and chaos. Always ambulances, every freaking minute Ambulances Try to go to sleep. You can't. You try to do an interview. You can't. You are in like the 12th story and you're here and I'm like new york.

Speaker 2 25:48

Come on, give me a break trying to do an interview here come on, you know, we love new york too though you know, I was gonna say the the one thing new york's got better than boston.

Speaker 1 26:05

Oh, geez, the road design I do give them that they've got a grid, and that's good. Boston has like a wheel with offshoots, it is yeah. Nothing goes where you think it's going. That's the only problem. That's why we walk it exactly. We drive in, we park at the common and you can get to anything from there exactly and I mean I grew up driving in boston. It still makes me crazy. I still take wrong town. I'm like where the hell am I?

Speaker 2 26:44

That's why you pay Uber. You pay somebody to drive you around. Forget the tea.

Speaker 1 26:49

Even the Uber guys can't figure it out. Come on.

Speaker 2 26:54

Come on, girl, we're trying to sell Boston here. No, I love Boston.

Speaker 1 26:58

But that makes it endearing. Plus, you know, think of all the museums and stuff we got Grey art.

Speaker 2 27:07

It's, you know, yeah, yeah, yeah, oh yeah.

Speaker 1 27:10

All the awesome museums, because we've gotten to see loads of amazing special exhibits. Yes, the Murakami, what was the one we just went?

Speaker 2 27:24

The Hallyu Korean Wave, the Dali, the dali, dali. I mean, it was month for the dali, but it was really good, so you know and the cafe in there wow oh, yeah, yeah, yeah best restaurant upstairs, the courtyard cafe oh, my god, was that good. That was so good. I want to go back for that salad.

Speaker 1 27:41

That salad was so tasty and you know, considering it's in a museum, yeah, in the city it wasn't outrageously priced, no, and the portions were good, yeah. So, hey, see Boston, yeah.

Speaker 2 27:55

You can also get great cuisine.

Speaker 1 27:57

Mm-hmm, really good food and very varied.

Speaker 2 28:01

Yes, oh yes, really good food and very varied yes, so oh yes. So before we move on to the j-pop portion of this segment, despite our way off course.

Speaker 1 28:13

Of course ramble we just um.

Speaker 2 28:16

So you know, family works for a music distributor.

Speaker 1 28:22

Yes.

Decline of K-Pop Industry Trends

Speaker 2 28:22

You know, here locally in our area, and they got a customer that they wanted. This person wanted to because they do consignment. Oh, yep, okay. So this person brought their whole K-pop collection to the store. Person brought their whole k-pop collection to the store and they said, um, that this person the customer, said I'm letting go of of k-pop, I'm not going to be listening to k-pop anymore and I'm not really interested. So I have this collection that I would like to consign, to do consignment for.

Speaker 2 28:57

So the funny thing is that that same day I got a tweet, or saw a tweet, that people are actually letting go of listening to K-pop. They're weaning off listening to K-pop or actually supporting K-pop artists because of what's been happening last year. You know all the. You know I mean the way they have they, they treat their artists and the media and but I guess right now, international fans are like you know what it looks like. Nothing's gonna be changed. We're just not gonna support them, as a lot of these people are not gonna be supporting their faves as they used to now. With that being said, this person is so disillusioned with the k-pop industry that they consignment this. I'm gonna give you this so you can open it when. Let me hold on your mic well, no, I can.

Speaker 1 29:55

Can I you don't think I can hold? To hear your reaction okay, so I'm gonna give you this. It's heavy and it is, oh my god can you see the front? Omg whoa so this is first edition bts yeah sign and it's legit yeah, I was gonna say you can tell, because on the waxy parts it's holy, holy moly.

Speaker 2 30:25

First edition bts. This is the um school of um school of affair yes, this is their first print signed by the members, with all in there and just watch who's in there, I'm gonna. Because I was like, oh, I bet it's not gonna have. I was. I was flabbergasted when family brought that to me. They're like this is the last like christmas present for you and I'm like I'm like what, what? How did you get this? So they proceeded to tell me this oh my god, this is like insane.

Speaker 1 31:01

Why would someone?

