When the bell rings to welcome the new year, the world's attention is focused on that gorgeous stage. However, Japan's New Year's Day party in 2024 turned into a "dispute under the stars."
That night, Japan's screens were shining brightly, and many Korean groups joined in to make the party star-studded. But who would have thought that behind this seemingly harmonious picture, there are hidden undercurrents. The dismal ratings of
gave Japanese organizers a headache. What made them even more unexpected was that the party actually triggered a "war of words" between the audiences of the two countries. On the Internet, fans in Japan and South Korea hold different opinions and argue endlessly.
The New Year’s war between Korean and Japanese entertainment circles reignited: The Red and White Song Concert turned into a “shameful” scene?
While the New Year’s Day bells are still ringing in our ears, the New Year’s Eve war in the entertainment industry has quietly reignited. In the first month of 2024, domestic entertainment is booming, and Korean entertainment and Japanese entertainment are not to be outdone, and have joined forces to serve us the first "big dish" of the new year - but the taste of this dish seems a bit... Strange.
It all started with a New Year's Eve concert held in Japan. At this time every year, the Japanese entertainment industry will hold a grand TV show as scheduled, "The Kohaku Uta Battle", which is also commonly known as the Kohaku Uta Battle. This is not only a Japanese New Year's Eve party, but also a star-studded feast. The organizer always invites many powerful guests, who are divided into red and white groups to compete on stage, with sparks flying.
But this year, there were many more Korean stars on the stage of this party. Seventeen, straykids, misamo and other Korean groups came to support the show, and their performances undoubtedly added a lot of excitement to the party. You know, in the Korean entertainment industry, being invited to participate in the Japanese Red and White Song Festival is a very honorable thing.
However, no one expected that this evening party, which was supposed to be a friendly match, turned into a "secret battle" between Korean and Japanese entertainment. The stars of both parties showed off their talents on the stage, but offstage, it was filled with smoke. Korean celebrities seem to be quite dissatisfied with certain arrangements, and the Japanese side is not giving in. For a time, the news of "They are fighting!" spread in the domestic entertainment industry.
To be honest, I have mixed feelings when I see this news. On the one hand, I feel sorry for the stars of Korean and Japanese entertainment. They could have enjoyed the joy of music on stage, but their mood was affected by unnecessary disputes; on the other hand, I also feel sorry for this cross-over. Feeling helpless after years of "war", when will the competition in the entertainment industry stop?
Hallyu star’s Japanese New Year’s Eve dance performance caused controversy
South Korea’s popular culture, especially the idol industry, has always been an important representative of its cultural output. However, in recent years, a phenomenon has attracted widespread attention: Korean idol groups are frequently invited to Japan to perform at New Year’s Eve parties. This is a good thing for cultural exchanges between the two countries, but the arrangement of backup dancers in a recent performance caused a storm.
What happened was that at a certain Japanese New Year's Eve party, the organizer arranged for several Korean idol groups to dance with the Japanese group. After the news was spread back to South Korea, it immediately aroused heated discussions among netizens. Many Korean fans feel that their idols are "condescending" and believe that such an arrangement is disrespectful to Hallyu stars. They all said: "We kpop idols will not go to the Red and White Song Contest in the future!"
However, during this turmoil, some Korean netizens remained rational. They believe that if Korean stars choose to perform in Japan on New Year's Day, they should respect local traditions and arrangements. After all, Korean groups are not the only dancers, Japanese groups are also involved, and even the host of the party joined in the dancing.
The name of the entire song is "idol". Singer singing and idol dancing are also one of the traditional programs of the Japanese Red and White Song Festival.
In fact, this controversy reflects the deep emotions and high expectations of Korean netizens for their idols. They hope that Hallyu stars can get the respect and status they deserve on the international stage.However, cultural exchange itself is based on equality and respect.
Korean stars who choose to perform in Japan should be prepared to adapt and integrate into the local culture. Although the incident of
's backup dancer caused a heated discussion, it also allowed us to see the challenges and opportunities in cultural exchanges. I hope that through this experience, Hallyu stars and fans can view international cultural exchanges more maturely and embrace the wider world with an open mind.
Hallyu counterattack? Japan's New Year's Eve concert suffered from a "cold wave of ratings", and Korean celebrities became big "rushing guests"
When it comes to New Year's Eve parties, what often comes to everyone's mind is a star-studded and lively scene. But can you imagine? Not long ago, a Japanese New Year's Eve concert suffered an unprecedented "rating freeze" because of a group of special guests.
The protagonists of this turmoil are none other than those celebrities who are extremely popular in Korea.
They were invited to Japan's New Year's Eve party. They thought it would set off a Korean Wave storm, but unexpectedly they became a big "rush customer". Whenever they take the stage to perform, the ratings plummet like a deflated rubber ball. Japanese viewers didn’t seem to buy it and chose to change channels or turn off the TV.
According to statistics, the ratings of this New Year's Eve concert dropped by at least 1% on average during the performance period of Korean stars. This cycle continued, and the ratings of the entire party fell below 30% for the first time, setting a record low. Especially in the second half of the party, the ratings were even more dismal, down 2.4% from the previous lowest record.
This can't help but remind people of a scene: Phoenix Legend passionately sang "The Most Dazzling National Style" on stage, while Korean stars were twisting and rubbing the camera next to them. This incongruous style of painting may be one of the reasons why Japanese viewers choose to change channels.
So, why are Japanese audiences so unconvinced by the performances of Korean stars?
Hallyu is in the cold, where can we find Japanese culture?
When Japan's New Year's Eve concert is staged again, a battle over culture and entertainment also quietly begins. The popularity bubble of Korean entertainment was ruthlessly punctured this night, with bleak ratings and sluggish Internet popularity. The illusion of global popularity that was once created by marketing and fake data finally revealed its true form.
Looking back at this concert, one has to think: Has the Korean Wave really swept the world as it hoped? Or is it just an orchestrated illusion? Concept plagiarism and cultural theft, these questioning voices have been accompanying the rise of Hallyu. Now, faced with realistic data, we can’t help but ask: How much real power does the so-called Korean Wave still have?
At the same time, Japan's Kohaku Utakai Festival is also in trouble with ratings. The once brilliant ratings have now fallen to the bottom. Even if older idols are used and popular foreign guests are invited, it will be difficult to recover the loss of viewers. This reminds me of the Spring Festival Gala in those years, when the novelty faded away, leaving only endless nostalgia and emotion.
The Japanese audience’s reaction to this concert was even more intriguing. They expressed strong dissatisfaction with the Korean culture that filled the screen, and were even disappointed with the Korean tendencies of local boy and girl groups. In their hearts, Showa-style Japanese culture is their real pride and desire.
However, that era is gone forever, leaving only nostalgia for the past and confusion about the future.
Faced with the decline of the Korean Wave and the loss of Japanese culture, we cannot help but think: In this era of globalization, how should various cultures blend and develop? Should you stick to your own traditions and characteristics, or cater to market needs and changes?
