NHK denies not inviting Korean acts to 'Kohaku' due to territorial dispute

perhaps Korean stars were "Kyouhaku" to NHK's Kohaku Show.

Maybe they are going to invite One Direction instead?

Deny it all you want but the reason seems obvious!

When the Chinese Beijing government prohibited participation of Japanese runners at the annual Beijing Marathon, the Japanese media was critical. (and rightly so) however when the Japanese media blocks or excludes Korean performers due to political issues, Japanese media stays quiet...

I can live without the horse-dance. Good call, NHK.

I never believe a word that comes from NHK. As for not being political? What a joke! NHK is a government mouthpiece, so anything they say or do is always political. Going back to "Japanese Only" this year just reflects the general return to xenophobia in this country. Take a look at Shonben Alley, beside Shinjuku Station, at the racist signs whivh say that Japanese Only are welcome there, too. Now the disease has returned to NHK as well.

What are they going to do? Boycott Japan products, services, travel, education and cultural exchanges like China? Maybe they can join the movement to pressure Japan to stop "research whaling" at: http://www.petitiononline.com/petitions/japkill/signatures?page=13

what is the big deal? Its is Japan show. Japan decided not to show Korean singers because they don't want to offend the viewers. The NHK rating is getting low and inviting Koreans to the show will further decrease their ratings.

SK has been acting aggrssively against the Japanese in general and they want to be pretend it is not going to affect them? You can't have your cake and eat it too.

But yes, the Japanese music market is the 2nd largest market in the world, next to US.

what is the big deal? Its is Japan show

Precisely. No need to invite Korean acts to participate. Why would they? I can't stand the way some folks will just complain about everything.

No Chinese acts either. What gives? LOL.

It's about time...and besides I think Japanese has grown tired with these K-acts...just saying!

Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

Maybe they are going to invite One Direction instead?

Maybe No Direction, but definitely not One Direction.

No Chinese acts either. What gives? LOL.

what about american acts?

Maybe No Direction, but definitely not One Direction.

Actually, my point was that there are plenty of other countries from which popular singers and groups come from. Why is Korea the only one that is being talked about? It basically seems like most of the rest of music, that people hear do listen to, is ignored.

what about american acts? plenty in Oki Again, dont voice your opinion publicly or get blocked. Great free nation.

NHK has allowed dozens of Korean acts on its Music Japan show throughout 2012, it's not like they're blacklisting Koreans. the Korean Wave has died down and KARA and Girls' Generation were duds this year (their sales have dropped off considerably). Tohoshinki are now irrelevant to anyone who's not a 40-something housewife in a sexless marriage. and the rest of the nobodies K-Pop Inc was trying to shove down the throats of the Japanese public have died off.

lachatamber, would happily slit your fking throat and let you bleed to death...

South Korea: Hey Japan, we hate your guts! But please invite us to your kouhaku show!

I don't understand why people are whining over it. Kpop trend is dying in Japan so it's only natural to not call them.

I think Japan has had enough of K-Talent & for another thing Kohaku is produced by Japan for the Japanese public to enjoy-Korea has it's own Knock-Off "Talent" show !

I'd rather watch K-1 than Kouhaku.

Agree with what most folks here have said. The so-called K-wave has died down in Japan and there's really no obligation to invite those acts to Japan anyway. Besides, K-pop is just a poor imitation of J-pop and Western music, with the K-wave funded by the korean government to export their "culture." Even 40-year-old obasans would get tired of it.

South Korea: Hey Japan, we hate your guts! But please invite us to your kouhaku show!

Don't mix politics with entertainment.

Time to rid the airwaves of that confounded government controlled media. I understand that Japan is not America but a government poluted airwaves chokes out the true voice of the people. (however, America has gone a little bit too far in their recent move to rid PBS and Big Bird). I was really looking forward to seeing PSY on New Year's Eve. Hopefully, PSY gets invited to Times Square and I wish that Dick Clark was still here to enjoy the show.

@Thomas Anderson

Don't mix politics with entertainment.

Korean gov't and its subsidizing scheme on KPOP ,dramas and hallyu is showing the world that politics and entertainment can be used as a weapon to brainwash people.( In this case to get sympathy against neighboring country Japan). See it here http://sjeaa.stanford.edu/journal111/Korea2.pdf page 126 last paragraph. It shows the Korean government has been actively promoting their entertainment more than any country in the planet.

@genjuro

yes! Correct!

There is nothing new on kpop. Same old flashy flashy dance dance flashy again dance again repeated routine. Who will not get tired of the same theme over and over?