Speaker 2 31:03

there it is. Oh, yes, your boy, yes, rm you know from all this. So the the only problem with it is because they they tore the tickety part yeah this was connected and it's supposed to stay connected, but but hey, hey yeah oh my god, but it's in there wow, like that's crazy, that's crazy you will think that when you're an army, you will always be an army, especially a sign, first copy. Yeah, that wow. I was just like I'm like, are you sure this is them?

Speaker 1 31:37

are you sure this?

Speaker 2 31:38

is like so their boss, uh, made a few before taking it away, before taking it from the customer, actually check for the authenticity of the signature and the print and everything, because they can and it is legit. Wow, how this person got this sign and why a BTS sign, especially BTS.

Speaker 1 32:02

I know right. Yeah, it's like insane.

Speaker 2 32:05

They were like you know you can get more money out of it. You know why you wouldn't. And the customer's like yeah, no, I'm done.

Speaker 1 32:13

Wow.

Speaker 2 32:14

I was like wow.

Speaker 1 32:17

I'm still like completely flabbergasted.

Speaker 2 32:20

See, that was my reaction too.

Speaker 1 32:22

I was like what you saw me tilting it because I was trying to, yeah, see that it is in fact ink and like spots where, yeah, this sort of glossy, where the the ink wouldn't stay on, yeah, you can tell, I mean, but also just the simple fact that the you know, you, the album did not have autographs, exactly so wow, so an autograph first press BTS. You know school love affair and this customer and someone's, just like I'm giving it up. Yeah, it's like I'm done.

Speaker 2 32:57

I'm done with K-pop. Wow, I'm like, what, what I'm like. Well, thank you, you know, I'm done with K-pop. Wow, I'm like. What, what I'm like well, thank you.

Speaker 1 33:06

You know, I'm like Wow Dang.

Speaker 2 33:07

So yeah, that's why I was holding to this. I'm like I need to show you something because I need to get your reaction.

Speaker 1 33:13

That's just. I'm floored Wow.

Speaker 2 33:18

So you know, I'm thinking this is me thinking it's a gut feeling Things. So you know, I'm thinking this is me thinking it's and it's a gut feeling things that is happening with hype lately. Um, I mean, there's reports out there. I'm just saying a little bit of the reports that I, you know that I have seen. Um, I can't find the actual article right now, but there's a couple of reports out there, uh, stating that there was an employee at hype that passed away and hype did not report it as a job related uh, incident and they're getting scrutiny about that. Um, then we also had hive and of course, adore having that issue with new jeans.

Speaker 2 33:57

Uh, there's other not good news out there for HYBE and yeah, of course, ex-twitter being very drama-like, I've been seeing international fans voicing their disgust and dissolution about the K-pop industry. How they just like, yeah, I, I'm not gonna be supporting as of this, I'm not as good you know they're not supporting their faves as how they did. You know, like they're new, they're not. Yeah, I'll listen to the song a few one time, but I'm not gonna do the the streaming all the time. The stream, you know?

Speaker 1 34:38

yeah, like before yeah, well, and I mean the problem. The problem is that it's not just with hype. They're the biggest, yeah, but if you look across the board, with all of the entertainment groups, they've all been having issues with individuals within groups, entire groups. You know. Even look at our poor girl jesse. She went through how many different management companies like in a year.

Speaker 1 35:07

Yeah, you know, I mean there's just it's obviously broken and they need to fix it if they're gonna maintain any type of international support I guess I'm just the type of if I like the music, if I like a band, I like them, and you know, unless they do something completely heinous, I continue to support them.

Speaker 2 35:33

So punishing your artists is sort of you know, counterintuitive what I have seen from you know, tweets from fans is they're disillusioned with their agency. But you know, when you don't support the group which is in that agency, unfortunately the talent is the one that suffers, suffers.

Speaker 1 35:56

Yeah, always, you know it's like it's bad. They have to fight tooth and nail to get recognition for anything. In order to get money for anything, the artist always pays, basically right, oh, sorry, everybody, I had to, uh, take another moment for water. It's just dry winter air. Yeah, it's killing me anyway. So should we shift from k-pop to j-pop, where where things are sort of transitioning to?

Speaker 2 36:29

newer. Yeah, so for now, the k-pop industry seems to be in um dumps of fire. Yeah, you don't know. Dumps of fire, shit show you know, combine.

Speaker 1 36:43

Someone needs to throw out the life preserver because they're everything. They're sinking fast, they are so and now I can.

