Quincy Jones to promote K-pop globally

Wow, K-Pop just got into the big leagues if Quincy Jones is going to promote them. Maybe J-Pop kingpin Akimoto should rethink his strategy if he wants to go global!

“There’s is a sensibility here I have not found in Japan, China or Vietnam,” he said, citing the success of South Korean rapper Psy’s global chart-topper “Gangnam Style”.

Maybe he one of the few that has not watched the video or PsY.

Maybe he one of the few that has not watched the video or PsY.

By "sensibilty" I believe he meant "taste". K-pop is very americanized.

No offense to anyone but none of this Kpop or Jpop is music or pop, its garbage. Just pretty looking people gyrating their hips in a music video, no substance or essence of music involved in 99%.

No offense to anyone but none of this Kpop or Jpop is music or pop, its garbage. Just pretty looking people gyrating their hips in a music video, no substance or essence of music involved in 99%.

Could you tell me how Justin Bieber (or whatever his name is), One Direction or Lady Gaga are better than K-pop or J-pop? I miss artists like Queen and Guns N' Roses. My problem with K-pop is that it is too much americanized. I know that is the way to go global, but I dislike the americanization of everything. My problem with J-pop is that there are too many trashy idol groups, but at least I can still find some good Japanese songs that keep a distinctive sound.

I wonder what his upfront fee was.

badsey: "Maybe he one of the few that has not watched the video or PsY."

Correct... one of 'the few', meaning so, so, so very many have, meaning it has been a HUGE success. In any case Quincy is correct, even if you don't like or agree with Psy or his methods of becoming literally the biggest name in the world (at the time), there is still a sensibility that J-pop lacks and that means a mere few can make it overseas whereas a lot more Korean bands to much better abroad. Hopefully J-pop makes it there someday, too, and part of that would require people promoting it not dressed as freaky maid-cafe idols to spread some 'kawaii Japan' message no one is going to like, or by showing videos of little girls in lingerie or having yogurt suggestively shot all over their faces.

He should stick to be a pathologist.

@smithinjapan:

Hopefully J-pop makes it there someday

I disagree. I'm not defending idol groups, but J-music isn't made only by them. It's sad. It's really sad like every country should have "an American sensibility" in music, according to you, only to go global. Try to image if all the flowers were only white. I think you can get my point.

tokyo_eiyuu. Exactly! It is not music. I think this is probably just about money for Quincy.

Didn't we have this stupid argument before?

Japanese music industry is the second largest on verge of becoming the largest in the world so there is no sence in promoting them globally(i.e. Changing Lyrics to English). Korean music industry is very small. Therefore, their artists have no choice to sell them overseas to expand which includes these K- P artists to sing in Japanese with music composed by Japanese as well.

It appears they need more promotion.

I actually think that South Korea and America may be somewhat similar culturally. Japan is probably more closer to Europe, closer to Scandinavia to be exact.

I simply think music should be a free expression of art. When money is your main target, well you know that you have to take the American way. When you want to express your own style, well you can do music like this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_XKOjj7h-s

nigelboy:

Japanese music industry is the second largest on verge of becoming the largest in the world

Largest in the world????? LOL. I think USA will have something to say about that.

Korean music industry is very small.

Well, considering that the population of South Korea is less than half that of Japan, I should think so. Frankly, your post just generates bitterness, hate and jealousy.

It appears they need more promotion.

Of course, doesn't everyone. But you do know that even many famous Japanese artists, like Matsuda Seiko and Utada Hikaru tried to break into the US market? And what happened?

http://www.billboard.com/biz/articles/news/digital-and-mobile/1556590/ifpi-2013-recording-industry-in-numbers-global-revenue

Pukey. No hate. Korean market is small.

nigelboy

Japanese music industry is the second largest on verge of becoming the largest in the world

nigelboy... that's how much the Japanese music industry make money through CD sales, etc, in JAPAN... not how many people listen to Japanese music worldwide.

so there is no sence in promoting them globally(i.e. Changing Lyrics to English).

Hardly anyone listen to Japanese music worldwide, so it appears that they do.

Korean music industry is very small.

It's not small, it's probably fairly big worldwide. And I can assure you, nigelboy, that worldwide more people listen to K-pop now than J-pop.

nigelboy... that's how much the Japanese music industry make money through CD sales, etc, in JAPAN... not how many people listen to Japanese music worldwide.

Yes. So??

It's not small, it's probably fairly big worldwide. And I can assure you, nigelboy, that worldwide more people listen to K-pop now than J-pop.

Their domestic market is small, hence the need for "globalization" (I.e. English, Japanese lyrics)

@smithinjapan

Ever heard of X Japan? Google it up in case you don't.

This is why we get a lot of bad music today. Popularity matters more than quality and originality.

Their domestic market is small, hence the need for "globalization" (I.e. English, Japanese lyrics)

Okay, but K-pop is now bigger than J-pop worldwide, so what does it matter? That's like saying that Sony or Toyota don't need to market worldwide, LOL. You make absolutely zero sense, probably because your nationalist views are clouding your judgement. You just want to make whatever nonsensical excuse that you can come up with to attack Korea and defend Japan.

Title should read:

Quincy Jones to "cash in on" K-pop globally

@Thomas Anderson: you are comparing music to...cars. Ok, I know that also music is an industry, but music should be also and specially art. When you take the "American way", you can go global. It's easy for everyone. But you lose your own style. I think it's not a positive trend for music worldwide.

but music should be also and specially art.

Like J pop right?

you are comparing music to...cars.

No, I'm making a point to nigelboy because he comes up with some bizarre excuses and arguments. If manga and anime were a hit worldwide, which Japan very much promotes (there's even "Cool Japan" etc), then he would be boasting about how much of the Japanese manga/anime are a "worldwide phenomenon", and not just something local.

But if K-pop does the same... then suddenly, it's because the "Korean market is small", despite the fact that it is obvious, since South Korea is a much smaller country. It just means that the Korean music industry is making more money and finding more audiences worldwide.

Okay, but K-pop is now bigger than J-pop worldwide, so what does it matter? That's like saying that Sony or Toyota don't need to market worldwide, LOL. You make absolutely zero sense, probably because your nationalist views are clouding your judgement. You just want to make whatever nonsensical excuse that you can come up with to attack Korea and defend Japan.

It makes no sense to you because you already assume their is an "nationalist" element into it. What you are essentially saying us that a Western Country songwriter should go globally by singing in ten different languages or Enka for that matter.

Quincy is getting paid to promote it. I guess more work needs to be done to promote them "globally".

Like J pop right?

It's not matter of nationality, but of quality. K-pop in general isn't better than music in China, Vietnam or Japan just because according to Quincy Jones it has an American "sensibility ".

but I dislike the americanization of everything

Me too. Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley, Robert Johnson, Little Richard, Buddy Holly. Pathetic figures to find inspiration from. Give me SMAP any day of the week.

Could you tell me how Justin Bieber (or whatever his name is), One Direction or Lady Gaga are better than K-pop or J-pop?

Yes, I can: They sing in multi-part harmonies and gyrate their hips in time with the beat, which most J-Poppers don't (presumably because they don't have the required musical ability). K-Poppers can, though.

Lady Gaga and others write their own songs and have had artistic and creative control of their own careers. J-Poppers are drones to the likes of Johnny Jimsho.

What you are essentially saying us that a Western Country songwriter should go globally by singing in ten different languages or Enka for that matter.

Okay, how about ABBA? A Swedish group singing in English, and not Swedish! You can come up with hundreds of other examples.

Besides, why are you comparing Korea to Japan? You only compared them because of your nationalism.

I guess more work needs to be done to promote them "globally".

What about "Cool Japan"? It's the same thing.

Hey Quincy-san!

