[Munwon Lee's Showbiz Watch] The Strong Presence of IZ*ONE Remains Around Still (영어번역)

 

Viewer ratings for the joint girl group audition program between Korea, China and Japan, Girls Planet 999 which is broadcast on Mnet had been counted up to the third episode, which results in 0.71%. From episode 1, the percentage went down from 0.46 %-->0.76 %-->0.71 %. Of course, few people are making a fuss about it. This is because the criteria for success or failure of the of this program are not based on viewers rating, but on the performance of the debuted team’s record. Also, the record does not depend on the program’s viewers rating and has been confirmed constantly throughout the time. 

 

For example, season3 “Produce 48” which had a lower viewer rating than season 1 of “Produce 101” audition, was a huge commercial success than I.O.I. Also, even it was only one album and disbanded, X1 recorded 520K album selling, exceeded the records of WannaOne. Of course, the viewers rate dropped significantly compared to season 2. 

 

In a conclusion, the “real” key in the current idol industry, which has moved entirely to a fandom-oriented strategy, has changed to how it appeals to those who actually consume idols. So even in audition program, viewers rating based on the general public are becoming virtually meaningless. It is competition to see how much attention is drawn only within the idol and how much it secures the capability. The limit of the drop with target consumers in Korea is supplemented by the global K-pop fans. In a sense, it explains the essence of how K-pop extended worldwide and globalization. 

 

In fact, we all know this story so far. But last week, something unusual happened. A media outlet reported on the 17th that former IZ*ONE-member Kim Chaewon signed a contract with BTS’ label company, Source Music. Also, former IZ*ONE-member Miyawaki Sakura’s possibility was brought up to the surface. In other words, about two to three members from IZ*ONE are likely to join the HYBE’s new girl group, more over to be clear, a birth of derivative group of IZ*ONE. That also grant the group with the title of “BTS’ sister group”. Then, online domestic based pop culture communities exploded at once. 

 

Surely it was an explosive update. However, it did not stop from there. The online community which has been focusing ‘Girls Planet’ was filled with ‘HYBE girl group’. In fact, it has become difficult to even share opinions on ‘Girls Planet’ on their community. Over the next few days, ‘HYBE Girl group’wass still being mentioned in various pop culture communities and SNS. 

 

It’s an interesting phenomenon. Although the project group has disbanded after designated period, if the next season starts, the attention sharply decreases. Moreover, IZ*ONE has been active for 2 years and 6 months. From ‘Produce 48’ to present, they’ve been active for 3 years and 2 months. In terms of the so-called “idolism”, the girl group that resonated from the beginning of debut, grows to their peak and descend back to a stable period generally takes 3 years. Then the attention of the fans should be descended for some amount and should have moved their eyes to ‘Girls Planet’. But why is IZ*ONE so strong that they can beat the new season? In order to understand this, it is necessary to reflect on the fundamental aspects of making idol groups. 

 

There is only one reason why K-pop fandom is wary of all kinds of idol audition programs. It is because it’s providing the plans to make up a ‘story’ which is beneficial to form the strong core idol fandom. However, it is not just a story, but a two- way narrative in which potential fandom experiences with idols in real time and pours out/share emotions together. Marketing tools with stronger attractiveness and adhesion have never appeared in idol group like this. 

 

Of course, there are limits. Once the program is over, everyone is in a same position. From then, it is not just a ‘story, but it becomes ‘activity’. And there is not much difference between idol activities produced by most companies. However, IZ*ONE went in a very different way. IZ*ONE’s post-organization activities have produced more dramatic and stimulating interactive stories than during “Produce 48”. 

 

IZ*ONE is considered as one of the most severely “bullied” groups throughout their K-pop career. Attacks continued to take place from the absurd right-wing controversy in the early days of their debut. Despite such unfavorable conditions, the IZ*ONE’s debut album had a record-breaking and early selling of various goods/merchandise, drawing attention by showing unprecedented fandom power, but had to go through a “Produce 101 voting fraud scandal” which made them stop all their activities in the middle and go through a dark phase. However, the album which was released after three months broke the initial record of girl groups in history, opening a new phase of “fandom-based girl group” which has expanded to the size of popular boy group for the first time in girl group history. Even after the disbandment was announced, fans who failed to accept the disbandment began funding to reunite IZ*ONE on the crowd funding platform and reached 3 billion won within a week. It’s a move that I’ve never heard of or seen before.      

 

Throughout IZ*ONE’s activity, I can assume the devotion and persistence which contains such memories of joy, deep scars, and extreme emotions of roller coaster of fandom. That’s why IZ*ONE’s fandom, “The boss of epic story”, does not collapse, and that’s why IZ*ONE cannot disappear completely. And because of this, those fans can’t move on easily to new season of ‘Produce 101’. It is still unknown how the ‘IZ*ONE derivative group’, which was heated up the past week, will proceed. Anyways it was an opportunity to reaffirm that IZ*ONE is a difficult and one and only group to come out again in the current idol industry structure, where it is generated as a fandom-based system. 

 

[이문원의 쇼비즈워치] 여전히 굳건한 아이즈원의 존재감 영어번역 

https://n.news.naver.com/entertain/article/396/0000590134?l