July 27, 2013
Recently, on an article reviewing f(x)'s Rum Pum Pum Pum by our extremely awesome and new addition to the staff, AndiSweets, a commenter (thanks for that, by the way!) said this:
At first, I was mentally shaking my head--I mean, come on! SM Entertainment is one of the most fearsome contenders of the elite-like 'Big 3'... is it even possible that they could fall from the throne? However, after giving a few more seconds of thought, I realized that the comment actually held some truth in it--SM Entertainment most likely being fucked after the disbandment of their power group, Girls' Generation.
Every company has their own power acts--YG Entertainment has Big Bang, JYP Entertainment has... 2PM?, Starship Entertainment has SISTAR, DSP Media has KARA... and so on and so forth. However, the fact is that most companies truly rely on one group to keep them afloat and then somewhat neglect or basically lack for the other groups--SM Entertainment being the prime suspect of this case.
Super Junior - Super Junior is basically done for. With some members either having to go to the military or are already in the military, some members exceeding the age of 30 and of course, maybe wanting to settle down and get married as well as the ONLY13 mumbo jumbo being long gone, I'd expect Super Junior not lasting that long or being enough to hold SM Entertainment up. In fact, I don't even expect them to pull a SHINHWA and last a bajillion years after SM Entertainment because of all these setbacks as well as their dwindling popularity and respect in the business.
SHINee & f(x) - My two favorite groups from SM Entertainment, SHINee and f(x), seem to have a long time left to die-hard fans... in fact, some even claimed that f(x) could've rised above Girls' Generation with their recent comeback song (which seriously seemed like a duller version of Electric Shock) however, I think that since they didn't already climb to the very, very top during their years of being together (SHINee - 5 years, f(x) - 4 years) because of SM Entertainment basically disabling them to (of course, these groups can't climb over our older groups SuJu and SNSD!!!11), they don't have much time left. In fact, to me, it feels like as soon as Girls' Generation disbands, the two groups would be nearing their expiration date, as well.
TVXQ & BoA - Though I'm not a huge TVXQ fan, unlike Super Junior, I think it's actually possible they could last kind of long... staying with SM Entertainment? Maybe. BoA is somewhat the same; unlike other acts, if she wanted to pull a Lee Hyori and get married, she'd still have her career in tact being that she's one of the most respectable and oldest acts in the business.
Last but not least is EXO, Henry and of course, SNSD. Honestly, I don't even know about EXO's future. From what it looks like, they're the equivalent to British boy groups like One Direction and such, marketing to little teeny-boppers then when the boys get a little older and the fans get a little older, they move on... but it could be different. Either way, I don't expect EXO's career to be as elongated as the group they've basically been sent to replace--Super Junior. Henry is also the similar, I don't know what to expect especially being that he just debuted... (but I think he has more going for him than EXO). And of course, the SNSD edition decoding my thoughts of their future can be viewed here.
To sum it up, with SM Entertainment's most recent group, EXO, and the impression that they won't be as strong or influential as older acts, I really can't see SM sustaining themselves at their high position after Girls' Generation starts to cool down... Super Junior probably disbanding or going into an indefinite inactivity around if not before that time, SHINee and f(x) not really even getting the chance from SM Entertainment to blossom to their full potential and overtake their older co-workers and TVXQ & BoA simply being awesome as hell.
What do you think of the claim? Is SM Entertainment fucked after Girls' Generation disbands or will they find another source of putting the dinner on the table? Comment below!
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MORE success to KARA...
ReplyDeleteDSP should make wise offer to KARA..
lmao tbqh that was kind of random xD
ReplyDeleteI really don't see any of SM's current artists being able to carry the company like SNSD does. I could be wrong, but doesn't SNSD account for a pretty big chunk of their profits?
ReplyDeleteLuckily for SM, I think that they'll continue to milk SM for another 2-4 years.
SM is diversified enough that I think they'll be fine without SNSD but YG would be practically out of business if Big Bang disappeared tomorrow:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.allkpop.com/article/2013/03/what-percentage-of-2012s-total-album-sales-were-by-your-favorite-idols
Big Bang + G-Dragon/TOP solos make up almost 80% of their sales. They're truly fucked if they don't diversify more before those guys have to go into the military.