Japan aint going to be happy with your comment even though its true haha!

Sad fact is BOTH J&K-pop is utter garbage, a plague, a pox on the planet, please DO NOT spread any more, its poison, noise pollution at best!

To the person who pointed out Beiber & Gaga........well I see your point BUT there is a LOT more other western music, TONS in fact. With J&K-pop if that were to disappear( oh please!!!!!!) then what is left pretty much NOTHING other than a few odds & sods

All readers, please stay on topic. Posts that do not focus on the story will be removed.

No, I'm making a point to nigelboy because he comes up with some bizarre excuses and arguments. If manga and anime were a hit worldwide, which Japan very much promotes (there's even "Cool Japan" etc), then he would be boasting about how much of the Japanese manga/anime are a "worldwide phenomenon", and not just something local.

Not really. I never cared for Manga and anime.

But if K-pop does the same... then suddenly, it's because the "Korean market is small", despite the fact that it is obvious, since South Korea is a much smaller country. It just means that the Korean music industry is making more money and finding more audiences worldwide.

That's what I said. The comparison to J-pop was started by others beforehand.

Japanese music industry is the second largest on verge of becoming the largest in the world so there is no sense in promoting them globally

Japan sells the most music = #1

Japan surpassed the United States with the world’s largest combined sales of physical and digital music in 2012, the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry said Monday. Japan marked $4.3 billion (¥425 billion) in sales of CDs and music downloads, trading places with the United States, which posted $4.1 billion, for the first time since 1973, the group said.

If manga and anime were a hit worldwide, which Japan very much promotes (there's even "Cool Japan" etc), then he would be boasting about how much of the Japanese manga/anime are a "worldwide phenomenon", and not just something local.

Anime were very popular in the 80s in my country, Italy, and "Cool Japan" didn't exist. They represented something really original and particular to us. My point is that it would be cool if K-pop popularity was because of its own typical style, not because they americanized their music industry a lot to go global.

not because they americanized their music industry a lot to go global.

The music industry in the entire world was "Americanized" years ago, I think it is time you got over it. Do you think that the Beatles and The Stones weren't influenced by American blues and Rock and Roll? I think it is you that have the issue with America, everything you post on this site whether it be about politics or K pop seems to have an anti-american bias. The US has been setting cultural standards across the world for about 60 years now for good and bad and not just in music. We all love to have a dig at America but the truth is that we wouldn't even be having this discussion on JT if it wasn't for America inventing the internet and then being at the forefront of just about every development of it. K pop is not Americanized it is conforming to a mediocre and global cultural standard of consumer pop which may have started in America but pretty much a global phenomena now. It is insipid, mediocre and bland but then so is most pop music in most countries. Your blaming America for every single ill in the world is quite tiresome.

It's POP and Sweden. Are you trying to help me prove my point?

Which is...? That smaller countries need to sell to a more global audience for more market shares?

I'm sure you would not deny... that global is better than local? Would it be better if K-pop was local or global? What about J-pop?

@ Thomas Anderson

I actually think that South Korea and America may be somewhat similar culturally. Japan is probably more closer to Europe, closer to Scandinavia to be exact.

Have you actually ever been to South Korea?? Aside from the commercialism, culturally they have almost nothing in common with the US!

Its always about international marketability and $$$. Not necessarily about muscial ability or lack thereof.

Which is...? That smaller countries need to sell to a more global audience for more market shares? I'm sure you would not deny... that global is better than local? Would it be better if K-pop was local or global? What about J-pop?

Now you're getting closer. Global is better when your own market is small. Going Global in a large domestic market may haunt you for you might lose the domestic audience. Believe it or not, there are pop industries in non English speaking countries which the market is large enough where they don't bother going "global". This isn't limited to Japan.

nigelboy: "Japanese music industry is the second largest on verge of becoming the largest in the world so there is no sence in promoting them globally(i.e. Changing Lyrics to English)."

The usual jealousy. I knew we would see posters come out this site out of knee-jerk reaction to the Korean industry on the whole being more successful internationally while the 'sour grapes' argument of mere money spent domestically makes the J-pop market 'more impressive'. And that's what it is for many posters who get upset when South Korea does better, especially in Japan than their own music, it's simply sour grapes. Quincy knows real potential when he sees it, and is proven to have produced successful hits. He will help K-pop further grow, while people are content in Japan to point at little girls in panties and suggest they are a sign of success and 'sensibility'.

All the K-pop and J-pop stars given all the time in the world would never produce a song like "Like a Rolling Stone".

Recently I asked a few friends who are the Japanese equivalent of the Beatles, Dylan, etc. Simple answer, there isn't. Enka to J-pop has always been about the money, never pushing the envelope. American, Japanese, Korean pop music these days is all the same BGM.

Global is better when your own market is small. Going Global in a large domestic market may haunt you for you might lose the domestic audience.

Again, that makes no sense, because in every single way, global > local. There is no country in the world where its domestic market is larger than the global market, not even China or India.

Believe it or not, there are pop industries in non English speaking countries which the market is large enough where they don't bother going "global".

But we can for SURE say that having a global hit is better than just having a local hit. I'm sure you would not deny this, nigelboy?

Do you people even know who Quincy Jones is? He's won 27 Grammys and produced for Michael Jackson, Frank Sinatra, Aretha Franklin, and many others. Michael Jackson's Thriller album, which he produced, sold over 110 million copies worldwide. Quite frankly, nobody affiliated with J-Pop or K-Pop is even worthy of licking this man's boots. Oh, and he's also worth over $300 million, so I doubt he'd risk ruining a legendary reputation built over 6 decades just for some K-Pop payola.

Thomas Anderson you are missing the most important point. Jpop has a market, their very own, large enough to support them successfully without going global. Why is there very little desire to sell outside of their market? Because financially it makes sense to stay local, keep the costs down and keep the profit higher. Korea on the other hand, despite their so called global recognition in the music business, cannot survive domestically because their own market is so small anybody who wants to stay in business will not stay in business if they stay local. Going global for Kpop is the only way to survive. Why do you think Korean singers, and there's dime a dozen, go straight to Japan to establish or strengthen their music careers in Japan? Because they need that market to survive. So there should be no competition between jpop and loop in going global since jpop is not going global actively in the first place. Get it?

I'll let Quincy Jones explain why he thinks Korean pop can sell. It's not just about marketability and $$$, pay attention to bolded words.

At the end of the day, I don't think I would say more words of praise than Korean music being wonderful. What I want to emphasize is that I'm not one with a lot of compliments. I don't always say that American music is amazing. I watched a wide range of concerts from traditional to band music, and I was genuinely impressed. The production, choreography and presentation of Korean performances were amazing, but what is most important is that I really felt the soul in the music. The future of Korean music is bright

Alex80, Guns and Roses, and Queen were rock bands. They are an entirely different genre. We are talking about pop here. The definition of pop: manufactured music with emphasis on visuals, appearance, artificial tunes, with stronger emphasis on vocals and dancing as opposed to instrumentals. Rock on the other hand have stronger emphasis on musical instruments like guitars, drums, and emphasize vast exploration of styles and song writing, where vocal ability matters less than the song composition. You are talking about two animals. Justin Bierber, Lady Gaga, Keisha, One Direction are not much different than what Kpop is, in terms of musical direction.

Now define "Americanization". You mean like this old group that started even before the Back Street Boys. This is one of their hits in 1994.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LaSLVwRjESM

They definitely sound like American Motown. Why? Because the group members are Korean Americans raised in America. When Quincy Jones says he can definitely relate to Kpop is due to the fact that so many freaking Korean Americans have gotten involved in developing Kpop, either as big executives at entertainment companies, to song/dance writers, to singers and dancers. It ain't an exaggeration that America got planted right onto South Korea, literally. So many Korean Americans who couldn't make it in American music industry, had their shots in South Korea and found they were welcome with open arms. But Americanization didn't happen over night. It's been going on long before Kpop started turning out hits outside of Korea.

