Hello,
About Jungkook in BTS and Hyunjin in SKZ:
For me, it’s not the same situation. Jungkook seemed like he was carrying a lot for BTS: he had to sing a lot, he was important for dancing too, he was the maknae, (which apparently has its importance in Korea with the “cuteness” capital attached to it), and the most popular. [I won’t comment on looks for either group because I feel that even if some people seem more “universally handsome” than others, it’s subjective and to each their own]. And I agree that he seemed kind and that he seems changed; he seems lost, sometimes he spaces out.
Whereas for SKZ, all these attributes are, I think, distributed among the members.
The first skz performance I saw (a video on tiktok I think) was their lollapalooza performance in Paris, I think it was the song Superbowl. I remember liking it. The first thing that struck me was the energy. I don’t know how to explain, but I felt like there is “a dark cloud”, a sort of dark energy around BTS when I watch their content. It sounds weird but that’s what I felt. I felt a much better lighter energy for the skz performance. I also liked how they looked on stage, and the audience (well this was in Paris not in Korea so there are cultural differences), was really singing out loud, knew the lyrics, and it felt that everyone was just having a good time. So it really seemed to be about the music and the performance – which is what it should be about. I also remember thinking they were so much better. And it just seemed like fun, light entertainment. Before that, I think I only saw Hyunjin in a feed when I was checking some BTS content on social media. I had never seen any of the other members. The one that stood out the most for me was Felix, in terms of stage presence and charisma. I personally also like his dancing style more. But it depends because when I watched Hyunjin’s solo performance, (I think “artist of the month”), I also thought he was very good. But sometimes, with his height, I think that certain movements suit him less; whereas I think the way Felix dances is more balanced, or has more harmony, with just the right energy. Hyunjin has movements with “more impact” so sometimes it’s better for certain movements (I’m not sure I’m explaining myself well here). For certain choreographies, I also think Lee Know stands out more. I remember also noticing Han during this performance, because of his wavy hair and his face expressions.
As I started to watch some of their performances, music videos and understood what was “3-racha”, I thought they all brought something to the table; if we add Seungmin with the voice and the singing skills (he came 2nd in a singing contest; I also like Seungmin’s singing parts in Superbowl), and IN also in the “vocal line” and being the maknae. I don’t think they refer to themselves with these “sub-groups” names anymore. (Except for 3-racha, I’ll get to that for the copyrights). And I think that they all work on improving their singing (most recent I’ve noticed are LeeKnow and Felix, but I’ve been watching less and less content so not sure it means anything compared to the others).
So although I think that yes Jungkook was central to BTS (I have barely watched or read anything about him in a year I think), I don’t think that for skz, people only care about Hyunjin. Also, if the number of Instagram followers is any good indicator, the most popular is Felix, not Hyunjin, but they’re almost as popular. I doesn’t really matter, the point is that I think that the group is put together in a better and more balanced way than bts. But I really think that the 2 most important people to bring people in the fandom are Felix and Hyunjin. I think that Felix gets a lot of attention because of his blond hair, especially abroad apparently, and it’s probably more a marketing strategic move for them to “draw people in”, (which is not necessarily a bad move, let us not forget, it is a business). Blond hair gets him more attention, and suits him but dark hair also suits him (he should probably just be careful to keep some kind of hair on his head with all this bleach). Also the fact that he and Bang Chan are Australian, helps a lot with their communication with international fans, who seem to represent a pretty big part of the fandom. And a double culture generally makes people more tolerant, open-minded, so it probably helped the group as well. Very different vibes between BTS and SKZ. The energy of JYP is also very different compared to the energy of Bang (but who knows what they do…)
The international fans will also connect more with Bang Chan and Felix than with Hyunjin because of the language barrier I think.
I actually think that long blond hair for a man is not necessarily a bad think, and it can be pretty manly like for Vikings, or for the Lord of the Ring character Legolas, and I think that he (Felix) often tries to go for that (Legolas, not a Viking). [There are many cultures where it is ok and manly for men to have long hair. Historically, warriors or men from the aristocracy in many countries in Asia (China, Korea…) would have really long hair. Let us not forget that despite the influence of the US in their country, they also have their cultural and traditional heritage. Same for skirts (the Scotts with the kilt still nowadays, the Roman Empire and actually a lot of civilizations – it’s more manly (and modest) than many hipster or skinny pants some men wear nowadays)]. But I agree that they also sometimes style him like a fairy or someone who could be a girl of a guy, and I don’t like that (gender confusion etc..). But most of the time, without makeup, even with long blond hair, his demeanor gives me “laid back Australian guy” of Korean descent vibes (not sure if that makes sense – Australians are known to be pretty laid back – I’ve had a couple of Australian classmates/friends like that – and yes this is also a generalization but they tend to be more accepted and more acceptable when they are about positive traits - nevermind).