I love Henry, don't get me wrong, but for some reason, I feel like Trap was just a one time thing, like Infinite H's Fly High album (which I love). But I may be wrong so...
ReplyDeleteA chart about album sales for YG is like a chart about digital sales for SM--not very great. Shouldn't you get a chart of overall money distribution rather than just album sales?
ReplyDeleteNot to mention, Big Bang was basically the ONLY act to release an album in 2012 if you don't count PSY who's only thing that really murdered was the digital of Gangnam Style, SE7EN who released a mini and Epik High who well, is damn popular in Korea.
But about the acts in YG, they ALL all-killed and are ALL exceptionally popular whereas even f(x)'s Rum Pum Pum Pum wasn't enough to all-kill and EXO is still a nugu to the eyes of most Koreans and appeals to usually elementary school-middle school girls (maybe high school if you want to push it) but that's about it. I wouldn't say that YG is necessarily done with BB out of the picture tbh with their newest acts Lee Hi, Akdong Musician, Kang Seung Yoon and upcoming Bang Yedam already throwing SM's newest acts EXO out of the water, I'd say YG still has a lot in them.
Also, THIS ISN'T A YG ARTICLE!!!!
http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20130113173035/knotting-donuts/images/2/25/GLEE-MR-SCHUE-ANGRY.gif
I'm pretty sure SNSD does contribute to a huge amount of SM overall revenue.
ReplyDeleteHopefully not. TBQH, I don't think it will be because at first, I thought TTS was just a one-time thing and then they revealed they're gonna make a comeback in the second half of this year so...
ReplyDeleteplus, I really like Henry and SM Entertainment needs more solo artists, anyway.
random ? how?.. your article also mention KARA... even if its not the main objection ..im still on topic which is Contract Issue ..but between DSP and KARA..
ReplyDeleteI wish there was a more detailed breakdown of total revenue available. Without that, it's kind of hard to debate this issue.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't doubt that Big Bang still makes up most of YG's revenue - even in the years where 2NE1 is promoting. It's not like 2NE1 has a ton of solo activities or other revenue-generating gigs. And their last two releases (counting CL's single) have done poorly by their usual standards. All-kill means nothing if the song quickly falls down the chart a week later. Their best days may be behind them already. Se7en's best days certainly are.
Psy keeps most of the money he makes because of his favorable revenue split with YG (and separate international contract with an American promoter). And Epik High, Akdong, and Lee Hi aren't going to bring in the kind of revenue that even your average boy band rakes in. They'll do well digitally but won't sell physical albums or concert tickets in large numbers.
But to get back on topic, SM has a stable of boy bands (TVXQ, Shinee, Super Junior, EXO) with large fanbases that are reliable sources of revenue. Boy bands (even the shitty ones like EXO) can sells millions of dollars' worth of albums without even trying. They also sell out concerts easily. SM also has other acts like BoA and f(x) (who can still claim to be one of the most popular girl groups in K-pop). SNSD is obviously huge to them but I wouldn't say they are "fucked" without them.
Dude.
ReplyDelete"your article also mention KARA... even if its not the main objection ..im still on topic which is Contract Issue"
No one is talking about the contract issues. Even if I mentioned KARA and it's not the main subject, it's not needed tbqh.
True. Probably'll release them by the end of the year.
ReplyDeleteOf course BB does! PSY takes home most of the money, 2NE1 simply just makes less as well as other acts... but honestly, even if YG's new acts don't sell as much as EXO, it's not deniable they're more popular... and popularity could work to their advantage in the long run.
But we're talking about when SNSD disbands... how are we so sure ALL of them will continue to be moneymakers by then?
your Article talks about DISBANDMENT ....
ReplyDeleteand that disbanded equal to contract issue
WG/KARA/SNSD has contract issue next year...
even if no one is talking about other groups ..you mention it...so its expected .. you mention DSP only has KARA..and yes..that's why i said ..DSP need to have good offer to KARA ....
