In life, there are things that are usually more popular than others. People, events and even trends. In the music industry, this happens quite often with idols and artists being more successful than others and their companies given the spotlight too. In K-Pop, I think it’s the opposite where most fans focus upon the label of where the idols came from. The Big 3 companies (SM, JYP and YG) are an example of this being the most popular music labels in Korea.
After reading this article, I’ve noticed JYPE in the last few years has been in the decline. It used to be my favourite label of idols but 2PM and Wonder Girls are the only groups I like. Even these groups are slowly becoming irrelevant and the fault is in JYP and the company. Home to creating stars such as Rain, Wonder Girls and g.o.d, it looks like JYP may lose its reputation as a Big 3 company to other competitors. Well, at least that’s the way I see it.
The way I see it, their status came to my attention back in 2010. Not just because some of my favourite members of the company had left their groups (Jay Park and Sunmi of course), but there was a turning point that I and other fans saw towards the company, as if there was a decline in influence that started from then.
People forget that JYP is part of the big three not because of money. The big 3 aren’t the big 3 because of what they earn, to think that is completely silly and ignoring their history but the influence and everything they did for K-pop. Money is something JYPE never had much of compared to the others, people seem to not know how small of a company JYP actually is. Not only in a building itself, but the staff too.
In fact, they always earn way less than SM and YG even when the Wonder Girls and Rain were at the top. Plus JYPE is not doing as bad as people would like to think. They are free from debt since miss a debuted and they still sell a lot but physical copies were never their strength. Only 2pm sells considerable well when it comes to that but JYPE was always stronger on online charts.
JYPE physical sales are always so weak, it’s a joke really. They really need to get their shit together, I am getting so angry as a fan, they need a new CEO and marketing team as soon as possible.- Lysblack, omonatheydidnt commenter
The sales and profits are not really something that makes JYP a Big Three company as lysblack has quoted above but the general international public do see it as something important however. SM and YG are promoting as much as they can with different ways of marketing their artists but what has JYP doing? With the way sales are in comparison, it’s showing. I’m not sure about the results of the 2nd half of 2012 but the 1st half shows JYPE’s profits as 1.1 billion in comparison to SM (38.4) or YG (17.8). I’m not sure how it works with Cube, Big Hit and AQ but does a small amount of profit go to JYP at all? Hopefully someone can elborate on this since I’m not very knowledge in this area.
Now let’s talk about the groups.
Another thing I noticed is that there are so many newbies in JYP yet these days no-one really cares about new idols anymore (unless they really stand out). JJ Project was a good addition because there hasn’t been a debut of boys in JYP since 2AM and 2PM in 2008. There were rumours of them debuting into a 5 member group in late 2012, the same rumour that I have heard for the past 4 years… It just seems like JJ Project may stay a duo forever and never comeback.
In Korean mainstream music its mostly K-Pop or ballad, but let’s be honest K-Pop groups are more popular. So why bring out a ballad duo and a soloist? Baek Ayeon and 15+ are talented yes and the world definitely wants more talent than popularity. But in Hallyuwood where popularity and money is more important, will they be remembered as much as JOO is?
He’s not new but San. E needs to make a comeback. What happened to him making a comeback? It’s been almost 2 years since he last released anything new – and he produces his own material.
What will JYPE do with these new people?
Suzy and Nichkhun seem to be the biggest moneymakers for JYP but promotion and marketing seems like a problem in the company for some of their groups. Let’s talk about miss A whose company AQ has shown this problem. They were doing well at the start with Bad Girl Good Girl – Breathe era. Then in 2011, the focus became more about Suzy and less on the other members. It just felt like such the other three were wasted talent. I hope AQ will think more about promoting all the members of miss A and not just Suzy. They need their own show similar to Welcome to Wonderland or WG S1-3 if you ask me.
