🌈👑 We are WithU! The Official NiziU Thread | ♪ #Heartris ♪ 👑🌈

[Divine]

They aren't under one of the existing JYPE Divisions (1-4). Supposedly under JYPE Japan but who and what resources that is actually comprised of is a question mark. I think you mentioned they don't really have extensive infrastructure built in Japan to support the training, etc yet. Even if they have separate mgmt they still are leveraging a lot of the main headquarters resources (at least initially).

It'll be interesting what tools they'll use for fan engagement showroom, vlive, instagram and how quickly they get that up and running.

I hope they use v live that will really help their Korean fan base and internationally its more available.

 

[🔹 MAYUKA 🔹]

Since their still in Korea they might as well do some Korean promotions for their pre-debut digital album that's also releasing there.

Like Wayv performed on music shows and opened up a vlive channel. Hopefully niziu can do the same lol.


-

They are #1 and 4th on weekly popular topics on Girls Channel. Comments seem kinda positive?

ガールズちゃんねる - Girls Channel -

女子の女子による女子のためのおしゃべりコミュニティ。女子の好きな話題にみんなでコメント、みんなで投票して盛り上がれる匿名掲示板「ガールズちゃんねる」へようこそ。

girlschannel.net

 

[Some]

Members of popular sony music idol groups hinatazaka46 ( sasaki kumi ) & keyakizaka46 ( moriya akane ) talk about NiziU & congraulate them in their fan mobile message service/app

 

[Whisky23]

They are #1 and 4th on weekly popular topics on Girls Channel. Comments seem kinda positive?

I kinda groaned when I saw Girls Channel. Being popular there is like topping the Korean Brand Index because of a scandal. To get to the good comments, you have to sift through the anti-Korean, "they all look the same", "plastic surgery", "not natural", "no personality", "Korea hates Japan" comments that get directed at pretty much all kpop idol group that gets discussed on there.

Like Wayv performed on music shows and opened up a vlive channel. Hopefully niziu can do the same lol.

The ban on Japanese language/content being on any of the terrestrial networks (i.e KBS, SBS, etc.) is still on, I think. Maybe Mnet, since it's cable (which is why AKB produce contestants were able to perform Japanese songs for their initial evaluations). Current anti-Japanese sentiments in Japan will make any major promotions in SK unlikely. Vlive? I expect so, unless there is a Japanese equivalent they can use instead. Honestly, they can just use Youtube instead, and avoid the potential "Vlive is Korean" drama that might erupt.

 

[🔹 MAYUKA 🔹]

I kinda groaned when I saw Girls Channel. Being popular there is like topping the Korean Brand Index because of a scandal. To get to the good comments, you have to sift through the anti-Korean, "they all look the same", "plastic surgery", "not natural", "no personality", "Korea hates Japan" comments that get directed at pretty much all kpop idol group that gets discussed on there.


The ban on Japanese language/content being on any of the terrestrial networks (i.e KBS, SBS, etc.) is still on, I think. Maybe Mnet, since it's cable (which is why AKB produce contestants were able to perform Japanese songs for their initial evaluations). Current anti-Japanese sentiments in Japan will make any major promotions in SK unlikely. Vlive? I expect so, unless there is a Japanese equivalent they can use instead. Honestly, they can just use Youtube instead, and avoid the potential "Vlive is Korean" drama that might erupt.

- lol oh. Now I know.

- There's a ban

 

[Some]

I kinda groaned when I saw Girls Channel. Being popular there is like topping the Korean Brand Index because of a scandal. To get to the good comments, you have to sift through the anti-Korean, "they all look the same", "plastic surgery", "not natural", "no personality", "Korea hates Japan" comments that get directed at pretty much all kpop idol group that gets discussed on there.


