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South Korean pop star BoA sets sights on U.S.

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Just so that people don't get confused she spells her name BoA while a couple of Rock Bands have been named BOA (or simlar spellings).

Example: Bôa are a British alternative/indie band formed in London in 1993 by drummer Ed Herten. They are most widely known for the song "Duvet", which was used as the theme song for the Japanese anime series Serial Experiments Lain.

Example:BOA is a Croatian music group, which was especially prominent during the 1980s around the former SFR Yugoslavia.

Yes it can get confusing but I hope this helps out.

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Good luck...

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Well it seems she has her business plan in place. Here's one bean counter destined for a breakthrough.

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Just so that people don't get confused she spells her name BoA while a couple of Rock Bands have been named BOA (or simlar spellings).

In media references they would all be "Boa" anyway, since news organizations are not in the busines of adapting bastardized styles of English.

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the business plan is ok. but can she sing?

anyway, I guess success is guaranteed with the inspired title: "eat you up". I'm in line

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I predict failure like all the other j-poop acts, the only acts that have followings overseas by far are indie artists who do it on simple merit, boa will be a flop, you heard it here

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I also predict failure as well. There is a niche market for Asian acts, but I seriously doubt it can cover the entire market. Plenty of people have tried and none (I can't think of any big names) have succeeded.

And to say the West is ripe for an Asian Invasion is way too premature, even though the Olympics were held just recently. For many people their interest in Asia will just be like the Tamagochi, huge boom for a while, but it wears off eventually.

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While I have been one of BoA's most supportive fans for over 5 years now, I have doubts that she'll ever be able to crack the US market.

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I wish her luck, but if Utada couldn't do it, I doubt Boa will.

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Fail? She'll make some money, but it won't be on par with Britney, and the other Pop stars. I imagine one concert in LA, and one in NY before she comes back to Japan labeled as "an International Star" by the Japanese media. Then she'll make a killing here in Japan. Where is the fail in that? Yen can be converted to dollars, Euros, dinars, pesos... fairly easily at the bank.

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Even Utada Hikaru couldn't break into the American market and her English is perfect, she was born in New York for godsake - albeit, the album was horrible.

I guess if BoA can sing in something that's not Engrish and she has some catchy songs, it's possible she could find success. I mean look at all the crap they turn out in the states that finds popularity! It's all about marketing.

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Probably the only way to even make it even into the niche market is through a theme song in an anime series or movie. I don't see any way for a Japanese singer/musician/band to get sufficient media exposure to a wide market in the United States. The U.S. media goliath likes a monopoly so that it doesn't have to try very hard. The one chink in the armor is that anime is popular enough to be shown on several cable networks.

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others have tried ... and failed. but maybe BoA will offer something different to the US market. all the best to her.

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This article is hilarious. Absolutely hilarious. They are just completely oblivious to the western market.

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Not much of an American market for asian 'pop' stars, as others mention it's solely a niche market. There's nothing about j pop or k pop that appeals at all to mainstream American audiences, either the sound tracks or the vocals.

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Not much of an American market for asian 'pop' stars

There's a market for them. Just not as pop stars.

Judging from Boa's marketing plan, it sounds like she's looking to satisfy that market.

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Your better off just making a new album in Japan. It's not going to work.

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I will start to prepare an "Epic fail" picture...

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yeah i dont really think...anyone that makes it big in Asia has what it takes to turn heads in America. We tend to be attracted to strong, edgy characters, not just cute little girls that look sweet and dress nice ..i don't mean it in any offense to Asian celebrities but you know, I mean I've seen Utada and Hamasaki on Tv here! Its just very..odd

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If she appeared on American Idol, maybe should would have a chance.

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I don't know, I mean I already know of a bunch of people over here who already have heard of her and are fan of her music. She might be able to go mainstream if she can just get some videos on tv.

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I think this is more of a publicity stunt to garner more attention from the local media than a real desire to "make it" in the states. Like itabashiku says, she'll have a few concerts in New York and LA, where there is a big enough Asian as well as otaku population to draw an audience from, the J media will call it a success, and then everyone will come down to reality and focus on the Japanese market as before.

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South Korean singer BoA plans to soon release her first album in the U.S. featuring the single “Eat You Up.”

Who's eating who? She's nursing a broken arm from a "fall down the stairs" at her "office".

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Pump24... You might be wrong. I'm the one who introduced anime, j-pop, sushi, pocky, and all that to my brother and sister years ago. I was crazy about Utada for a while but during that time and still my brother has hardly showed interest towards her [music]. But I've seen some CDs he's gotten and tracks on his desktop - they include k-pop for example BoA. He's the one who found and enjoyed her music, not me. He even brought her up to me, recommending her music.

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I love her, but she's not going to make it here. There aren't that many people here intelligent enough to appreciate her.

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Which company is releasing her album? I mean, even with Def Jam Island behind her, Utada don't have much publicity there. She might have the chance if she have more appearance on TV, but again, is her understanding of English up to that of the US TV, not forgetting the style they talk in? She might shame herself more than bringing any glory.

And to talk about success, why don't we look at how RAIN ended up, still trying to have a piece of the chinese market.

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It's hardly a matter of intelligence narnia, it's just a matter of taste. English is seen as something that is "cool" in Asia and so many "Western" artists can get a big following here.

But it's the reverse in many English-speaking countries. For many people an extra language is something nice, but it's not necessarily seen as something that is so cool or necessary.

Therefore for the immediate future at least, people like BoA will be relegated to a niche market.

P.S. Can you just imagine a bunch of truckers going ga-ga over Morning Musume?

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I think we should just give her a chance. Who knows.

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Lee described the Western market as ripe, since many music lovers were exposed to Asian culture while watching the recent Beijing Olympics.

Doubt it. I learnt nothing about China from the Olympics.

Course, you never know till you try, but I personally wouldn't invest any money in it. Surely if she speaks Chinese that would be better, and is also a larger market. It's a shame Chinese are still poor.

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Wow, who cares about her music-in that photo she's flipping hot.

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K pop rules? She isn't a j-popper. Ad spend and an element of luck will determine whether she "makes it in the US" or not.

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Everyone's mentioning Utada Hikaru but have you listened to her US album? It was absolute garbage, not even close to her Japanese ones. If BoA keeps doing what she's doing and doesn't try to go off on a musical tangent like Utada she could be a decent success.

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You know what they say about a snowball's chance in hell...

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"“Now it is time that a star of Asia can become a star of world,” Lee Soo-man, the head of her record label, said at the press conference."

Let's hope her English is better than this guys.

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She's gorgeous. However I don't think Asian culture fits in well in the west. Having lied in the west for some time I learned that their music, culture and taste is very different to Asians. Who knows she might do it.

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Man BOA is still hot how old is she now. 40?

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Are you serious DBC? I think she is still in her early 20s.

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My bad Betting.

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I hope she's not exiting the Japanese market for the US one. Utada's failure in the US market makes me wonder if boa would eventually follow her steps......

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