I also really don’t like all these body rolls they are making IN do, or how they are dressing him recently. They are sexualizing him more and more, and it’s all the more creepy with him being the “maknae”, the youngest one.
About the copyright subject:
I read what you wrote and that you assumed even for 3-racha they probably have a salary in exchange for their copyright, and that it’s probably not much. It’s interesting. (I remember also reading about this a bit when I was looking into Taylor Swift re-recording of her albums etc.). That is the one topic I would have liked to have actual (contractual) information on – but well…it’s in their confidential contracts. But I don’t think they’re that dumb, because on a recent video, I saw Seungmin say that he wanted to be part of 3-racha, but Bang-Chan and Changbin’s response was that “then they would be out of a job”. And before that, there was an older video where Felix was telling Bang-Chan that it would be great if 3-racha could become 4-racha. So they seem to be aware of the importance of the copyright. And there also seems to be an important difference in revenues, because in that same video (I think), Bang-Chan asked Felix what he wanted for his birthday, and he said “a house” and Bang-Chan said “why is everyone asking me that?” There was an allusion to “Bang-Chan rolling into it”. So at least these two (Seungmin and Felix) seem to be aware of it. I don’t know if they all have to perform only the songs written by 3-racha contractually when the whole group, the brand skz performs. They all have their solo songs but it’s not the same. If that is the case, and if the difference in revenues is too big, as I wrote in a previous post, given the nature of the business, I don’t think it’s fair. Even for LeeKnow, IN and Seungmin (because then only 3 would benefit from the synergy of the 8, which I think works pretty well). Because I think that 3-racha can write all the songs they want I think, without Felix and Hyunjin, and the others, I don’t think that many people will go to watch them or will see their music videos, etc. Not sure if the contracts they have with Louis Vuitton, Versace, etc. make up for the difference in revenues between them. Also it is modeling so I think it’s different, it’s like another job; and it exposes them to so many creeps.
I would also have liked to have a look at the contract between them and the company (I also saw what you wrote, that it’s probably a tiny % of what they bring in). Apparently that varies too. I would have liked to see how, once they pay back “their debt” for the training, etc, which part is fixed, which part is variable etc.. I remember researching how the financial compensation was split between the members (not them, but generally speaking in kpop), and it seems that it varies a lot. Some split everything, and then when one has a big advertising contract, it creates tensions because he feels it isn’t fair.
And it would have been interesting to look a typical “schedule”. Nor for a day, but like generally for a year. Like each day, how much is dedicated to training, rehearsals; how many days a week they work, how many vacation they have etc… to actually get a sense of the real workload.
From what I've seen, in skz, they seemed pretty diligent about their work (like, the real work), all of them, especially Hyunjin, LeeKnow, Felix and Seungmin (I picked up hints aiming at that for these ones in the videos I saw, and as I wrote I haven't watched all the videos, so it really doesn't say much for the others). I can't say if Hyunjin is going downhill because I haven't watch that much recently, I think that sometimes they just have to perform too much in a short period of time (when they have to promote what they are releasing) so their energy is bound too decline. [I mean, whatever one can think of what is or isn't dance, they still have to put in efforts and time for rehearsals, etc. and I think that they do.] That's why I would have liked to see the schedules.
But I did notice on short videos here and there that Hyunjin is playing more with his mouth and his tongue. (Someone please tell him that it's actually gross; that and the crotch grabbing movement so many people do (Nikki, Jungkook). But I guess then they "have to" provide material for those crazy fan edits and fan fiction stories too. I'm sure some sexually suggestive "choreography movements" are aimed at that too.