The ban on Japanese language/content being on any of the terrestrial networks (i.e KBS, SBS, etc.) is still on, I think. Maybe Mnet, since it's cable (which is why AKB produce contestants were able to perform Japanese songs for their initial evaluations). Current anti-Japanese sentiments in Japan will make any major promotions in SK unlikely. Vlive? I expect so, unless there is a Japanese equivalent they can use instead. Honestly, they can just use Youtube instead, and avoid the potential "Vlive is Korean" drama that might erupt.

same about the girls channel thing i was worried at first but they said the comments are positive so i was relived. Reminds me of big 3 channels banning izones japanese songs in their debut album so nizi might face the same problem. mnet is like you said the safest choice & back in the day japanese artists & global artists performed on m countdown. V live is i think a korean&vietnamese collaboration i'm guessing not sure because there are many vietnamese artists on it & there are lots i remember when it first came out there were these events related to it were artists had to go to vietnam alot not sure about it now though i cant remember the last time i used it. There is linelive even though line is a korean company its very big in japan line as an app is the equvilant to kakao in korea and many japanese artists use linelive if not linelive its showroom which is mostly used by idols many sony groups use it instead of line live

 

[Whisky23]

- There's a ban

Yeah. Since 1945. There was some lifting of restrictions in the 1990s (anime, manga, etc.), but some rules are still in place.

 

[Whisky23]

Also, found this in Part 1's ending credits (couldn't find Part 2):

​

Shannen is the director of JYPEJ, and has been there since the beginning in 2010. I think some people may have already read it, but there was an interesting interview (attached below) with her in 2018 where she talked about how they approached the Japanese market with WMJ in prepping for Twice's debut. Since she's still here, I expect she may apply some of the same strategies that worked for Twice. It was interesting for me to reread this within the context of NiziU's upcoming debut.

She also hinted at the possibility of Nizi (the interview was conducted after Kouhaku 2017, around Jan 2018), and the official presscon for Nizi came a year later. I'm intrigued by what she meant by a "completely different kind of artist" that they hoped to create. Not sure if NiziU is who she meant since they've referred to them as the Japanese Twice.

ORICON INTERVIEW: JYPE JAPAN DIRECTOR TALKS ABOUT MARKETING TWICE FOR A JAPANESE AUDIENCE

On their way to Kouhaku: TWICE’s company director talks Japanese expansion and the circumstances surrounding their big break

Beginning with 2PM, JYP Entertainment Japan has continued their streak of successes with this year’s massive breakout hit TWICE, appearing for the first time at the 68th Kouhaku Uta Gassen and surpassing 200,000 sales of their Japanese debut single “One More Time” within its first week of release. We spoke to the company’s representative director, Shannen Song (Song Jieun), about the promotional strategy behind TWICE’s breakthrough and how they cultivate artists.

Careful target analysis ahead of TWICE’s Japanese debut

TWICE made their Japanese debut just this year and have already become a quick success. Can you tell us about how you achieved this?
Ever since their Korean debut, the response from Japanese consumers has been great. We saw even from YouTube analytics that Japanese viewers were accessing their videos in almost real time to the Korean release. With that in mind, we conducted quite serious target analysis as to how they might be received in Japan even before their Japanese debut had been decided.

TWICE first made a splash in Japan when the “TT pose” from their song “TT” went viral.
Japanese models and entertainers shared the “TT pose” one after another on social media. At that point in time, though, the trend was purely limited to the pose, and K-pop fans were the only audience who connected it to TWICE. Because of that, we first concentrated our energy on working to bridge that gap. From digital research, we learned that the response from Japanese women in their teens and twenties was especially good, so we thought about different ideas our target demographic would enjoy.

Becoming Shibuya 109 image models and featuring a giant advertisement for TWICE on the building was also impressive.
Japanese fans are paying close attention to all nine girls’ individual cuteness and fashion sense, so we were very grateful for the collaboration with Shibuya 109 since it’s such an iconic fashion spot. The TWICE cover dance contest held prior to their Japan debut in March and June through MixChannel, a video app popular with young people in their teens and twenties, was another initiative designed to please Japanese fans. We had thought from the beginning that TWICE’s main selling point would be their dances, but as dance has become a compulsory subject in Japanese elementary and middle schools and performing cover dances at school festivals grows commonplace, I believe their characteristic of “dances that are captivating but easy to copy” was a major driving force behind their breakthrough in Japan.

