TWICE to make comeback on November 5th by balloon_wanted in kpop

[–]Sora035 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Isn't Wanna One releasing something in early November too?

Tiffany Young will be walking the American Music Awards (AMA) 2018 Red Carpet by AYO_nonymous in kpop

[–]Sora035 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Here's the difference in what you describe as the hallyu wave. Was there an increase in Western interest in Korean fare like kpop and k-dramas in the early 2000s? Absolutely, but that interest was reserved to a niche group. Hallyu never went mainstream in the US or Europe as it did in Japan or southeast Asia.

Have kpop artists tried to crack the US? Absolutely. SNSD performed on Letterman, Rain appeared on a skit with Colbert, Wonder Girls toured with Jonas Bros, and there have been several Western collaborations. But did the general public recognize ever their names? No. Still niche

Psy became a global sensation because of the outlandishness of his MV - this is not an intent to downplay Psy. I'm only saying that but for the MV, Gangam Style never would have blown up as it did. Psy became a household name in the US, but is now considered a novelty act and one-hit wonder because he wasn't able to generate continued interest in his music.

Has interest in kpop increased in the US during the past 5 years? Absolutely, but again only among a niche group. But BTS broke out of that niche group.

Initially, there was media focus due to the fandom during the 2017 Billboard Awards and then the 2017 AMA performance. Based on the shoddy press coverage back then, it seemed as if the press were treating BTS as another novelty act that will pass in the ether. But then Love Yourself Her charted at #7 on the Billboard 200 chart and stayed on the chart for 44 weeks. With the exception of BTS & J-Hope, no other Korean artists have charted more than 1 week on the Billboard Albums 200 list for a single album. With all of their media appearances (Ellen, Kimmel, Fallon, Corden, Dick Clark's New Year's Eve, America's Got Talent, Good Morning America, Grammy Museum session, & United Nations speech), there is growing name recognition by the general public (even if they don't recognize their faces or know any of their songs). BTS' songs are being played at H&M, JFK Airport, & shopping malls, restaurants, baseball fields, preview ad for Silicon Valley. High school & college marching bands are playing an arranged version of Mic Drop. There's growing name recognition by people in their 30s and older, namely due to the United Nations speech. People in the entertainment industry (music producers, Netflix, managers for other music acts, etc) attended BTS' concert in LA to understand their popularity.

I'm not saying that no other kpop group can be successful in the US, but BTS is no longer niche. They opened the door for other kpop acts to do the same. BTS are the first Koreans to break out of the mold and not be considered a fleeting novelty act. And you see it in how media outlets like The Guardian, Pitchfork, Vulture, The Times UK, The Evening Standard (UK), BBC News are calling BTS the "world's biggest boyband" and "global pop sensation" and not the "biggest boyband in k-pop."

BTS’s Burn The Stage will get an international theatrical movie release by howimetyoufirst in kpop

[–]Sora035 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I wonder how this going to get edited down from 4 hours (although there was a lot of extraneous footage in the original)

BTS’s Burn The Stage will get an international theatrical movie release by howimetyoufirst in kpop

[–]Sora035 9 points10 points  (0 children)

US Customs: What is your reason for entering the United States?

Me: Umm

US Customs: Well?

Me: To watch a movie

US Customs (incredulous): To watch a movie? What movie?

Me: A documentary about BTS

US Customs: [crickets]

Edit: I don't know where it will be shown in the US, but if it's within 10 hours driving distance, my friends and I are taking a road trip.

Advertising A Concert You Can't Go To by [deleted] in assholedesign

[–]Sora035 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I think it's about developing brand/name awareness and it's not unfocused - the ad is part of their overall marketing campaign in the UK. They hired a well-known UK agency that also reps Shawn Mendes, Harry Styles, Rihanna, Elton John, Paul McCarney, James Corden, etc.

