One Journalist Claimed BLACKPINK Is Succeeding Because Of Their Music, While BTS Only Has SNS Power

Fans are understandably upset by this biased and inaccurate claim.
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Koreaboo

An article about BTS and BLACKPINK from news outlet Sports Chosun has become a hot topic among Korean online communities.

The article starts off explaining that charting on the Billboard World Album Chart is no easy feat, as only top artists such as BTS, BLACKPINK, Taeyeon, SHINee and BTOB end up charting high. Then, the journalist goes onto explain that the Billboard 200 and Billboard Hot 100 are seen as more prestigious as it combines data like physical sales, digital streaming, radio play and more.

They point out that BTS’s records with Love Yourself: Tear at #1 on the Billboard 200 and “Fake Love” at #10 on the Hot 100 as well as BLACKPINK’s Square UP at #40 on the Billboard 200 and “DDU DU DDU DU” at #55 on the Hot 100 are huge feats.

However, this is the set up for the controversial part of the article which targets the two teams “strategies”. The journalist believes that BTS uses social media to share their personal lives and thoughts, so their audience can feel closer and more familiar with them. As a result, this motivates their fans them to support them more intensely.

Although, their albums are filled with societal messages that represent their peers and were made while maturing together which causes their fans to express their love and support in a powerful way — their use of social media as their main form of media was a crucial factor.

— Reporter Jeong Jun Hwa

From this point, the article goes on to explain that YG Entertainment has continued to go against the trend.

Rather than communication and promotions, it’s [YG Entertainment’s] style to focus on the content — and through keen choices and focus, they are able to create high-quality content.

— Reporter Jeong Jun Hwa

Claiming that there are many “points to admire” from YG Entertainment, they go on to praise widening the time in between comebacks and lessening the contact between artists and fans.

Although the fans may think it’s a shame, the fact that they can present a more completed and almost-perfect content is good for the artist. One could view that the philosophy of supporting the artist to make good [music] in a better environment rather than focusing on generating revenue — is a preferable strategy.

— Reporter Jeong Jun Hwa

Many believe that the article suggests that BLACKPINK gained success on the Billboard music charts through high quality music that takes time to make, and BTS gained success through constantly communicating with fans on social media in order to push their constant releases onto the charts.

  • “If you can go to the Billboard through social media send me too, I’m always on it too”
  • “Just write about BLACKPINK charting on Billboard, why use BTS…”
  • “If BTS’s records are all because of social media then  if you don’t work hard making music and just do social media, you can go to Billboard and the AMAS too!”

One user who posted the article on a Korean community site noted that the journalist was well-known for writing YG Entertainment media play articles on OSEN, another news outlet that is known for being YG Entertainment-biased.

This isn’t the first time they kicked BTS to media play BLACKPINK, recently they used BTS’s music video views to media play BLACKPINK’s.

— Korean Netizen

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