Let's just face the truth, America is the best because they are the most powerful and the most influential cultural and economic force that the world has ever known. If you make it in America, you can make it anywhere. South Koreans recognizes that, and want to take advantage of the knowledge that Korean Americans can offer. This doesn't just pertains to the entertainment industry, but also to the corporate business world. Korean Americans who were educated in United States are bringing back a crap load of know how, and South Korea is developing its soft power by leaps and bounds. This is one advantage that South Korea has, despite being a divided country in half, at constant threats from belligerent North Korea, confined to a geographic area the size of Indiana, competing with one hand tied to the back.

As for the Korean pop culture being promoted outside Korea, it never started out like that in the beginning. Starting around 1998, other Asians started liking the Korean music and it was they who promoted kpop - something that officials at Cool Japan really should notice. Only after Koreans started noticing that others were interested in Kpop, did they become conscious that there's a whole new market out there to exploit. My point is no amount of marketing and $$$ or government intervention can make anything successful unless you have something the target market wants and desires, and thinks it's cool.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to defend Kpop and I'm just trying to explain the misunderstandings. I hate Kpop as it stands today, with too much emphasis on teen idols, and wish that it was different. It wasn't always like this. it was much better in the 1990's when they had better diversity even with less resources and less medium. The only thing that's improved has been the visuals as well as the vocal/dancing ability has gotten much better. But sadly creativity has gone backwards. I hope Mr. Quincy becomes successful and maybe that will be the boost that's needed to redirect the music scene in Korea to a different more positive direction. And I'm beginning to see a few sparks already with indie bands getting more and more support and better lime lights. Most Koreans really don't care for Kpop, other than the some youths, which makes the pop music market small. Kara made it big in Japan, but in Korea, they're just a dime a dozen pop group, not that popular.

Now as to all the sour grape comments. Come on... I'll take Quincy Jones' words any day of the week when he says he has visited many countries to see what's going on in the music scene, and who has four decades of music industry experience - over few people in here who are only interested in nationalism. Quincy Jones doesn't need a few dimes from alleged "Korean bribes" to make a living, he has enough money to buy anything he ever wanted 100,000 times over. He sees that there's good potential so he wants to see it grow, what's the big deal. But at least we know what some of the usual charges are going to be. As you know, Koreans have a lot of money to bribe the world to like their music, their products, their pop culture, etc. or whatever the beliefs Japanese netizens keep pushing to explain why their soft power is waning, and needs a Cool Japan boost.

One of the problems here is with the definition of 'pop', which Chucky touches on. In both Japan and South Korea it more literally refers to 'popular music' than the more set genre in the Western countries from which it originates. The reason it's a problem is that you have artists with actual talent and ability grouped in with hacks that form 15+ member groups and can't do a thing. You have something more like 'folk', R&B, rock, etc. all grouped into the same genre as Johnny's bands and the K-pop equivalents. The squealing girl/boy bands from these and other nations are absolute garbage and that's not what Quincy seems to be talking about, although K-pop is indeed lords above J-pop when it comes to choreography and actual singing skills, even for the drivel. The nettoyu get all in a huff at even the suggestion, but it's still fact.

princess row

Thomas Anderson you are missing the most important point. Jpop has a market, their very own, large enough to support them successfully without going global. Why is there very little desire to sell outside of their market?

So which is better, local, or global? I'll let you think that over for a moment...

Do you not think that "we don't need the global market, anyway", is just a case of sour grapes?

So the target audience wants plastic surgery and heavily auto-tuned music??? Maybe we're giving the target audience too much credits. It sounds as though they'll follow whatever is popular on youtube & twitter.

Very well written chucky3176....but I still think kpop and jpop are garbage hehe!

Why is there very little desire to sell outside of their market?

That's because they already tried with groups like AKAB48 in Asia, and failed miserably. They know they couldn't make it. So please stop with the excuses. You're telling me no Japanese talent want to be recognized world wide if they had any chance? While it is true that Korea has a small music market compared to Japan, but the spin off effect of Kpop invasion in Asia due to the country's influence and status rising, is at least several times and probably more, the size of entire Japanese music industry in Japan. This is why Japanese government is now getting involved promoting Jpop culture world wide. Why would they even try to do this, if they were just happy with shrinking domestic market?

There are many talented singers Korea, Quincy Jones knows that. For an old guy like him, from an old country with an old music stage, South korea appears like a makeover. So many young and ambitious singers, not junkies, who just want to become stars ( and if they failed, they go back to their village and do not end up on sunset blvd like wrecks). Korea seems to be a paradise land for music producers. But do not bother to look for imaginary cultural similarities between the usa and korea, stop the senseless words. South Korea is no more or less global than Usa.

There are many Japanese bands and singers/composers that are popular overseas.

Like Ken Hirai, BOA, Zard, Moix di Moi, Malice Mizer, Kitaro, Isao Tomita, Every little thing, Dreams come true, Yuichi Sakamoto, Crazy Ken Band, Akiko Wada(Korean) to name just a few.

K-pop is a younger and emerging market and they can benefit from his experience.

I think Quincy Jones is one of the best producers of all time over the decades. The man is a pro and I trust his vision. I think he just found a new market to explore, because a lot of Americans haven't been truly exposed to the KPop trend. Sad to say, yes today's music is overproduced and auto-tuned, but that's no secret and it's been the industry's trend for the last 10 to 15 years. It's cheap and efficient for the record companies, and the young consumers are buying it. If you don't like today's music, you probably sound like your parents back in the day when they thought your music was crap also. Funny how things always come around in circles.

is he deaf??? Pop music is horrible. Korea and Japan have mastered the art of making sucky music. Very LOW mr. Jones

Quincy knows real potential when he sees it,

Quincy knows a cash cow when he sees one.

and is proven to have produced successful hits.

He's gotta be one of the most over-rated producers in history. He was lucky to team up with Jackson and ride his coattails for a few decades. But yeah "We Are the World" was a great song .... in 1985. Tell me anything useful Jones has done in the last thirty years please.

Koreans are just desperate to give themselves a little international credibility. I suspect they will be disappointed with the "results" Jones provides.

Thomas Anderson: it's because the "Korean market is small", despite the fact that it is obvious, since South Korea is a much smaller country.

According to the IFPI 2013 Recording Industry report, the top 10 recorded music markets for 2012 were:

U.S. ($4.48 billion, down ) 2. Japan ($4.42 billion, up 4%) 3. U.K. ($1.33 billion, down 6.1%) 4. Germany ($1.33 billion, down 4.6%) 5. France ($907 million, down 2.9%), 6. Australia ($507 million, up 6.8%), 7. Canada ($453 million, up 5.8%), 8. Brazil ($257 million, up 8.9%), 9. Italy ($217 million, down 1.8%) and 10. Netherlands ($216 million, down 4.7%).

Note that South Korea is not in the top 10 but Australia (pop. 22.3 million), Canada (pop. 34.5 million) and the Netherlands (pop. 16.7 million) are, all with smaller population sizes compared to South Korea (pop. 49.8 million).

In the global rankings, the U.S. retains the top position with sales totaling $4.48 billion, a slight 0.5% fall on the previous year's total of $4.51 billion. ... The world's number two market remains Japan, which experienced 4% growth in 2012, with recorded music sales totaling $4.42 billion, up from $4.25 billion in 2011.

Japan's recorded music market is almost as large as the one in United States despite having a population less than half the size of the United States. Being a "much smaller country" doesn't necessarily mean that you're going to have a "much smaller" recorded music market.

here's a case of Tall Poppy Syndrome Vs. music lovers.