Speaker 2 36:53

You know that is so funny because I can tell right now billboards is like, yeah, k-pop, this, and there's like there's a lot of groups now in billboards and doing this and billboard is really pushing out for these groups and I'm like huh and uh, it took you how long to start doing this? Why now? Why now? Because it's yeah, numbers are not good, they're sinking people are getting tired of it.

Speaker 1 37:19

Well, just getting tired of all the like nothing, everything's nasty, nothing's nice. You know what I mean? Yeah, so that's why I'm thinking, if we switch over to the J-pop, things are looking up in that area, moving on.

Speaker 2 37:35

Let's go and talk about some of the J-pop news. You found something about Mr Takisawa.

K-Pop Industry Response Policies Initiative

Speaker 1 37:40

Yes, you found something about Mr Takizawa? Yes, well, because we know how all of the companies K-pop, j-pop, everybody just every once in a while they put out announcements that please be informed, exactly. So Takizawa actually just said that they want to address concerns about misinformation and posts on social media that contain inaccurate information. You know, and obviously when things are misreported, fans get salty, as you like to say, you like to say um, so anyways, just sort of he's taking his turn at saying be aware that if you spread this false information, if you start misinformation that we will, in fact, you know, be looking into it, and so watch yourself right.

Speaker 2 38:39

So our um friend we want to call our friend. She's not my, he's not our friend, I just call him that. So uh takizawa have actually posted on x twitter. You know, I'm gonna read this uh, this is from tokyo hive. Uh takizawa ought to bei announced. Review of response policies. Fans left confused, but mostly supportive.

Speaker 1 39:08

I don't know why they're confused.

Speaker 2 39:10

So Takizawa began with a New Year's greeting stating how are you spending the start of the new year? We are preparing so that we can bring joy to everyone this year as well. We look forward to your continued support.

Speaker 2 39:29

He then addressed some concerns, saying we have confirmed that there are some posts on social media that contain inaccurate information. We understand that some of our fans have been upset by this and we are currently reviewing the situation to determine the appropriate course of action. We will consult with the relevant parties and take the necessary steps. He also mentioned that, depending on the content, they may reframe from providing updates on the matter. Ooh, we will greatly appreciate your understanding. He added we ask for your continued support of 2B in 2025. While the announcement left some fans confused, with many wondering what specific issues were being referenced, the generous sentiment was one of support. What is this about? One user asked while others comments there are so many issues I don't even know which one is being referred to well, that's the thing.

Speaker 1 40:58

But that's why I'm saying this is everyone's looking at it as like what they want, something specific, and he's saying in general that people this happened with remember we talked about oh no, and that whole big. We don't even know why they were saying like where the game from you know what? Happened. It's just. This is the, the general. He's starting a new year by saying hey, if you bad mouth, us hear it to be we're, we're going to nail your butt to the wall.

Speaker 2 41:27

We're going to take action. We're taking action on your lies. Yeah, you know.

Speaker 1 41:33

So don't spread misinformation and unless it comes from us, don't worry about it. They don't need to address false information. Yeah, sometimes it's good because people do like clarification. But if he says it's not true, if it didn't come from us, don't believe it. Then just you know.

Speaker 2 41:53

There you go right, because that's the thing with rumors plus, you know he is a very it's another diplomatic person that you know he doesn't want to say specifics because you know some fans are very extra and they're like, well, we're gonna be, you know, doing what we do to. You know, put this person or whatever content to the ground. So you know he probably doesn't want to start any you know fan rallying up with their pitchforks and fires right.

Speaker 1 42:26

Well, also, you know, if they, if they are currently pursuing someone over something, he can't talk about it because that jeopardizes exactly the case that they're trying to create exactly you know he can't be like. Well, joe schmo said that our artists do this exactly. We're gonna refute it. He needs to. You know he's been in the business a long time, oh yeah he knows what he's doing so oh yeah.

Speaker 2 42:56

So you know, watch out. You know, startle, like you know we have mentioned before, startle have made one, you know that one for ono, and then I think they want they made one in general for all their artists as well. They have made new. You know, post an announcement out there. You know we're looking, we're watching, we're seeing what you're doing and if it's not true, we're coming after you.

