[KPOPMAP] Netizens Criticize JYP Entertainment’s Nizi Project Amidst Heightened Political Tension

[Whisky23]

South Korea is currently banning all products and services related to Japan as recent political tensions escalated to higher levels after Japan wiped South Korea off of their trade restriction white list.

Given the current state of tensions, it’s not strange that netizens are currently criticizing JYP Entertainment for continuing with the Nizi Project, a project that aims to make a global K-Pop idol girl group consisting exclusively of Japanese members.

JYP Entertainment released plans to recruit Japanese idol trainees or aspiring idols through auditions that will be held in both the US and Japan. Broadcasting will begin this year in October and the ages of participants will range between 15 to 22.

At the moment, netizens have been accusing JYP Entertainment of being pro-Japan.

While JYP Entertainment have explained that one of the project’s purpose included the exchange and mingling of cultures, South Korean netizens aren’t buying it.

But perhaps it’s a little too late for JYP Entertainment to back out on this plan as it seems that the agency has been planning for this project for some time.

One thing is for sure though. The timing couldn’t have been worse.

source

Sigh... I guess it's OK for BTS and Twice to promote and earn Yen in Japan, but god forbid anyone trying to do anything that would seem like a fair exchange of business opportunities. Knets have already accused JYP of being yet-another-Japanese sympathizer early in the year, but due to current tensions. the drums of Korean nationalistic fervor must be beating really loud.

 

[vitaminplus]

He isnt making a kpop group either its a jpop group they will promote in japan and all that nothing in korea just like boystory wtf is wrong with these delusional kroaches

 

[Pyron]

Hope JYP doesn't cower to or pander those haters and just continue this project.

 

[Soyundorito_]

But the group will not promote in Korea so what are knetz so mad about?

Also they can try to ban all they want but you can’t do that with humans so... and banning will just make them lose money anyway, the won is already low and getting lower

 

[Whisky23]

He isnt making a kpop group either its a jpop group they will promote in japan and all that nothing in korea just like boystory wtf is wrong with these delusional kroaches

I think they see it as him giving away to the Japanese the Kpop secret sauce. I wish people there would consider that a successful Nizi project group would be a validation of the Kpop training process vs Jpop, and it would be another thing they can crow about. Or that it might improve the receptiveness of rest of the JP population to Kpop through greater awareness of JYPE, but I don't think there are any rational minds right now.

While I think there's room in JP for people to agree or disagree with the JP govt position, I don't think there's any room for anyone to express anything that remotely sounds like support for JP, or even a criticism for SK, lest they be accused of being a traitor. Frankly, I find this kind of political mob mentality frightening, and certainly not what I would expect from a democratic society. It's what I associate with Russia or China. Sadly, this is the side-effect of the over-reliance of nationalism by previous Sk govts, especially the military dictatorships.

What is even sadder is that now that the JP-SK relationship has blown up, the issues of corruption within the political and economic elite that was dredged up by the Seungri / YG case have conveniently faded to the background. While I'm not one for conspiracies, it certainly is a convenient diversion for those within the power structure who were being investigated by the Moon Govt. Dispatch would be proud.

Now, instead of getting the opportunity to reform the corrupt power structures in Korean society, they get Korean nationalism vs "those heartless Japanese bastards" redux.

 

[Yeddong]

"a project that aims to make a global K-Pop idol girl group consisting exclusively of Japanese members." the clownery.

 

[PockyAddict89]

corruption within the political and economic elite that was dredged up by the Seungri / YG case have conveniently faded to the background.

I noticed that a lot. The politicians and chaebols and other hyper rich and connected bastards precipitating in making snuff films in clubs have faded away, when they basically decided to turn in into a garden varitey celeb scandal, you also noticed that all the disgusting singers and kpop stars were revealed, but not the big boys (politicians or chaebols) in that case.

 

[Pyron]

I think they see it as him giving away to the Japanese the Kpop secret sauce. I wish people there would consider that a successful Nizi project group would be a validation of the Kpop training process vs Jpop, and it would be another thing they can crow about. Or that it might improve the receptiveness of rest of the JP population to Kpop through greater awareness of JYPE, but I don't think there are any rational minds right now.

While I think there's room in JP for people to agree or disagree with the JP govt position, I don't think there's any room for anyone to express anything that remotely sounds like support for JP, or even a criticism for SK, lest they be accused of being a traitor. Frankly, I find this kind of political mob mentality frightening, and certainly not what I would expect from a democratic society. It's what I associate with Russia or China. Sadly, this is the side-effect of the over-reliance of nationalism by previous Sk govts, especially the military dictatorships.

What is even sadder is that now that the JP-SK relationship has blown up, the issues of corruption within the political and economic elite that was dredged up by the Seungri / YG case have conveniently faded to the background. While I'm not one for conspiracies, it certainly is a convenient diversion for those within the power structure who were being investigated by the Moon Govt. Dispatch would be proud.

Now, instead of getting the opportunity to reform the corrupt power structures in Korean society, they get Korean nationalism vs "those heartless Japanese bastards" redux.

Well sadly nationalism is on the rise everywhere. I don't think you should be surprised by the rise of this type of ideology in democracies and being used by their power holders.

Dictatorships have more leeway with that. They just need to impose unrestricted propaganda and police control. Democracies have to pay at least some lip service and not be openly using these tools. Nationalism is just cheap way to unite or polarize their base.

In SK case, its democracy is pretty new (just 3 decades or so) and its institutions have to prove its strength in the long run. As you said, it is abused by power holders. They can justify it as they can claim they brought the miraculous economic growth to SK, but now they are just an achille's heel. Also, censorship level in SK is pretty high and on par with dictatorship regimes. It still has long ways to be a full fledged democracy. JP-SK relationships were always marred by both nationalism movements and geopolitical disputes and conflicts.

The public sentiment is just a reflection of this and sadly they are so easily to manipulate.

 

[denizen mars]

I feel like popular culture exchanges are the one thing that is really doing anything to heal the wounds between ROK and Japan, even if it's mostly motivated by money, and if we get rid of them now that's just backstepping

I mean I think getting rid of Abe for a less conservative leader and changing the party in power in Japan would help even more, but I don't know enough about Japanese politics to know if that's even possible rofl

 

[Whisky23]

"a project that aims to make a global K-Pop idol girl group consisting exclusively of Japanese members." the clownery.

LOL. That's on the writer of the article, though. I've seen no reference to Kpop with the Nizi project in any of the teaser videos, website, or SNS. The only thing kpop about Nizi is that it's partly organized by a kpop agency (JYPE), and it will likely use the JYPE/kpop training methodology. But since speaking Japanese is a requirement, I'm pretty sure it's a jpop group.

Besides, a kpop idol GG consisting exclusive of Japanese members already exists:

Spoiler

Though they are not quite global yet.

 

[Whisky23]

I mean I think getting rid of Abe for a less conservative leader and changing the party in power in Japan would help even more, but I don't know enough about Japanese politics to know if that's even possible rofl

Japanese politics is a mess. They used to go through govts like babies go through diapers. As soon as a govt is elected, some senior govt minister will either say something sexist/racist/blatantly inappropriate, or some past scandal will be revealed, forcing said minister to resign, weakening the govt structure even more by destroying any public trust. This is Abe's second round as President - his first term lasted all of one year before he had to step down.

Sadly, the opposition is equally disjointed.

 

[fullofjoy]

I D I O T S !