I agree with nigelboy in his assertion that since the Japanese market is so large, there's not as much incentive (as the Koreans) to market it globally. And I am absolutely sure that Quincy Jones is doing this for the cash.. .Psy is (was?) just a novelty act and there is absolutely zero chance of him of having any staying power. I can't see Korean acts having any impact on the American market....It just won't happen.

Again, that makes no sense, because in every single way, global > local. There is no country in the world where its domestic market is larger than the global market, not even China or India.

You're not even trying to understand what I wrote for I never said the domestic market is larger than the global market. The question, to make it simple, is would a perrenial top 10 artists in his/her own large domestic market choose to go global (sing in English) while the market is much larger but the potential to crack even the top 100 is slim while doing this losing out on the comfortable position of being a perrenial top 10 in his/her domestic market?

Korea Creative Content Agency, which a government funded organization created to promote such items as Kpop, stated that over 80% of the sales revenue are from Japan with 13.8% in SE Asia, 4.4% in China, and less than 1% combined for Europe and United States.

http://www.sankeibiz.jp/macro/photos/120512/mcb1205120501003-p1.htm

With the declining market in Japan, it's only natural that some entertainment agency will try to make wave in U.S. like this agency in the article.

Another entertainment agency in JPY Entertainment tried this but failed in just year and a half.

http://www.krnews.jp/sub_read.html?uid=4125&section=sc10

nigelboy just doesn't understand the effects of exporting cultural content other then number of DVD's and items sold legally in traditional record shops.

The vast majority of distribution of Kpop content are sold illegally and copied illegally in SEA Asia and China. Korean artists and entertainment companies themselves get little direct benefits from these, on paper. But they are not short sighted enough to try to stamp out the illegal copyings, knowing full well what exposure in these countries can bring in terms of long term effects.

The vast majority of distribution of Kpop content are sold illegally and copied illegally in SEA Asia and China. Korean artists and entertainment companies themselves get little direct benefits from these, on paper. But they are not short sighted enough to try to stamp out the illegal copyings, knowing full well what exposure in these countries can bring in terms of long term effects.

So? Doesn't do much good when your investment gets very little return like that JPY Entertainment. Perhaps Quincy Jones is the answer to this dilemma. It's not my money so go for it.

The vast majority of distribution of Kpop content are sold illegally and copied illegally in SEA Asia and China. Korean artists and entertainment companies themselves get little direct benefits from these, on paper.

So Jones is going to do what everyone else in the world has failed to do ... get the communists to start abiding by international copyright and patent laws? I doubt it.

@It"S ME

BoA is Korean.

-_-.... KPOP is just to overrated. I listened to KPOP alot while back but something about it told me to stop. Ever since I switched to JPOP because there different and unique and not all the same like KPOP.

KPOP Boy/Girl Group's tend to be way to similar to each other. What I mean is, Girl Groups would have similar style of a Girl Group that already exist and same follows with Boy Groups. It's just to lollipop styleish.

How about promote JPOP? lawl~

Me too. Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley, Robert Johnson, Little Richard, Buddy Holly. Pathetic figures to find inspiration from. Give me SMAP any day of the week.

I didn't say the world should be inspired by Japanese music rather than American music. I only said that I dislike the americanization of everything.

The music industry in the entire world was "Americanized" years ago, I think it is time you got over it.

So, just because this is happening, I should be ok with it? I'm free to dislike this trend.

I think it is you that have the issue with America, everything you post on this site whether it be about politics or K pop seems to have an anti-american bias.

There are some aspects that I really dislike of America, this doesn't mean that I dislike America in general. To me, the world isn't black or white, but grey. For example, to me America isn't "better" than China, overall, even if western propaganda makes to seem China the "bad guy".

We all love to have a dig at America but the truth is that we wouldn't even be having this discussion on JT if it wasn't for America inventing the internet and then being at the forefront of just about every development of it.

If it wasn't for China inventing paper, I wonder if internet would exist...probably not. Your argument is pointless, every earlier discovery made other discoveries possible later, and many different cultures contributed to the progress of mankind.

Let's just face the truth, America is the best because they are the most powerful and the most influential cultural and economic force that the world has ever known.

What do you mean by "the best"? There aren't cultures better than others. I respect all the different cultures around the world. Anyway, America isn't for sure "the most powerful and the most influential cultural and economic force that the world has ever known". For example, what about the Roman Empire? America is already falling behind China. History works like that. I like listening to different types of music. I love also American music, some influence by it isn't wrong, it's pretty natural consideribg huge American soft power, but completely to copy its style only to go global kills music. As Italian, I'm happier when I see people from all the world to express positive comments about traditional Italian music, that expresses the deep soul of Italian culture, than over italodance.

nigelboy

The question, to make it simple, is would a perrenial top 10 artists in his/her own large domestic market choose to go global (sing in English) while the market is much larger but the potential to crack even the top 100 is slim

So you're saying that J-pop (and K-pop) artists could never make it in the global market?

while doing this losing out on the comfortable position of being a perrenial top 10 in his/her domestic market?

Well see this is where you're wrong, because going global does not necessarily mean that you will lose your domestic fans. Both J-pop and K-pop artists didn't lose their fans just because they went global.

Mr Jones must be getting paid to do this, because K-Pop is as creative and sensational as disco was.

Disco Duck anyone, oh wait, that is gungam style, to this day no one I know will ever admit they liked disco or the song Disco Duck.

A sinking ship usually floats at first, but then when it starts to sink all the folks jump ship.

Someone produced "Thriller" wants to promote k-pop? LOL. GS is sensational? LOL. It's all politic, and Mr. Jones has no choices but to accept.

ViennaSausage: "I agree with nigelboy in his assertion that since the Japanese market is so large, there's not as much incentive (as the Koreans) to market it globally."

No, because J-pop is CONSTANTLY trying to make inroads globally but it always fails. So what happens is you get sour-grapes people like nigelboy, who will brag about international heroes (be they striving for REAL baseball in the American big leagues, movie stars, writers, words like 'mottainai', etc.) and you never hear the end of it if they are recognized internationally, but who claim "Japan doesn't need to make it globally" when they lose out because of a lack of skill and/or talent. If there's no incentive, why do Japanese companies or the government send out "kawaii envoys" or what have you to try and spread Japanese culture? (especially when Korean culture is spreading?)

Nigelboy simply cannot accept that Korean Pop in this case, and the movies and television as a whole among other things, are more universally loved across the globe than their Japanese counterparts. So they fall back on the usual, "Well... gosh... (even though we asked for it) we don't need the approval of other nations!" Jones sees talent with K-pop, not J-pop, and that hurts a lot of wingers here.

The amount of money involved in Japan would be a lot less if CDs sold in Japan were cheaper. Pop over to Hong Kong, and you will find the exact same CD by any Japanese artist at a fraction of the price. There's a reason why it says 'Not for sale in Japan' on those CDs in Hong Kong.

I'd say an artist who sells 10 CDs for 1500 yen each is more popular than an artist who sells 7 CDs for 3000 yen each.

Haven't been to a record shop in Japan for years, but I recall two versions of foreign artists' CDs. An imported one at reasonable prices, and another version at close to double the price simply because of an extra booklet with some information in Japanese.

@smith,

to be frank, bar Boa - she mostly sings in Japanese anyway - give us any Korean talents who are better than Beni, Namie Amuro, Hikki, Ai, to name a few

@blackrock

Doesn't change the fact that she is Korean....

Doesn't change the fact that she is Korean....

So what? And I should correct my own words: give us any Korean talents who are as good as than Beni, Namie Amuro, Hikki, Ai, to name a few

@blackrock

Korean Talent = BoA? There you go. No?

I don't know how you can determine who is good as someone else in music..