Speaker 2 43:19

Yep, exactly I'm glad I'm happy about that, huh. So you know, watch what you're doing and you know what. If that person is just going to be like that, fine, do it like that. You know, let them take their legal action against your ass, and you know that's the only way you will learn Exactly, you know. Ha, ha, ha, ha, anyways. So what else is going on? Well, here's some good news. Okay, we got Travis Japan.

Speaker 1 43:48

So what else is going on, you folks? Yeah, here's some good news. Okay, we got Travis Japan putting out some new music. Yeah, so that ought to be cool. They've got a first double A-side single called Say I Do in Tokyo Crazy Night, so that's going to be awesome awesome.

Speaker 2 44:10

Can you believe? We just saw them. Can you know?

Speaker 1 44:13

yeah, right november. Yeah, and they just had the new album and no october, october not october geez, so yeah yeah yeah, they just had a new album and more music coming out.

Speaker 2 44:26

Yes, so that's awesome. The boys are busy, mm. Hmm, so check them out. I know they did. Yeah, the album just came out and they just doing another thing. You know, there was a while they were not releasing much music, so now they're just. I guess they were doing a lot of work and producing some new stuff.

Speaker 1 44:46

Yeah, dancing Plus, they were doing their tour, so you know you gotta fit things in where you can. Oh, and other news from starto we have a very long established group or duo change in their name.

Speaker 2 45:02

yes, that was a surprise. Yes, we we have, For the fans first for the fan club.

Speaker 1 45:08

Yeah, so that was for those who don't know, there was a group duo, kinky Kids. They ironically, or I should say coincidentally, are both Tomoto. There's Tomoto Siyoshi and Tomoto Koichi. They're not related, but anyway, they're changing their name, their unit name, to domoto, so that's kind of cool new year new, new name, new name. Yes, and we had actually been wondering, you know, because they been doing little side projects of their own yeah for a while now. So we were like what's happening with them are? They are they still? They are the current senpai.

Speaker 2 45:51

Yeah, they start to these. They are the senpais. You know they're the top crop, the top.

Speaker 2 45:59

You know it's uh yeah, so maybe because they have their duo plus their side projects why this duo has stayed so long. This is, I'm thinking of their longevity, of how they had just stayed so long together and having that freedom of like oh yeah, let's get together and do some music. It was like all right, now I'm just going to do my own thing. Yeah, I want to go do this and it's like okay, let's do it. Okay, blah, blah, blah.

Speaker 2 46:28

All right, yeah, I want to go do this, like, okay, let's do it okay, blah, blah blah, all right, cool, all right, I'm gonna do my thing, you know, yeah, because uh uh swoshi has his you know, funky band, you know he's doing that, he's doing that musical project, and then we have um koichi with his theater, love his theater.

Speaker 1 46:43

He's and I mean he's been doing it for so long, like I think since they started together, he's had this, this project anyway. So, yeah, no, I mean it's awesome, but they've. They were saying yes, they're going to be a new name and new activities coming up this year, so that's awesome. Listen to me, I keep saying awesome. Ok, I don't know, should we talk about that other one that I just told you? You say it Because I have a reaction.

K-Pop Industry Updates and Announcements

Speaker 1 47:18

You have a reaction to it, go for it, all right. So a while back one of our boys had a little trouble, went on hiatus, as the company is calling it now. Apparently he just sent a message through the fan club website. And this we are talking about Yuichi Nakamaru from Katoon, who had some private matters.

Speaker 1 47:48

Uh, you're so diplomatic about this yeah, well, let's just say uh had been on leave since august due to reported private matter and he has now shared his resolve to return to his career with sincerity and professionalism. He offered a heartfelt apology saying I deeply regret the trouble I've caused and will approach my work with a refreshed mindset. So again, they officially are calling it a hiatus. I would have called it a suspension. Seemed more like Hiatus. Is what you choose to do, suspensions what they they love that word.

Speaker 2 48:32

I have seen that in japan they love. Hiatus is not as harsh as suspension. Yes, you know.

Speaker 1 48:40

Yeah, exactly, you're on, leave you are on leave, you're just taking a break over. Yeah, relaxing break, but we had just. We had just been talking the other day we were like what's gonna happen to cartoon, exactly with nakamaru not being involved, and like a day later this news came out, exactly that he's going to resume activities. Now it does that mean the whole group is resuming activities or is he just coming back because he was doing dramas and he was had little you know tv news bits and stuff.