Since 2010, I feel like 2PM have been pushed more to be the company’s biggest moneymaker group with their concerts and advancement to Japan but their music quality has dropped a little. Lately, 2PM have been quite successful in Japan under other Korean idols such as SNSD and KARA. Japan may have more currency and 2PM do bring in the most money as a group but they need to make a comeback, the I-fandom is crying out for a comeback. Because of Nichkhun’s controversy and other projects, they were inactive in 2012. Hands Up turned out to be one of the best singles of 2011 for me, it attracted a lot of people’s attention but they needed more songs in the of their first album. I hope they will make more Pop/R&B songs in their upcoming third album like they did in their 2009 material. In terms of promotion and marketing, I think they are okay but I wish we would have some word about 2PM Show Season 2 since getting Wild Bunny Ep. 8 is non-existent to everyone now. I still believe it was nice that Wooyoung had a solo album with good music but I would have liked to have had a solo albu from Minjun or Junho but it’s still Popularity > Talent fro what I a seeing.
With their counterparts, 2AM in my opinion are underrated but it’s probably better that way. They had a successful song period and no-one really pays much attention to them unless they are on variety and it’s Jokwon . I don’t think there is much else for me to say about them. Jokwon’s solo flopped badly and could have had better tracks to promote.
And the Wonder Girls? Everytime someone talks about stopping the Wonder Girls’ promoting in America, I feel neutral to a person’s response to this because there was a lot of pros and cons towards their advancement and well, Wonder Girls turned out beneficial through their music but their title in Korea – to an international fan – seems to have dropped. Apart from a few mild successes, there was no real success that you could compare with Psy for example. After my previous post I wonder, what really will become of them? Solo promotions (I’m waiting for a YeBin album) I know but still…would disbandment be next after solo promotions? I worry…
One thing I would like to see be considered more in 2013 is JYPE considering letting their artists make their own songs as title tracks more. I would love to hear a title track by Junho, Minjun, San.E or even Yeeun. Title tracks gain more interest than album songs to a new audience. Once then a person moves their attention to the album tracks (but then again it does depend on the person).
Along with what Lysblack said in the quote above, the company does seem to be getting their artists to have more schedules. Yoobin and Changsung have dramas going on, Taecyeon and Jinwoon are going on WGM while Yeeun, Minjun and Changmin are in a musical. Hopefully there will be more for the rest of the JYP Nation.
What will 2013 (and possibly the future) be like for JYP and it’s nation then?
This is just my opinion so please feel free to add yours. Credit to Lysblack who allowed me to use their quotes. On a side note, is there anyone who would like to do a collaborative post? Please read http://www.asianfanfics.com/blog/view/440415 if you are interested!
One of JYPE’s main problems is that JYP talents as a songwriter is waning, but he still insists on making the songs he writes for his groups the lead single. Miss A’s ‘Touch’ and ‘Independent Women’ albums had songs that were far stronger than the ones he wrote.
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Good write up. JYP played a huge role in the Wonder Girls’ fade from popularity. Too much promoting in America (and going about it in the wrong way by trying to force his way into a market that largely didn’t care) and not enough in Korea which allowed other groups to fill the void.
I think that JYP just can’t accept the fact, that he can’t do everything, and that time is getting to him. When it comes to 2PM, personally, I liked Hands Up, but their old stuff was better, in pretty much everything, from the beat to the lyrics. The song is enjoyable, but is the type of song that if I want to hear I can go to a club and find it in English. However because the amount of the westernized music in the K-pop industry the song fits right in.
When it comes to Miss A, all I’m saying is, Miss A is JYPE’s, 4Minute. Cube had the same problem with 4Minute, Hyuna is basically the “group”. Now Cube did “debuted” the sub-unit that is in a way good for the group. JYP has the same problem, he founds that the public prefers one member over the other, and he “milks” that popularity.
JYP needs to step it up, people do forget that he is one of the Big 3 and not because of money like you said, but lately some of the “smaller” companies are doing even better than he is doing.
I also think that JYP is one of the Big 3 Artist Company in Korea , because i have many idols from JYPE . Like 2PM , 2AM and Miss A , although they haven’t same high popularity and successful in the group like Girls’ Generation and SuperJunior (my another idols) that came from SM Ent. But , personally , Suzy Miss A has beat SNSD’s member become a Queen of CF in Korea .. She has starred 15 brands while Yoona and Jessica 13 brands , Tifffany 12 brands , Sooyoung and Seohyun 11 brands ..But grouply SNSD still a Queen of CF with 21 brands .. Thta’s why i think Suzy has earn more income for JYP and make JYPE is one of the Big 3 Company in South Korea ..