It all comes down to personal preferences, and if you insist, I would recommend any Korean Ballad singers(Not Kpop singers). For example, Kim Bum Soo.

blackrock: "to be frank, bar Boa - she mostly sings in Japanese anyway - give us any Korean talents who are better than Beni, Namie Amuro, Hikki, Ai, to name a few"

I could give you heaps of names of people at least as good, if not better, but the thing is you won't know them, and they are not popular in Japan because they don't fall into the LAME category of what constitutes 'pop' music, which is what I touched on earlier. Pop as a genre in both nations is ridiculously wide and vague, or do you put people like Yamasaki Masayoshi and Namie Amuro on par with Morning Musume or SMAP? Even IF we were to compare garbage pop like SK Girls' Generation with AKB you can see the HUGE difference in 'talent', or with boy bands for that matter, where the SK side have genuine singing and choreography but the J-groups often use voice enhancers/electronics, can't dance well, etc. The only thing Japan's got going for it -- in Japan, since it would be a crime in many places -- is putting little girls in panties and having yogurt squirted on their faces in a suggestive manner.

How many J-pop bands/artists are popular in SK vs. the other way around? And it has nothing to do with the island issue on one side and not the other, if at all.

Ouch that was not a nice thing to say at all Quincy Jones. You just dissed the 2nd largest music market in the world... Japan has a lot of nice "Americanized" pop music too but they don't appeal to the Japanese because Japan likes their things their way not the "American" way.

Japanese music is getting a lot of hate these days it's really sad. I admire the Japanese music industry because they focus on local acts and on their own country, rather than trying to be something "else" (like K-pop, let's be honest, its basically American pop in Korean language, some of their producers are even American).

The Japanese music being self-reliant and focused locally should be admired not ridiculed. K-pop is getting praised for its efforts to spread globally because their own country has rampant piracy and music companies are not able to earn as much money in Korea alone.

Nigelboy simply cannot accept that Korean Pop in this case, and the movies and television as a whole among other things, are more universally loved across the globe than their Japanese counterparts.

Oh please ... lmao. Any one of Miyazaki's movies grossed more than the entire output of korea so far this year.

Me too. Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley, Robert Johnson, Little Richard, Buddy Holly. Pathetic figures to find inspiration from. Give me SMAP any day of the week.

I didn't say the world should be inspired by Japanese music rather than American music. I only said that I dislike the americanization of everything.

I think it is you that have the issue with America, everything you post on this site whether it be about politics or K pop seems to have an anti-american bias.

There are some aspects that I really dislike of America, this doesn't mean that I dislike America in general.

Let's just face the truth, America is the best because they are the most powerful and the most influential cultural and economic force that the world has ever known.

What do you mean by "the best"? There aren't cultures better than others. I respect all the different cultures around the world. Anyway, America isn't for sure "the most powerful and the most influential cultural and economic force that the world has ever known". For example, what about the Roman Empire? America is already falling behind China. History works like that. I like listening to different types of music. I love also American music, some influence by it isn't wrong, it's pretty natural considering huge American soft power, but completely to copy its style only to go global, like K-pop does, kills music.

@John Master: I don't ask you, but if you want, give us a few names

@smith: I never mentioned a single word about SMAP or Morning Musume or AKB. The names I cited are all great singers, not headless dancing chicken. Just give us a few Korean names, don't throw more garbage here like you just did.

This is an interesting read. I think this is a forum mainly for Korean Americans?

http://onehallyu.com/index.php?/topic/14216-us-producer-quincy-jones-partners-with-s-korea-firm-on-k-pop/

Quincy Jones is certainly legendary, but his glory days are far behind him. I can't see how he can relate his past musical tastes with the current trend in K-pop. I really wonder what his motivation in all of this is about.

LOL at all the petty jealously. If I had to decide who knows better, Quincy Jones, or some jealous Japanese people and their Japanese wannabe supporters, I would choose to trust Jones to know what he's talking about any day of the week. lol...

And Japanese better singers? Oh my god, that's a good one. lol.

Japanese singers sound like tinny, high pitched, little girls and boys. They can't sing a lick period. Now compare them to Koreans. Go to Youtube, pull up any singers of your choice for both countries in Japan and Korea, and compare yourself, which country has far far better voices. And it ain't Japan, what a laugh.

Q's on a cash run. Can't blame him. This is like tommy Lee Jones doing Boss Coffe commercial. Money Talks.

blackrock, here you go. Your Namie Amuro compared.

Japan:

Namie Amuro http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlLqPWRjkVg

vs

Korea:

Ailee http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IThn376fwRE#at=50

Not even a contest. Come on, get serious.

ahah, Chucky3176, you compare a song from 1996 ( namie amuro ) to a song from 2013 ( ailee ).

listen to the kpop in 90's, and have fun http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_FcoBC98Rg

But, i agree, Namie Amuro's voice can never sounds like an RnB singer, it should be better for her to sing real songs than cheap dance music.

LOL at all the petty jealously.

Why can't you simply accept some people dislike K-pop trend, whithout talking about jealousy? I'm Italian. I prefer Japanese music over Korean music because I find it more particular to my western ears. That's all. I'm not jealous of your country. Please, give me some good reasons why I should. I'm not very interested in Korean pop culture, but I respect your country, like I respect any other country in the world. I have a soft spot for Japan, and I don't think there's something wrong with it. I'm happy if Japanese music doesn't get too much americanized, so it can keep that typical vibe that I like.

Chucky, are you seriously using a song from 1996 against one from 2013? How laughable, Namie Amuro alone is a more charismatic, interesting figure than the vast majority of generic, boring K-Pop 'stars'. Please take a less disingenuous and sly approach please next time you compare J-Pop to K-Pop.

Why not use a Namie song from 2013 to compare against Ailee?

K-Pop is just American music with Korean lyrics, no thanks. I'll take the Japanese music scene any day, which for all the AKB and SMAP crap, is still much more diverse than Korea's.

smithinjapan

How many J-pop bands/artists are popular in SK vs. the other way around? And it has nothing to do with the island issue on one side and not the other, if at all.

Are you serious? Compare the size of the Japanese and Korean music markets. The Japanese music market is about to overtake the US in overall size, Korea's is tiny. What financial incentive is there for J-Pop stars to go over to Korea? K-Pop on the other hand NEEDS Japan to even survive in its current state since Japan is basically where nearly all its revenue comes from. And even the biggest Korean success stories in Japan still don't compare to the successes of Japan's homegrown stars, the narrative that K-Pop completely infiltrated and took over Japan was completely overplayed and exaggerated from day one.

The difference between vocal japanese music and korean vocal music : The japanese voice goes directly in your heart. Because this is the music of the heart, it will not giving you rage or anything like that, only speaks to your heart ( like enka, when you are listening you cry ) Korean vocal music is more a stomach music, it must take you in your stomach, like old p'ansori music, this music speaks to your nerve and nervous system. It is quite difficult to compare, to say the truth.

I don't want to lose the possibility to listen to songs like this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m76lKsM_jaU

A perfect mix between East and West. You can call me weeabo or whatever its spelling is, but I like this kind of vibe, so I don't want that Japanese music tries to get global becoming more americanized. It's just my personal taste, I'm not bashing K-pop or American music.

LOL at all the petty jealously. If I had to decide who knows better, Quincy Jones, or some jealous Japanese people and their Japanese wannabe supporters, I would choose to trust Jones to know what he's talking about any day of the week.

So you believe Jones when he says, "When I first came here last time, I felt like I was back home in Chicago"? Talk about deluded. Have you ever been to Chicago chucky? Cause I have, and anyone who believes ROK resembles Chicago in any way is not thinking straight. I don't blame Jones ... the old man hasn't worked in about a decade so he must need the job, but ffs don't expect the rest of us to lap up his sales pitch.