I also thought the way they are split in 4 different dorms (/apartments?) give some indications about them and their internal dynamics, but I cannot just keep on writing about this. It's not like I was planning on writing a thesis or an academic research paper on them, or on Kpop and its toxicity (but it's starting to feel that way). I initially didn’t even plan to post everything I posted. But then, there was always something that made me want to reply or to explain more. I had no idea this would end up taking me up so much time, like, way too much.
I'll address a couple more topics because this is probably going to be my last essay post, and I won't be reading about Kpop anymore. The subject just doesn't interest me anymore. I initially wanted to understand the obsession, and what was behind it. I mean this level of obsession still baffles me (for certain fans, they're not all the same, thank God). But never mind.
The lawsuits
I know why you wrote that in quotes, nevermind that, but I actually think you have a good point there. I hope and pray it will never come to that, but if one fan commits suicide for example if/when Jungkook gets married (because I saw someone wrote somewhere that "it's sad but many fans will probably commit suicide when Jungkook will get married"), I think that a pissed off devastated parent with enough financial means can hire a good lawyer and go after them (the label companies). Because there are some deep but subtle manipulation techniques going on there (remember the devil is in the details). I'm sure they get training on how to look at the camera, and certain things. Like some of them, the long gaze, the way they talk, that's how people is real life fall in love. But these girls need to realize these men are not looking at them (except in the fan calls), they are looking at a camera. And the girls are not looking at a person likely to reciprocate their feelings, they are looking at a screen. They don't even know they exist for most of them. But their feeling grow and they get obsessed. So they (the label companies - some more than others) really perfected to art of creating feelings (and it's easier for teenagers for so many reasons) and using them for business. They're actually sometimes pretty blunt about it in some documents or meetings aimed at the shareholders.
It actually discredits the legit work and all the efforts the idols put into it. Like, you're already a dancer and a singer, and you put a lot of time and efforts into it, why would you want to also become a "feelings' scammer". [The idea/concept of scam for Kpop idols who willingly feed the delusional fans is not mine, I read that in a reddit post]. But then, that's probably the company's (and its shareholders') greed. Money. One of the very powerful levers the devil uses to lead man astray. When I was reading about the obsessed fans who neglect their future or their lives for Kpop, I didn't think about lawsuits but I thought it sounded like an addiction, a drug addiction, and then I wondered but who do you blame? The drug dealer or the drug addict? Drug dealers are sent to prison whereas drug addicts are sent to rehab. If the label in this metaphor is the drug dealer, how does the idol fit into that? Cause some seem to be more ethical than others. Even the occasional "I love you" shouted by pop stars (I mean in the whole world not Kpop) in concerts is ok I think (It's not like they can scream during a concert "I appreciate your support" instead of shouting "I love you", that would be a bit weird or lame. It's more how it's done in certain settings with so many other factor that suggest a false sense of proximity to deceive some fans. (The details...) Some refuse to do it in certain settings. I remember reading about one (not in BTS or SKZ) who, when asked to tell one fan "I love you" (so probably in a fan call or fan meeting) said he couldn't do it because he was loyal and committed to only one woman. And the great thing is that some fans actual respect them all the more for that. But since it's probably not the majority, well... greed. Mostly companies' greed.
I also found myself wondering recently if the fans who make the edits on tiktok do it because they want to basically work for their idol, or because they want to provide materials for other fans, or because they want to monetize their content because they realize there are many people who want to watch that. It’s like everyone is using everyone sometimes.
Bitterness
This is more of an advice to you (if you're still reading...), so feel free to ignore it. Actually feel free to ignore everything. (You take in what you want to take in). The negative feelings of anger, resentment, bitterness ... that come from injustices, those are tough. It sucks. But if you're not careful and if you let these feelings take hold of you, it's almost like you are letting an injustice of the past take more from you in the present. Negative feelings like these shouldn't be repressed, because then they come back stronger. But once they're acknowledged, it's best to try to be constructive and try to let them go to focus on building something good, with what's left in the present. And if you find that there are so many people who rig the business where you were working, then maybe you can look somewhere else. It is a vast world out there. It's more easily said than done, but maybe it's worth at least thinking about it. These people can't take from you your actual time (unless you let them), your skills, your talent. Or maybe you can find creative ways to do what you do without them, outside their system. Also, it's hard to stomach reading about evil all the time. It's also important to focus on what's good in life.
That's it! (finally...)
If you post a reply, I'll read it. And if you ask me a question, I'll try to answer. But I'm really done now.