All of these companies could be out of business in ten years for all we know.
ReplyDeleteSNSD will certainly be hard to replace - that's for sure. They rose up in an era with a lot less competition than there is today. It will be hard for any single girl group (even with the support of a big company) to amass the kind of fanbase that SNSD has.
'and that disbanded equal to contract issue' not really but okay.
ReplyDeleteWhatever.
True--the fact being that the Hallyu Wave is reaching it's cool down.
ReplyDeleteIf speaking in terms of present day, yes--but speaking in terms of maybe 5 years from now? I wouldn't be so sure.
I just hope that SM notices they need to improve SHINee. Not that they aren't good already, but they need to break more open. Dream Girl was already a twist (hiring younger artists for album, MV ...). And if that doesn't work, I just hope they keep on going but away from SM (Join Shinhwa... :x). And yes I stan also other groups of SM but sometimes I just pinch the bridge of my nose while thinking "what the heck have you done now SM?"
ReplyDeleteTrue... I've noticed that. I think they realized SHINee is actually a really great money-maker so they started pushing them more. tbqh, I think SHINee is the only SM group that has gone out of boundaries but still had extremely great songs for example, of course, Dream Girl.
ReplyDeleteWHY DIDN'T WHY SO SERIOUS HAVE JONGHYUN THOUGH THEY SHOULD'VE FILMED IT WHEN HE RECOVERED?!?!?!?!
With EXO and their rich, crazy and die-hard ass sasaeng fans? They're bound to make some top lines soon. I heard they'll be setting out for their concert tour next year. Damn. Didn't they just debut last year? That's...pretty good progress.
ReplyDeleteI don't think SM will be toootally fucked up. Their stats would probably go down but SM is known for producing strict quality idols. They'd make do.
What I don't like about SM is that they put too much attention to their major signature groups. They barely give fucks about the others. Best example? f(x). SM's really neglecting them and it hurts as a fan. I mean come on! No offence to EXO, but isn't it ridiculous that they'd have a concert tour first before their sunbae's? Sigh.
to SM, money is what matter the most...from my observation, the only thing that SM could put their pride on is in the marketing skill...snsd stand wherever they are right now is because of SM...SM made it happened...
ReplyDeleteand SM has this habit that whenever they sense the trouble's coming with their 'current superstars', they would go all out on the next idols - promoting them like hell so that their asses could be saved...
ex: TVXQ lawsuit, they suffered a huge lost because of it and they started to move on to their next target Suju-making them to work double, releasing album after album without resting. compared to before when they have considerable gaps before releasing another album...
and then came Suju and their issue, SM moved to SNSD...promoting them grandly...whatever way possible...and with SNSD hiatus, they went on Shinee...and now it seems like their lives are depending on EXO...i heard they're trying to make EXO the next DBSK but it didn't really work out from the beginning since MAMA and History failed to reach the level they wanted...since TVXQ's popularity exploded from their very first song.
but one thing remains the same : when they started to focus on one particular group, they tend to neglect others...
SM needs Girls' Generation :)
ReplyDeleteUmmm...1D is a BRITISH boy group, not American :/
ReplyDeleteShinhwa members are very diverse and have the right amount of members. While these new sm groups have like sjuniors, snsd have lots of members, some of them never even sing.
ReplyDeleteThe thing is SHINee is going to be defunct pretty soon. I used to be a die hard SHINee after their debut around 2008 but SM stopped marketing them correctly after about 2011...and they had a lot of potential
ReplyDeleteI wish that SNSD would stay around for another 2-4 years but rumors are that their contract expire this year and another girl group is set to debut this year (about time SM it's been about 5 years since f(x)). I think SNSD doesn't attract the same attention they used to and 8 years is an EXTREMELY long time for a girl group esp to be out. But I believe you are correct in saying that SNSD does account for the most of their profits (probably EXO has a good portion now too) because other groups like SHINee and f(x) just haven't done anywhere near their potential
ReplyDeleteit's so funny to read 2 years later xD
ReplyDelete