The Japanese “TT” MV has quite a different atmosphere from the Korean version. What was your goal in taking that approach?
The Korean version was done in a fantasy style with the members wearing fairytale-themed costumes, but for the Japanese version, we focused on their natural cuteness and girl crush appeal. We also thought that many people may have already seen the Korean MV on YouTube, so a totally fresh and new Japanese version might be more enjoyable for those fans.

The lyrics were also localized into Japanese, but conversely, there seems to be no change in sound between the two versions.
When 2PM began their expansion into Japan in 2010, we localized their sound rather heavily. In 2PM’s case, they were already reaching the top in Korea, so this was partly to differentiate their activities between the two markets. On the other hand, while TWICE have significant popularity in Korea as well, they’re still at the stage of being rookies, so our plan is to let them grow and mature simultaneously in both industries. Generational shifts have been another factor. In 2010, social media hadn’t spread to the extent that it has today, and because everyone is watching their Korean activities in real time now, we think doing something completely different would feel incongruous. We intend to keep the girls’ fundamental charm and concept the same between both Japan and Korea. What’s most important is to create songs and concerts that will satisfy their fans.

The most important factor in doing business is a relationship of mutual trust

JYP Entertainment Japan was established in tandem with 2PM’s advance into the Japanese market in 2010. You also took your position as representative director of the company at that time. Did you feel any confusion or culture shock over the difference in business practices between Korea and Japan when you started out?
I wasn’t confused as much as surprised that the entertainment industry is so subdivided. For example, starting even one project requires many meetings with different partners. Checks for visual and audio materials are detailed and go through multiple stages, so it was difficult until I adjusted, but it left a positive impression on me that they handled our company’s artists with so much care. Sony Music became a reliable partner for me when I first started working in Japan under JYP Entertainment, so I feel as if they’ve helped raise me as well.

How have you been able to utilize the past seven years you’ve been working in Japan through your dealings with TWICE?
We received many good offers for which we were thankful, but after troubling over the decision for some time, I settled on Warner Music Japan where Mr. Kobayashi Kazuyuki serves as representative managing director and CEO. Mr. Kobayashi originally worked with 2PM as the representative director at Epic Records Japan. It’s our motto at JYP Entertainment that the most important factor in doing business is a relationship of mutual trust, and our company representative and producer J.Y. Park asked that I choose a company with whom we could build a mutually happy and beneficial partnership, so I gave my support to Warner with confidence.

The K-pop scene in Japan is radically different now compared to when 2PM first entered the market. Given that, what sort of considerations have become most crucial to the company’s development here?
In 2011, when 2PM began their Japanese activities, it was definitely the “K-pop boom” and K-pop-related media in the form of TV shows and magazines was on the rise, giving us plenty of opportunities to promote the group. When GOT7 made their debut in 2014, their trajectory differed from 2PM due to fewer programs geared towards K-pop and diminished opportunities for Korean artists who speak less than fluent Japanese. There are Japanese members in TWICE, so their situation is somewhat different. Many people in various fields have given them their support as Japanese girls working hard overseas. No matter how trends have changed, though, what we’ve stressed above all from 2PM’s era to now is firmly making our artists understand just how fortunate they are to be working in Japan like this. We tell them, “It’s not enough just to do a concert and then go home. As foreigners, you need to value these people who’ve chosen to be your fans.” Thanks to that, people in the Japanese media have told me that our artists are a little different and have a “JYP style” about them, and we’ve been able to foster long-lasting relationships with companies who have worked with us.