And speaking of "petty jealousy", wanna know what ROK is really known for around the world chucky? Its not music. Its an unhealthy obsession with trying to look white. Pretty sad ...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2378854/Bigger-eye-bags-New-Korean-trend-puffy-eyes-aegyo-sal-make-surgery-filler-fat-grafts.html

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2222481/South-Korean-girls-obsession-double-eyelid-surgery-strive-look-like-pretty-western-celebrities.html

Alex80, anime music is the hidden side of the japanese music, but probably the most popular amongst western listeners. When people debate about japanese music, only a few speak about anime music ( all the OST, all the seiyu....). I don't know why.

Alex80, anime music is the hidden side of the japanese music, but probably the most popular amongst western listeners. When people debate about japanese music, only a few speak about anime music ( all the OST, all the seiyu....). I don't know why.

Anime music can be amazing, plus in some cases the artists don't sing only songs for anime. For example, I knew Mai Kuraki thanks to her songs in Detective Conan, but her music isn't "anime music". Japanese music is very various, and I'm in love with tons of songs. It doesn't need to become more western for commercial reasons, it would be very sad to me.

Give me one Japanese who doesn't sound like a little girl, who actually has a good voice. As for people complaining about me using Amuro's 1996, what's the difference? The Jpop hasn't changed at all since the 1990's. It's stuck in same btime, while the rest of the world moved on. Anyway, this news is about Kpop and Quincy Jones, why is that people here are bringing up Jpop and telling us how much better it is, if this isn't about insecurity complex? People here are actually offended and extremely mad and angry that Jones went to Korea and didn't go to Japan and didn't tout Jpop, how dare he?. ..lol.. I mean how childish is this..lol.... yeah whatever people...lol..

What amazes me about this thread is how much negative reaction that it's getting in Japan. So what's the big deal about Quincy Jones promoting K-Pop globally? Why is that such a big news in Japan that it would generate so many posts and passionate negative reactions? Why would this news be an occasion for belittling and demeaning K-Pop music and Koreans as a people (see for example hidingout's comments above)? Instead of stating the obvious, I will let 800 pound gorilla speak for itself.

Give me one Japanese who doesn't sound like a little girl, who actually has a good voice.

It's pretty easy to find singers like that, but you probably think in Japan there are only idols.

while the rest of the world moved on

What do you mean by "moved on"? Following the American trend? In Italy we mainly keep our traditional style. There's nothing wrong with it.

Anyway, this news is about Kpop and Quincy Jones, why is that people here are bringing up Jpop

Because of this sentence in the first comment on this article:

Maybe J-Pop kingpin Akimoto should rethink his strategy if he wants to go global!

Of course, people who disagree with this point of view expressed their own vision about the matter.

There are japanese voices who are not childish, of course. Like Mika Nakashima, UA, and others like it, you know. And also childish voice like Chara ( she's 50 this year i think ). In korean music, there is also sweet childish music, for example J-rabbit, dalmoon ( yes, it sounds more indie )... Since 2 years, IU has released many singles and one album in japan, with all lyrics in japanese : can it be still tagged as kpop ? K and J Music are not only K-charts and Oricon: there are so many interesting indie releases both from Japan and Korea.

Then how about this? Jpop rocks the world, it's the most awesome music of all, because it's sung in Japanese and Japanese as you know, are the most awesome of the awesome because they are Japanese. Japanese singers are unique and they have their own unique style. This Quincy Jones is a moron for not recognizing this. He should have went to Japan and praise Japanese singers, instead of going to our most hated enemy the Koreans! I am sure this Jones dude got bribed by the Jew... oops I mean the Koreans... this is so maddening! I won't stand for it! I will hold my breath until this Jones dude change his mind! I'm turning blue!

Still utterly ridiculous. I never saw anyone even implying this in the comments on the article here. Lots of insecure boasting about how much better K-Pop was though. Try harder again and make a more accurate parody.

Still utterly ridiculous. I never saw anyone even implying this in the comments on the article here

I think we're reading two different comment sections here.

. Lots of insecure boasting about how much better K-Pop was though.

Disagree, this article has obviously hit a raw nerve here, for some reason, with all the negative reactions that it has generated.

Still utterly ridiculous. I never saw anyone even implying this in the comments on the article here. Lots of insecure boasting about how much better K-Pop was though. Try harder again and make a more accurate parody.

Actually, there is a part that's pretty close. Jones isn't getting bribed. He's actually getting PAID.

What amazes me about this thread is how much negative reaction that it's getting in Japan. So what's the big deal about Quincy Jones promoting K-Pop globally? Why is that such a big news in Japan that it would generate so many posts and passionate negative reactions? Why would this news be an occasion for belittling and demeaning K-Pop music and Koreans as a people (see for example hidingout's comments above)? Instead of stating the obvious, I will let 800 pound gorilla speak for itself.

It's not a news in Japan. This article is from AFP.

Disagree, this article has obviously hit a raw nerve here, for some reason, with all the negative reactions that it has generated.

Yes, the Japan bashers and Korean nationalists have come out pretty strong on this one.

Papi2013 - "...this article has obviously hit a raw nerve here..."

You hit it on the head. Japan has one of the biggest music markets and it's artists collaborates with some of pops biggest names, yet the level of jealousy, envy and insecurity a simple fluff piece about K-pop has generated amazes me...not.

@Chucky: as you wish

Here comes Beni: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZJHEs7dOLA

That song is the English cover of the Japanese original performed by Exile. See for yourself.

Another one, live at LA I think: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OfyUEbLa-k

Namie Amuro - Arigatou: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2ovrKzRezw

Hikki - Prisoner of love: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6QjKT1A2pI

10 years ago Korean music was cool - with Baby V.O.X, DBSK and some others before that Korean wave crap started. Now K-pop is garbage.

Readers, please stop bickering.

blackrock, I'm not trying to be disrespectful here. But let me show you this video, you watch this first.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55mFgo-46io

The show is called the Voice of Korea.

This is an amature Korean participant who failed to make the cut - one of dime a dozen who doesn't have what it takes. She wasn't good enough. Yet if she was in Japan, I'm sure her voice is star material. I got that impression watching and listening to your links.

This is my honest opinion, so don't get offended. I think Japanese singers for whatever reason, just don't have the power in their voices that will make you go "wow she/he can really belt that song out". It could be due to lack of voice training or it could be cultural (Japanese people just prefer demure, meek, cute, girly/boyish voices).. I don't know. All I'm saying is that I'm just not convinced Jpop is the best just because they have a large music market, nor do I see this supposedly unique "Japanese style" in their music when I see that they are using broken English in their songs. How much more non-Japanese can you get than that? At least Kpop people are not ashamed to admit that they're influenced by American music, instead of dishonestly pretending that they aren't. (Really, name me one country who's pop hasn't been influenced by America).

Chucky, posting a video of a reality TV singing contest doesn't mean anything. Most of the major pop stars do not have massive five-ocatve range singing voices, whether it's Japan, Korea or the US. Look at Ayumi, Britney, BoA, all have diminutive voices at best. There are people with big singing voices in every country, including Japan, believe it or not, but it doesn't inevitably follow that you'll become a star. The girl in that video you posted had no star quality, sorry to say.

You're so eager to show that America has influenced every other country, when are you going to admit the massive influence Japan has had on South Korea over the last 60 years, from how Korea built its economy, to its idol culture?

Chucky, it was unfortunate for that girl, but perhaps most of us know that The Voice and similar competitions are garbage, because at the end, only someone, who is backed by an agency, will win. She has great voice, but unluckily she doesn't have the look, charm and dancing skills which K-pop is all about these days. Whether she wasn't good enough, I don't know, to each his own. She's better than most of the currently so-called Korean "singers" in my opinion.