Speaker 2 49:16

So yeah, we've seen coming. Ash has his like youtube channel with like cooking and bringing people in, of course, his acting career you know doing that, uh, where he was doing a tour last year and he does a lot of stage stuff exactly you know he's doing. He's doing that uh so.

Speaker 1 49:37

So I don't know if this means he's coming back to the group or if he's just coming back as a a talent under the label, but um no, it's.

Speaker 2 49:47

It was released under cartoon's official fan club. So yeah he's back in cartoon. Well, they wouldn't say. They would have said under. You know he released under starto no, that's true fan club. Yeah, that's true. So I'm assuming just because it was under Catoons official fan club, that, uh, that he is just come back.

Speaker 1 50:10

So I wonder if, I wonder if this will affect uh Yonino. I think he's gonna be back on that.

Speaker 2 50:17

I guess we'll wait when maybe a Yonino will happen. I know the boys were talking about it in one of their episodes while they were driving to a destination and they were talking candidly about yes, they were.

Speaker 1 50:33

Well, everybody else was being diplomatic. Nino was being nino about it, right?

Speaker 2 50:39

yam yam was like uh, you know we that he needs to be with his family, that he needs to resolve things, and you know yam yam very diplomatic yeah, you know nino's like well, it uh trouble ahead, but nino camped himself, you know? No, I know he restrained himself, but I'm sure he wanted to. I'm sure, nino, you know he has no tongue no hair in his tongue. Yeah, he wants to say like it is, but he became diplomatic in his own way but yeah, so that was just funny.

Speaker 1 51:17

So actually two people, we, because we'd been talking about nakamaru and we had been talking about g dragon and then magically they both showed up in the news this week, right?

Speaker 2 51:27

see the psychic connection. Okay, he's gonna be strong this year and. But we have a very happy announcement also coming from starto west akito kiriyama announces marriage to former volleyball star Michael Cano.

Speaker 1 51:49

Woohoo, congratulations, bro, well actually didn't they just announce sometime last year that they were dating?

Speaker 2 51:57

They were dating.

Speaker 1 51:58

yeah, I'm like wait a minute.

Speaker 2 52:02

They were like oh Akito's dating, but I didn't remember very well who it was. It's just yeah. Yeah, I heard I saw the dating. I'm like, oh, let's see.

Speaker 1 52:13

Well, you want to know what. I bet they've been engaged for ages and somebody they were like, oh crap, he's getting married. We better announce that he's dating first before jumping right, yes, yes yes, yes, because I'm like wait a minute. I remember I thought wasn't he only just dating?

Speaker 2 52:37

and now it's like yep, we're married so uh akito kiriyama, from west, has announced his marriage to former Japan National Volleyball player, michael Kano, through an Instagram post on January 3rd. So he's like, I'm just not going to go to start, I'm putting it here on the Instagram hey guys, I'm married. Very Osaka like.

Speaker 1 53:13

You know, we love our people from Osaka. They're just like blunt. This is how it is. But guess what? I'm married.

Speaker 2 53:16

I'm married man be happy for me, and you know I'm happy for him. That's awesome. Oh yeah, no, definitely, oh, so I'm reading this from uh tokyo hive. Uh, where is this? Uh, actually, this is her post. Uh, in her post title, the to everyone who always support me, kano express gratitude and share the news of their marriage. She wrote although we are still learning, we will continue to support and encourage each other as we strive to grow further. We humbly ask for your continued guidance and support. Okay, uh kiriyama also released a statement.

Speaker 2 53:58

I was gonna say yeah through his agency, starto entertainment, where he conveyed his uh desire to build a supportive and uplifting relationship with connell. He added I deeply appreciate this change in my life and will continue. I dedicate myself to my work with even more sincerity to all our supporters. We look forward to your continued encouragement. Aw of course, yeah, congratulations guys.

Speaker 1 54:30

Yeah, I was going to say so. Actually, all of this news that we've just been talking about with J-Pop stuff has been through Tokyo Hive. They're reliable. So far, so good.

Speaker 2 54:42

Knock on wood yeah yeah, because we found out one that we were following and then, uh, we have found out that?

Speaker 1 54:56

no, yeah, we have found that they're not so reliable and not so, uh, consistent with your information.