@titaniumdioxide Does that affect the quality of entertainment? No.

avigatorNov. 27, 2012 - 07:49PM JST What are they going to do? Boycott Japan products, services, travel, education and cultural exchanges like China? >Maybe they can join the movement to pressure Japan to stop "research whaling" at: >http://www.petitiononline.com/petitions/japkill/signatures?page=13

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/jul/06/south-korea-whaling-research

No horse dance. Im tired of that art...

Korean gov't and its subsidizing scheme on KPOP ,dramas and hallyu is showing the world that politics and entertainment can be used as a weapon to brainwash people.( In this case to get sympathy against neighboring country Japan). See it here http://sjeaa.stanford.edu/journal111/Korea2.pdf page 126 last paragraph. It shows the Korean government has been actively promoting their entertainment more than any country in the planet.

You know maybe the Japanese people should stop taking themselves so seriously... and have a little bit of fun. Then they wouldn't have to be so paranoid of K-pop brainwashing people or whatever.

What you posted is nothing new, all countries across the globe promote their own soft power.

You know maybe the Japanese people should stop taking themselves so seriously... and have a little bit of fun. Then they wouldn't have to be so paranoid of K-pop brainwashing people or whatever.

What makes you think they can't have fun without some bad kpop music?

What makes you think they can't have fun without some bad kpop music?

That was not my point, but ok.

@Thomas Anderson

You know maybe the Japanese people should stop taking themselves so seriously... and have a little bit of fun. Then they wouldn't have to be so paranoid of K-pop brainwashing people or whatever.

I wrote my statement NOT in behalf of the Japanese people. FYI I am not a Japanese. Why are you generalizing that Japanese are paranoid based on a non-Japanese comment? LOL

What you posted is nothing new, all countries across the globe promote their own soft power.

nothing new? Then you should have thought that Korea DOES mix politics and entertainment in the first place. :P

nothing new? Then you should have thought that Korea DOES mix politics and entertainment in the first place. :P

That's like saying if "Cool Japan" promoted manga, then that promoted manga no longer becomes any good.

It shows the Korean government has been actively promoting their entertainment more than any country in the planet.

True. It just shows you that outside the Korean government-subsidized Korean wave of entertainment, Korea is pretty much not known for anything else of REAL cultural substance. Compare that with Japan, where it's been known long culturally and historically for samurai, ninja, sumo, bushido, ikebana, etc. Korea has none of these, so instead chose to aggressively promote pop culture to represent their culture. Kind of a desperate means to fish for the world's attention, if you think about it.

i'm so happy ^___^ kpop go away!

Not that it'll do anything to improve the overall quality of the show. Rubbish is rubbish, whatever nationality is lip-syncing and prancing about.

I apologize to all readers for being an idiot.

I wish they would have invited "PSY" to do his "Gangnam Style" dance routine with all then ladies. That would at least been something worth seeing :P Dunno if I would be watching this years Kohaku......

Korean political leaders and cultural figures, including actors and an Olympic athlete, staged a series of stunts over the following months designed to reinforce Seoul’s control of the islets.

Plus

http://www.japantoday.com/category/politics/view/s-korea-to-triple-budget-for-promoting-sovereignty-over-isles

Make sense. Blaming NHK????

Nonsense. Clearly because of dokdyo. Quite right too.

Of course its because of the dispute. You'd be an idiot to deny that. But it really doesnt matter...anybody with any sense is not slumped under the kotatsu watching this clap anyway.

NHK prove them wrong and invite some Chinese acts!

I'd rather watch K-1 than Kouhaku.

Kouhaku-1. I'd watch that!

Haha nhk need to hire better liars!!!

It'd be even better if the whole show was canned because its baaaaaaaaaaaaaad!

And the Koreans have no Japanese acts on their end of the year shows either. So it works out in the end.

See equality is great!

I'd rather watch K-1 than Kouhaku.

I'll watch a DVD instead of either!

You are wrong.

  NHK has used Japanese taxpayers' money to promote Chinese and Korean.

realist, I never believe a word that comes from NHK. As for not being political? What a joke! NHK is a government mouthpiece, so anything they say or do is always political. Going back to "Japanese Only" this year just reflects the general return to xenophobia in this country. Take a look at Shonben Alley, beside Shinjuku Station, at the racist signs whivh say that Japanese Only are welcome there, too. Now the disease has returned to NHK as well.

You are wrong realist.

NHK has used Japanese taxpayers' money to promote Chinese and Korean.

Sounds pretty dubious to me, as all of the aforementioned groups are still quite popular today. I could see if maybe one of them was dropped due to a decrease in popularity, but ALL of them? They COULD be telling the truth though by stating they did not make their decision based on the territorial spat, but instead based on pressure from certain segments of the public. In any case, it's a shame -- it was a nice addition to Kouhaku to have bands from other nations, and was good for all involved. Oh well.

no gangnam style on Kohaku? boo. They did the numa numa song when it was popular that year!!