"Broken English" in songs? Korean music has its fair share, no arguing over it.

Vocal: you said you don't know, so no arguing over that too. But there are plenty of Japanese singers with strong voice. Beni for example.

No one here says J-pop is the best. However, it definitely has that "unique style". A majority of Japanese songs don't include "broken English", mind you.

Jpop was influenced by Western music, because it is pop!!! There was basically no pop music in Japan or Korea before US arrival.

Finally my point is, Kpop these days is crap, that's why this article is laughable. If Q had said his words 10 years ago, I would have agreed.

oginome, oh really? BOA is not really considered a top singer material in Korea. I'm sorry, but please... mentioning her name is like a joke. Show me even one Japanese singer who can even match that amature Korean who failed to make the cut in the link I showed you. I'm not boasting nor am I trying to put down Japanese singers here, but prove to me that Japanese pop singers are the quality that you and blackrock claim to be. Having a big pop music industry doesn't necessarily translate to quality. Give me one Japanese professional well known pop singer who can even match these dime a dozen amatures in voice ability.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gV7ARyzjmDk

I'm not saying they're star material or anything, but perhaps Quincy Jones saw some potential in Korea in partnering with local entertainment companies, then working with them to discover new talent and taking on developing a brand new class of Kpop? That's my understanding of this deal with CJ Entertainment. But time will tell.

@blackrock

I agree with for once LOL. Yes, lot of Korean Americans in U.S. also believe that this mainstream K-pop these songs/singers are trash. If you REALLY REALLY want to compare singers from each country, please look at Korean ballad singers, not K-pop stars.

There are a lot of good voices in Kpop, they just get a bad wrap because of the way they're presented. I like Hyorin, she's a Kpop star, part of the group called Sister or Sistar (can't remember).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMzT4CqIpec

I think this is what Quincy Jones meant when he said Korea has the Soul. Fantastic talent (and body..lol..) in my opinion.

@blackrock

Since you wanted to me to name some Korean singers:

1) Kim Joong Kook http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4eVFXT9eIw&list=FLtKVuAVTPx2oTfy-L7cxObg

2) Ulala Session http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Mi7cjAn6kM&list=FLtKVuAVTPx2oTfy-L7cxObg

3) December http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2AuHyEqSXHk&list=FLtKVuAVTPx2oTfy-L7cxObg

@ Chucky

BoA is still the biggest international female pop star Korea has ever produced, no matter how much of a has been she's considered to be nowadays. Who's the next example I can use, a homegrown female superstar who's still popular in Korea, maybe Hyori Lee? Are you going to tell me she's a vocal powerhouse? What about the multitude of girl groups? How many great voices are there in Kara, GG, 2NE1, Sistar, the list goes on. My point was that success in the music industry, all over the world, has little to do with voice anymore. Japan, Korea, the US, are all the same in that respect.

The girl in your clip is really nothing special, nice voice, but no star quality. Are you going to tell me there are absolutely no girls in Japan, with a population of 126 million, who can match up or surpass her vocally?

Quincy Jones is certainly legendary, but his glory days are far behind him. I can't see how he can relate his past musical tastes with the current trend in K-pop. I really wonder what his motivation in all of this is about.

Chaz Jankel: (very innovative)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=asA5mPZDCW8 (Ai No Corrida) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6P25y6Zzk_Q (his sister created Max Headroom) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7bI-bke1aE

Quincy Jones: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZW5i1vbbKM (Ai No Corrida cover)

Quincy Jones is very savy.

What amazes me about this thread is how much negative reaction that it's getting in Japan.

Don't confuse yourself. This "news" is getting no reaction in Japan. Zero. In fact I haven't heard a peep about it other than here at JT.

So what's the big deal about Quincy Jones promoting K-Pop globally?

No big deal at all, I agree. However the first handful of posts on this thread set the tone. Look at smith's post in particular (his usual fare btw) if you want to know why some people took offense. Add on the typical "we are more famous/popular/cool" posts from guys like chucky and John Master, and I think you can expect some folks to respond in kind .

Why would this news be an occasion for belittling and demeaning K-Pop music and Koreans as a people (see for example hidingout's comments above)?

I have not belittled k-pop at all. I don't listen to pop music and I have no reason to believe that k-pop is any better or worse than j-pop. I have taken exception to the portrayal of Mr Jones as a person who still has any relevance in the music business, and I have questioned the sincerity of his comments. Believe me I would do the same if a fossil like that came to Japan and said similar words about j-pop.

“There’s is a sensibility here I have not found in Japan, China or Vietnam,” he said, citing the success of South Korean rapper Psy’s global chart-topper “Gangnam Style”.

This is reidiculous! I How did Gangnam Style made any sense? We'll at least the Japanese and the Italians are more mature then. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYD-pMP9Iq8

Agreed with most posters! KPOP needs more AMERICANIZATION just to get attention worldwide. Whatever Quincy is thinking, KPOP is not gonna last. KPOP has already gotten boring. I'll give you an example. Watch the latest F(X)(a korean group) kpop music video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xnku4o3tRB4 Notice how their style has not gotten any change? They are still doing the flashy background and fancy dancing with catchy weird music. KPOP does this style over and over! It is annoying! Can't they come up with any different style aside from the same gimmick?

And for all of you anti-Japanese bashers who have not listened to JPOP and are stuck with all of these "CUTESY" high pitch idea of the JPOP genre. I'll give you examples. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gU5oN0KVofU Superfly

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvBTfUnxxO0 Jasmine

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfIlutKXeAU Dreams come true

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uiMoguR98Tw Mika Nakashima

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGsNbsHm-LA Chenelle (She's American but singing JPOP) (I can give MORE if you like)

I dare you to listen to these JPOP songs and tell if KPOP is any better than JPOP. Not even close! JPOP has more SENSE to me than KPOP!

titaniumdioxide, Lol. Why are you comparing with teen idol group FX,? Entirely two different sub markets, uncomparable. If that was a proper comparison, you would have compared FX with AKB48. But none of your Japanese singers even come close to Ailee in vocal ability, I'm sorry I'm not convinced Japanese pop is superior.

badsey3

Chaz Jankel? The guy who originally wrote Ai No Corrida with Kenny Young in 1980? He's a 61 year old guy now. And what is giving his name any reference to Quincy Jones and K-pop? I don't know what "savy" means. "Ai no Korida" was taken from the name of a Franco-Japanese movie made in 1976.

@titaniumdioxide

I'm sorry but some of the songs that you've posted are NOT J-POP.

Pop Music - music of general appeal to teenagers; a bland watered-down version of rock'n'roll with more rhythm and harmony and an emphasis on romantic love

But the music sucks. I love the Q, been a fan for years, sadly, he's getting older and I think his hearing is off. I think a lot of young people nowadays are really into pop music in many countries, the US and Europe included. Everyone is jumping on the Manga J-K-pop bandwagon, they think the Cosplay and Goth scenes are CUTE. Nothing wrong with it. Me, I would never buy the garbage, but that's me. As a musician and bass player, I'll stick to the boring old classics that defined the music industry. It's much easier to peddle this stuff and get cute girls and guys to sing this stuff, rather than find true musical talent.

First of all, Quincy Jones connection with Kpop world is nothing do with Japan. Secondly, this won't even impact Jpop/Jporn market. Lastly, what's up with all these useless bickering over who's best or better? C'mon grow up people.