Speaker 2 55:04

So, yeah, no, no and um yeah, uh. This is my opinion because we have noticed that that other, you know resource news type from japan have been taking. This is my opinion because I've been reading, taking snips of other articles, making it their own, just in their own words yeah, yeah, yeah which I'm like oh, that's shady, that's just you know. I'm like why are you even doing that? You're doing that for clout money or what.

Speaker 1 55:36

That ain't right oh, that was awesome the way you just threw that out there. So hopefully, all these new announcements from J-pop world, and especially from Starto, because several of those that we talked about were in fact from that company, although just a quick throw out there too as far as 2B and Takizawa's company, throw out there too as far as to be in tack, is ours company, um number. I is coming out with, I believe, a new album and new music. So obviously new music, but I mean a new single is going to drop soon, I think the end of the end of the month, end of january, okay.

Speaker 2 56:22

So something to look forward which is due after their anniversary is right. It's in january, right?

Speaker 1 56:28

oh yeah yeah, yeah, so maybe for their anniversary. Okay, all right, that's great something to look forward to.

Speaker 2 56:34

Oh, oh oh, this is okay.

Speaker 1 56:37

I just saw something from fuji kase oh, the live stream thing, yeah, yeah he was in new york.

Speaker 2 56:45

I saw that. Or he's still in new york, oh remember. Okay, before we went on our um to record this, I said to sarah hey, our episode for fuji kase that we have previously recorded have been gaining some like listens, so I'm like I wonder if he listened kase I hope you listen, that would be amazing yeah, no, it's funny you said that because I was like I did just go by that he was, yeah, doing a live stream from new york.

Speaker 1 57:17

Yeah, for the, the nhk for yeah, um goaku, so utagasan, and that's very interesting. So that's a few days old because obviously that's the new year celebration, but I guess, yeah, he. So they did a live stream performance of him for wow that's cool, oh, okay.

Speaker 2 57:38

So listen, okay. So I'm reading this from tokyo high. Uh, the five minute 30 second sequence was filmed in one continuous take with director kento yamada, kento yamada we love those names.

Speaker 2 57:54

Yes, we do uh, sharing behind the scenes details about the challenges of capturing the perfect timing for the uh morning light. Oh, wow, okay, so this all. So this is what casitarians was like, did you see? You got it, and then they sent me a link, so I got to go watch this. Then it's still out there, I guess archived, and it's viewable, so please check it out. I'm going to go check it out after this. Go look at it. Oh, that's awesome.

Speaker 1 58:20

Yeah, no, it's funny.

Speaker 2 58:30

When you were saying, scrolling down inside yeah, kaze, come to massachusetts, come visit me, northampton, please, dm me, have your people, call my people or eat, dm me or email me, please, please, please, please, please. I would love to talk to you. Oh, my god, I've been trying to get a hold of him for somebody. All right, maybe, maybe, if I do this because they're listening to the episodes.

Speaker 1 58:48

I know, I know, go for it.

Speaker 2 58:51

Manifesting, manifesting, yes yes, yes, uh, uh, go for it, go for it, go for it. Okay, all right, enough, all right. So we're done, we're done, we're done. I think we're done. Yeah, okay, cool, because miss sarah's gonna be like I have a lot to edit.

Speaker 1 59:06

She gave me this face like hello well, I didn't even realize it until uh, because I was.

Speaker 2 59:13

You know, we were reading various articles we have so much to talk about, girl, because we have not seen each other for quite some time.

Speaker 1 59:19

I know, I know well, we did that whole. You know tirade about b Boston.

Speaker 2 59:26

Thank you everybody for listening to this episode. Please, please, please, please please Rate review and.

Speaker 1 59:37

My God, I forgot that's why I'm like, it's because we took a two week hiatus, hiatus.

Speaker 2 59:50

And share, share, share. Give us five stars Because we love our constellations.

Speaker 1 59:58

And please, if you're so inclined, become a subscriber, so we can maintain the podcast and we're thinking of goodies.

Speaker 2 1:00:04

We're thinking of goodies.

Speaker 1 1:00:06

Yeah, something will happen. We'll surprise everybody from the new year Surprise.

Speaker 2 1:00:10

Yeah, you can't listen to this until you subscribe.

Speaker 1 1:00:16

Surprise All right, we're getting loopy now. Yeah, we are All right.

Speaker 2 1:00:22

So until next time Bye-bye. Bye-bye Johnny, next time. Bye bye, johnny.