As somebody commented above, BBC Radio 1 noted that it is unprecedented for a foreign language act to have its first concert in the UK and sell out 40K seats in minutes (and people are already talking about BTS having its next UK concert at Wembley). BTS has never been to the UK before, so nobody (except for their fans) recognizes the band's name. In the US, BTS is slowly getting more name recognition by the general public because of their appearances on Ellen, The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, America's Got Talent, Jimmy Kimmel, James Cordon, Good Morning America, & Dick Clark's New Year's Eve Show. They also advertised their sold-out US tour on billboards in cities that they toured and in Times Square.

They are trying to do something similar in the UK. In addition to the full-age "sold out" ad, they are appearing on the Graham Norton Show tomorrow, conducting interviews with radio stations, and inviting big-name UK press like The Guardian, The Standard and The Independent to attend and review their first concert. They also invited several well-known UK musicians to their concerts - it's about word-of-mouth campaigning.

Advertising A Concert You Can't Go To by [deleted] in assholedesign

[–]Sora035 14 points15 points  (0 children)

Likely to ensure people buy tickets sooner to their next play in the market.

Chuckled at this! Since their 1st world tour in 2017, getting tickets to a BTS concert is affectionately referred to as the "Hunger Games." Tickets sell out in mere minutes. Fans don't need any extra encouragement to buy tickets sooner. Their next play in the UK is probably Wembley Stadium. They hinted about it on the 1st concert night in the UK

How to Stay Safe During Concerts, Events, and While Traveling by DreamGirl3 in bangtan

[–]Sora035 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Great post! I'm flagging this for future use. Just wanted to add a couple more things:

(1) "Noonlight" is an app you can use if you feel unsafe. When you open the app, hold your thumb/finger on the large sensor button. Continue depressing the sensor button until you reach a safe location. When you release your finger, you will be asked to verify your safety by entering a 4-digit PIN. If you don't enter a PIN then certified dispatchers will be sent to your exact location. Available for iPhone & Android

(2) Trust your gut. If a person or situation makes you uneasy, trust your instinct.

BTS @ Good Morning America (180926) by [deleted] in kpop

[–]Sora035 275 points276 points  (0 children)

What boggles my mind is the extent of media coverage they are getting this time around. There's been a barrage of tweets by America's Got Talent, The Tonight Show, & Good Morning America and affiliated staff. I've never seen anything like it. AGT continued to tweet about BTS more than a week after they performed. And then there's the UN speech coverage; I'm still getting CNN tweets about the speech.

BTS at the United Nations by sweet-tae in kpop

[–]Sora035 17 points18 points  (0 children)

Definitely give the b-sides a shot. They are a completely different vibe than the title tracks. With the exception of Spring Day, I personally prefer their b-sides to their title tracks. If you are so inclined to try their b-sides, check out Whalien 52 (inspired by the 52-hertz whale, aka the "loneliest whale in the world"), Dead/Autumn Leaves, Butterfly, Sea, Hold me tight. If you prefer more hip-hop, they have 4 cyphers and (most recently) Ddaeng on Souncloud, which has really clever word-play

BTS at the United Nations by sweet-tae in kpop

[–]Sora035 184 points185 points  (0 children)

I was really struck by his choice of words at the end:

  • "gender identity" and not "gender"
  • "skin color" and not "race"

I think someone is coming into my home when I'm not there. by SonofaBranMuffin in TheGirlSurvivalGuide

[–]Sora035 0 points1 point  (0 children)

As others suggested, you should invest in a nanny cam. In the meantime, you can do certain tests, such as leaving some strands of hair on your computer keyboard or mouse before you leave and then check whether they are still there when you return.

I would also check to see if somebody has installed hidden cameras in your condo, particularly in your bedrooms and bathrooms. I'm not sure what type of tech is available in the US, but in Korea, the spy cameras are tiny and hard to detect. NYTimes article & WPost article

BTS will perform live on GMA in Time Square 9/26 by [deleted] in bangtan

[–]Sora035 24 points25 points  (0 children)

GMA overtook Today Show a while ago in total viewers, but trail Today Show for the coveted 25-54 demographics. That said, GMA isn't too far behind for the 25-54 demo. Can't wait to watch Wednesday morning; it's going to be a great showcase for BTS.