Chaz Jankel? The guy who originally wrote Ai No Corrida with Kenny Young in 1980? He's a 61 year old guy now. And what is giving his name any reference to Quincy Jones and K-pop? I don't know what "savy" means. "Ai no Korida" was taken from the name of a Franco-Japanese movie made in 1976.

savy should be: savvy

As a musician Quincy Jones is so-so. As a copier he is very good = he knows what sounds good and what can sell. How many of his tunes copied "post-disco" Chaz (Chas) Jankel? Ai No Corrida brought in "Post Disco". If you are serious about music you should have the first few Chaz Jankel albums (vinyl), with the best song being Reverie (instrumental: -I think of this being a cold Winter city song check iTunes for demo).

I think people are wrong here and it will be the Korean Male voices that will be more popular. (a very new sound for people to hear that are not Asian).

LOL at all the petty jealously. If I had to decide who knows better, Quincy Jones, or some jealous Japanese people and their Japanese wannabe supporters, I would choose to trust Jones to know what he's talking about any day of the week. lol...

Typical Korean emotional response to an argument. If Koreans are criticized, of course it's due to jealousy. How logical.

Japanese singers sound like tinny, high pitched, little girls and boys. They can't sing a lick period. Now compare them to Koreans. Go to Youtube, pull up any singers of your choice for both countries in Japan and Korea, and compare yourself, which country has far far better voices. And it ain't Japan, what a laugh.

Actually, Korean sounds harsher with all those -ng and sh- sounding words, and it carries over even when they sing. When you hear them speak in dramas the men sound like they're regurgitating phlegm. The women sound like they're whining all the time. Really not pleasant and rather crude-sounding, frankly.

disagreed genjuro. What does that have to with singing power or lack there of? Japanese singing lacks any kind of strength and ability to hold the chord. They really need to work on how to sing, period. Until then, I can never take Japanese singers seriously.

Japanese singing lacks any kind of strength and ability to hold the chord. They really need to work on how to sing, period. Until then, I can never take Japanese singers seriously.

And until you can stop making sweeping generalizations of a racist nature I doubt anyone on this site can ever take you seriously.

Not Gangnam but Quincy style?

Some people here cannot accept the truth about Japan's market and Japan's music industry being adequately sustained by that market that they have to resort to comparisons and create competition. There is no competition people. One is actively seeking global market because of the obvious need to sustain their music industry and entertainment industry as a whole, and the other enjoys a market of their own large enough to sustain them without actively going global. There is no competition. You can call it sour grape or hitting some imaginary nerve, but you gotta face reality at some point. "Which is better, global or local", a silly, elementary question by Korean defender Thomas Anderson. Some people here has been educating you about the hard truth of the world's music industry and why going global is necessary for some and not for the others, but you refuse to acknowledge because it is unacceptable to you. Global does not mean fully capturing the market, or is that what you thought? Are you so obsessed by the greatness of Kpop, as you implied, that you are so very sure they'd capture the world just like that. Silly thought. When the world figure out that all of them looks the same, moves the same, talks the same, repeats the same act, voice, tone, dance over and over again, and did I tell you looks the same?, then the global dream you are so intent about would disappear just like that. The biggest problem with the Korean entertainment industry is that it is so sterilized, from the outside it looks and sounds so beautiful and perfect. But it is that perceived perfection that makes it insincere, fake, unbelievably boring. They're like manufactured clones, and I'm not just talking about the artists and actors, I'm also talking about the story line, the sound, the presentation. Who would want to watch a drama with a character so poor yet wearing expensive clothes and shoes, or going to be bed and waking up with full make up on? Who would listen, continuously, to music that sounds the same, and watch a PV being performed by clone-like singers dancing a choreography that been recycled million times. Zero variety. And oh, what about every single drama's dying of cancer recycled idea? That cycle is exactly the same in the Korean music industry. Aren't anyone sick of it? Now that is not sour grape. It is the truth that even you Mr Anderson must agree.

@papi Who cares about singing power? If that's what you care about get an amplifier. It doesn't change the fact that Korean sounds harsher and unpleasant with its -ng, sh-, repeated consonants combined with ae and eo. kong, bang, jjang, jjeong, tteok, deokk, baek, byul, dae, gae, etc. It sounds like a North Korean leader giving a speech while doing karaoke. No matter how you put it it still is unpleasant and crude-sounding.

Considering Kpop is heavily represented by Korean-Americans, the US Korea connection isn't really surprising. That and the fact that many Korean kids grow up in churches singing and playing instruments similarly to how many African-American performers have.

And here I was excited about Perfumes second world tour in Europe. sigh

Princess Row,

You can't have your cake and eat it too. Your claim that "there's no competition" "sour grapes" or jealousy of J-pop in relation to K-pop is contradicted by the second part of your post where you feel the need to demean both the K-pop as well as K-drama. Perhaps if you argued for the relative strengths as well as weaknesses of both K-pop and J-pop, I might have been convinced (and perhaps even impressed), but the second part of your post was a give-away.

Grandfield There is nothing to give away. What I said is what I meant. Whether Kdrama or Kpop, there is no difference in opinion and thoughts because the execution and presentation are exactly the same. I am merely emphasizing to Thomas Anderson that his definition of going global as I read them equate to full success and capture of the market. That couldn't be in my opinion because of the shallowness of the presentation, the sound, the act, even the faces, and the how the global audience would eventually realize. Their entire entertainment industry, music and drama but save some very good movies produced,is of the same level, of the same tone, of the same direction. I'm talking from experience and the experiences of friends around me who went through the same phase and realization. The potential of Kpop and Kdrama is enormous but the shallowness that seem to drive the thoughts and actions the Korean society, shallows that potential alive, basically.

Princess Row,

I would not be too quick to judge with such a broad stroke the "shallowness" of the Korean society and culture. Such a stance and attitude are usually very revealing. The need to belittle a group of people and culture as whole usually reveals a sense of insecurity concerning one's own place in relation to the other. Why not just celebrate that your neighboring country is doing well by going global? As you point out, they are driven by the need to expand their market because they have a smaller domain. And since Japan does not need to go global because they have a large local market, and they are satisfied being local, why not leave it at that? Why do you feel a need to talk about the "shallowness" of K-pop, K-drama, and Korean society as a whole? If you truly think that Japanese society, culture, J-pop, and K-drama, is so very "deep" (as opposed to the Korean "shallowness") and secure, such "shallow" thinking, attitude, and expressions on you part are truly unbecoming of you.

Interestingly enough he is currently enough on tour in Japan, quite a lineup of artists. Listening to 'ai no corrida'.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7kdGFVcask

Jang Geun Suk --> This is very good for universal appeal and I do see quite a few videos for this song in other languages. He has a 70's type look (Mick Jagger like), but he needs to protect his image better (changes looks way too much), and has the voice.

Is it just me or are the pro-K-pop comments getting thumbed up and pro-J-pop comments getting thumbed down? This is going to get thumbed down too.

titaniumdioxide: "And for all of you anti-Japanese bashers..."

An anti-Japanese basher, just so you know, if there were actually such a word in the language, would refer to someone who bashes those that are anti-Japanese, which I'm guessing is not what you intended. In any case, it does not justify your comparison of Japanese artists with actual talent to Korea's answer to Jonny's in Japan. Now, if you want to use garbage like AKB to compare to the garbage produced in Korea, go ahead.

hikari-e: "Is it just me or are the pro-K-pop comments getting thumbed up and pro-J-pop comments getting thumbed down? This is going to get thumbed down too."

Not just you, nor is what you said true, although it's become the opposite (pro-J getting thumbed up, pro-K down). In both cases if you thumb someone up or down simply for what that person likes and not for their comments, it's silly. A lot of the people who thumb others down on this site are nationalist-nettoyu who thumb people up or down as such. Heck, so far today I've been thumbed down for cheering on the runner Kawauchi and for saying RIP over the death of a six-year-old. Tells you a lot.

http://www.allkpop.com/article/2012/09/south-korean-government-announces-plans-to-build-an-official-15000-seat-k-pop-performance-venue