How would you describe that “JYP style”?
Our company places importance on character above all else. J.Y. Park has talked about this on both Stray Kids, the recent Mnet program to find JYP Entertainment’s next generation boy group, and SIXTEEN, which aired two years ago to decide the members of TWICE, but he believes the three most important qualities in an artist are honesty, humility and sincerity. By honesty, he means not to tell lies: that it isn’t necessary to exaggerate a story just to be interesting on variety shows. Humility is about recognizing that it’s a privilege to be able to do this work and having a grateful heart towards everyone around you. Sincerity represents never being lax in the effort you make as an artist. No person has a perfect handle on all three of these qualities. However, he believes that by making an effort to come even a little closer to that ideal, artists can maintain long-lived careers. This kind of human education is taught from the time our artists are trainees. Even if they might have talent, we reject anyone whose character presents an issue. Of course, there are surely artists with both character and talent who debuted through other agencies simply because our company couldn’t make the best use of them as trainees, but if nothing else, the artists we currently represent are all diligent and hardworking kids.

Among your company’s new faces, the Chinese boy group Boy Story is also fresh off their debut.
This is a joint project through our Chinese branch and Tencent Music Entertainment. The members were selected through an audition in China, trained at JYP Entertainment in Korea and debuted back into the Chinese market. Whether or not this idea moves forward is another matter, but we’ve also been in talks about potentially replicating that method in Japan, if possible, and maybe having the chance to produce a completely brand new kind of artist. I suppose that will also depend on establishing the right partnership.

If you could set that plan in motion, the skills you’ve cultivated in Japan would likely be put to an even greater use.
I’d first like to work to ensure that our already debuted artists, 2PM, GOT7 and TWICE, can receive more love from the Japanese public. We’re thinking about some even bigger projects we could only pull off in Japan for next year, so I’d be glad if you looked forward to that.

 

[WonderfulOnce]

This thread has HD photos of their profile pics

 

[Some]

Yeah. Since 1945. There was some lifting of restrictions in the 1990s (anime, manga, etc.), but some rules are still in place.

Speaking of anime & manga i remember hearing in variety that in anime they changed the names & the manga is all translated with changed names also ( korean ones ) nothing japanese is allowed i'm guessing the only way they acsses japanese content is through the internet like us i bet they also dont let japanese drama or anime air in its original langauge unlike korea who is airing its dramas & movies all over the world with subs&dubs

 

[Whisky23]

Speaking of anime & manga i remember hearing in variety that in anime they changed the names & the manga is all translated with changed names also ( korean ones ) nothing japanese is allowed i'm guessing the only way they acsses japanese content is through the internet like us i bet they also dont let japanese drama or anime air in its original langauge unlike korea who is airing its dramas & movies all over the world with subs&dubs

Spoiler

Yeah, I'm pretty sure all the anime in SK is dubbed as well, besides the changed names. But all you wrote is true, and it's why there's significant pushback from some Japanese who dislike the attention that kpop, k-drama and k-food are getting, hence all those comments on Girls Channel. I'm pretty sure it's worse now with relations at a low. SK has been trying to compete against and defeat Japan in various ways for quite a while now. Sports, shipbuilding, overseas engineering projects, car manufacturing, cosmetics, among many others. Kpop, k-drama and K-variety overtaking J-content in popularity, especially in Asia, is a huge soft power win for SK, tbh.
Of course, I'm sure it hasn't stopped Korean men from watching JAV though.

 

[grandmajudy]

200626 Nizi Project S2 Ep10 Eng Sub by Nizi Screen

 

[grandmajudy]

Spoiler

Yeah, I'm pretty sure all the anime in SK is dubbed as well, besides the changed names. But all you wrote is true, and it's why there's significant pushback from some Japanese who dislike the attention that kpop, k-drama and k-food are getting, hence all those comments on Girls Channel. I'm pretty sure it's worse now with relations at a low. SK has been trying to compete against and defeat Japan in various ways for quite a while now. Sports, shipbuilding, overseas engineering projects, car manufacturing, cosmetics, among many others. Kpop, k-drama and K-variety overtaking J-content in popularity, especially in Asia, is a huge soft power win for SK, tbh.
Of course, I'm sure it hasn't stopped Korean men from watching JAV though.