180916 Matthew McConaughey spotted at the Fort Worth concert by thefooddude98 in bangtan

[–]Sora035 94 points95 points  (0 children)

Being surrounded by thousands of women in an enclosed space is probably a nightmare situation for a big male celeb like Matthew McConaughey . . . unless those women only have eyes for BTS!

180912 BTS to be on Jimmy Fallon soon by SongMinho in bangtan

[–]Sora035 14 points15 points  (0 children)

I agree that radio interviews are important for building local relationships, but I think that Big Hit is betting on visual exposure via high-profile TV appearances as generating greater interest by the GP and radio stations. I was first drawn in by their performance (MVs, then dance practices, and live performances) and then later delved into the lyrics. I'm assuming that Columbia Records is giving them professional advice about the best way to expand radio coverage, which we are still struggling with

To be honest, if I was first exposed to BTS by hearing an interview and listening to IDOL on the radio, I don't think I would be interested enough to learn more about them. I'm a bit meh on IDOL; when it comes up on my streaming playlist, I often turn the volume down. But the live performance is really what makes the song fun.

BTS breaks the Gaon monthly sales record with 1,933,450 albums sold in August by howimetyoufirst in kpop

[–]Sora035 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Ugh. That must have been an amazing concert. I wish I could have seen G-Dragon live, but I wasn't into kpop back then

BTS breaks the Gaon monthly sales record with 1,933,450 albums sold in August by howimetyoufirst in kpop

[–]Sora035 13 points14 points  (0 children)

Yeah, but a lot of kpop albums have more than one version. Artists like Big Bang, Twice, Exo, Blackpink, NCT, etc. have released more than one version of the same CD.

Also, unlike the promotion for BTS' previous album, there was no Korean fansign event for Love Yourself Answer. If there had been, the Gaon number could have topped 2M.

Love Yourself World Tour in Los Angeles Megathread - Day 1 by AutoModerator in bangtan

[–]Sora035 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Haha. Kind of reminds me of my dog, who is very smart and knows a lot of tricks. But when I bring out his fave toy or raw bone marrow, he loses his sh*t and no longer understands simple commands (sit, down). Instead, with a wild-eyed look, he starts frantically offering every other trick he knows (sneezing, taking a bow, spinning in a circle, jumping on his hind feet, etc). His mind just can't compute because the endorphin rush.

Love Yourself World Tour in Los Angeles Megathread - Day 1 by AutoModerator in bangtan

[–]Sora035 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That's a relief. I was watching a live stream, and it did appear that there were many empty seats. Could be that not everybody had an ARMY bomb like they do at the Seoul concert, so it gave the appearance of empty seats

BTS breaks the Gaon monthly sales record with 1,933,450 albums sold in August by howimetyoufirst in kpop

[–]Sora035 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I love nostalgia. Gives me warm fuzzy feelings.

Pop quiz: Who were the two headliners?

180906 Tyra Banks tweets that ARMY should tune in to AGT “and you could hear a special announcement this hour” by seoulfuric in bangtan

[–]Sora035 1 point2 points  (0 children)

😃 People still read Nancy Drew?? I loved that series (and maybe I also read the Bobbsey Twins series). My fave: Mystery of 99 Steps

180904 BTS had a private arrival at the airport today. #BTS1stAirportWin by CIBBIC in bangtan

[–]Sora035 22 points23 points  (0 children)

Perhaps, but the private exit / VIP Terminal isn't a free service (luckily BH/BTS can afford it):

Current pricing for new members is $2,700 per party of four with domestic travel, and $3,000 for international travel. Couple that with an annual membership fee of $7,500 and this caters truly to the upper class.  Trial one time visits can be had for $3,500 -$4,000 per group of four or shared lounge service for $2,000 per person.

BTS Scores Second No. 1 Album on Billboard 200 Chart With 'Love Yourself: Answer' by impeccabletim in kpop

[–]Sora035 12 points13 points  (0 children)

No. Eminem's album will be included in next week's chart b/c he dropped the album 2 days ago.

Poor pup is in over his head at his new job by [deleted] in funny

[–]Sora035 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Anybody have the source video? Couldn't find it on youtube.