I see the competition in all the other areas you mentioned but it never seemed like Japanese Entertainment companies, whether music, tv, film, were all that interested in exporting its product. I wonder if their thinking is starting to change and we start seeing more SMEJ JYPE type collaborations.

 

[Whisky23]

I see the competition in all the other areas you mentioned but it never seemed like Japanese Entertainment companies, whether music, tv, film, were all that interested in exporting its product. I wonder if their thinking is starting to change and we start seeing more SMEJ JYPE type collaborations.

I think a lot of it is due to how large the JP market is, and the language barriers involved in exporting when the Japanese have a weak command of English despite studying it in school. Most of the J-content that got exported like anime or shows like Power Rangers were largely due to foreigners seeing the potential. Anime and manga fansubs were a necessity because those companies never bothered targeting fans outside of Japan. I guess they were pretty content with what they could earn just staying at home. Definitely part of it is the somewhat chauvinistic opinion that the Japanese are unique and different from others, and that foreigners may not understand their ways or culture well.

We're already seeing more Kpop-trained local groups in the pipeline (JYPE has a Thai BG project coming up, I think), so yeah, we'll start seeing more of these collabs happening. I can definitely see the possibility of foreign + Korean trainees debuting in kpop-trained Jpop groups in the future, the opposite of what is happening now with foreign + Japanese trainee flocking to SK. But I also don't doubt that the fractious relationship between SK and JP has and will continue to cause some companies to hold back on exploring these opportunities more aggressively. Hard to do business when you're always walking on eggshells. I have to applaud JYPE and other agencies who are trying to bridge the divide when politicians and "patriots" love to use the conflict to further their agendas.

 

[Sana Akgae]

I think a lot of it is due to how large the JP market is, and the language barriers involved in exporting when the Japanese have a weak command of English despite studying it in school. Most of the J-content that got exported like anime or shows like Power Rangers were largely due to foreigners seeing the potential. Anime and manga fansubs were a necessity because those companies never bothered targeting fans outside of Japan. I guess they were pretty content with what they could earn just staying at home. Definitely part of it is the somewhat chauvinistic opinion that the Japanese are unique and different from others, and that foreigners may not understand their ways or culture well.

We're already seeing more Kpop-trained local groups in the pipeline (JYPE has a Thai BG project coming up, I think), so yeah, we'll start seeing more of these collabs happening. I can definitely see the possibility of foreign + Korean trainees debuting in kpop-trained Jpop groups in the future, the opposite of what is happening now with foreign + Japanese trainee flocking to SK. But I also don't doubt that the fractious relationship between SK and JP has and will continue to cause some companies to hold back on exploring these opportunities more aggressively. Hard to do business when you're always walking on eggshells. I have to applaud JYPE and other agencies who are trying to bridge the divide when politicians and "patriots" love to use the conflict to further their agendas.

There is also a THAI GG. Two teams in Thailand. I think JYP has created good relations and rapport with his Japanese counterparts. After NiziU, i predict JYPE/SONY will work on a Japanese BG too.

 

[Whisky23]

​

Edit: Interesting that they are providing text overlays for Korean viewers, with subs for English viewers. I guess besides trying to promote the group to Korean fans, it's also a reminder of NiziU's kpop foundation.
Some J-fans are getting triggered by all that hangul.

 

[grandmajudy]

200626 Nizi Project S2 Ep10 Eng Sub by Let’s Kculture

 

[BPiperDude]

200626 Nizi Project S2 Ep10 Eng Sub by Let’s Kculture

I've always liked Kculture's subs the best. He did a really good job.
I find it interesting that they defined Nina as the main vocalist with such a definitive statement. It wasn't just Sana either as she was reading from a script.

 

[🔹 MAYUKA 🔹]

New outfits!


I hope this means we are getting a music video

 

[Divine]

MV spoiler

Spoiler