#were over-associating SB and JK

[starryjkoo]

Alright, not to get too caught up in the MHJ drama, but I’m crying because I just reread my now deleted post-Golden rant complaining about BSH, SB, and my issues with their strategy and I got to this part

😭😭😭

No but I was right. Say what you want about MHJ, but NewJean’s was truly HYBE's only other major success outside of BTS and it had nothing to do with BangPD and it turns out that it absolutely did piss him off LMAO. I knew it. You don't have to believe everything she says, but the elevator thing was basically confirmed and there's no normal, well adjusted adult who would ignore young girls like that if they weren't an immature, petty asshole.

Not to be messy and reopen this can of worms, but it does make me think it's even more likely that he might have been a little bitter over LC hitting #1 considering he couldn't take credit for it. He had that whole article in billboard that came out around the same time talking about how they were going to get the next #1 through their connections or infrastructure or however he put it, which was clearly referencing SB & HYBE America. I think he was trying to make it seem like this whole Scooter A&R strategy was ingenious and vital to Western success based on how hard they kept pushing and talking it up. So if MHJ was telling any amount of truth about his attitude and how he acted towards NWJN's, I just can't help but feel like he must have felt at least a LITTLE negatively about LC hitting that #1 right after he was talking such a big game about how his system (that he spent a billion dollars on) was going to be vital to that next #1.

LC was a Korean song Jimin made with a small in-house team so it must have been a little embarrassing for him to say all that to billboard (and probably investors lol) and have it be immediately invalidated. And LC so clearly demonstrated that BTS and the members could still pull off these big feats without him or his ideas and massive investment and personal involvement. And yeah, billboard did target LC right after that to try and smear it's success, but I think this argument still holds up. Especially because if LC was given any extra care or support it could have kept charting. And what billboard did in it's second week was insanely dirty.

(I’m not saying he was MAD about it, or that he didn’t talk it up to investors after, or that he sabotaged Jimin like a vengeful cartoon villain, I’m just being petty and speculating and saying I don’t think he was thrilled about it considering the circumstances)

Likewise NewJean's released music that did have a good chunk of English but was still Korean, and they managed to break a bunch of girlgroup billboard records as well, and that's ANOTHER project that BSH didn't have his hands on at all. In fact it was one he didn't believe in. Yes, ILLIT broke their record for getting their debut song on billboard quicker, however BSH followed the formula that MHJ created and apparently didn't even consult her or give her any credit while creating a group that was clearly inspired by her work (I genuinely love ILLIT and think they have their own identity! But they do follow the formula that MHJ popularized). So it's not like he got another group on billboard with his genius, it was again just following a formula someone else created (Magnetic was a bop and I loved the whole EP, so I'll give him that!).

I honestly don't even know what SB brings to the table that's so helpful because all they need for a pop song to succeed is basic charting tools like CDs and remixes and playlisting, which they could get before him, and basic decent promotions for visibility. And he's not doing anything interesting or helpful for the non-pop releases even though there's a massive market here for indie, alternative, R&B, and rap. Why wasn't CBTM on college stations? He's useless because the pop releases don't even need much to be successful. And none of JKs promotions were new or unique or something they couldn't have gotten before SB either. And if he's doing something else behind the scenes, I don't think that's worth it either.

JK did have more GP tuning in, but his solo debut was still heavily carried by ARMYs who took advantage of every provided tool, so nothing revolutionary they couldn't have accomplished pre-SB. It wouldn't have worked for anyone else like I said before either, a good example being TXT and their Jo Bros collab which flopped. BSH was all overconfident (top 10 on billboard lol) about it because he thought the secret to success was simply - western producer, western collab, english - but their fans didn't care for the song and therefore it didn't do well. So yeah, at the end of the day it's about good music and/or having a big fandom willing to carry (and that very rare charisma the BTS members have). Not whatever stupid synergy strategy BSH thought he unlocked. Honestly I wonder if he's really that stupid to think that they could get a hit with just those things, but I'm starting to think so. Genuinely what good decision has he made lately that wasn't just following trends?

Won't rehash everything again but this MHJ drama did make me look back on all this discourse even though I swore I was done with it. I'm not as bothered by all of this now, I just think it's interesting to look back on and compare some of her criticisms of HYBE & BSH to many of our own criticisms and speculation. While I take her words with a massive grain of salt, I do think there's a lot of outside evidence to back up some of her claims about the company and their issues (and I'm not her fan or excusing her actions or saying she's always truthful either).

Of course I could be totally wrong, just my thoughts. I'll go back to looking forward to Jin returning and upcoming projects because at the end of the day the BTS members are the ones responsible for their own careers and they have to be the ones to advocate for themselves and deal with their company, but the plus side of this situation is that I hope at least some K-ARMYs are approaching the company with more scrutiny and hopefully holding them accountable for certain things, although I won't hold my breath. It was hilarious seeing HYBE's quick response to their complaints about Jin's hug event though. I wish I-ARMYs would stop being such company stans (you can criticize HYBE/BH without being a manti you know) but not getting my hopes up.

I just sincerely hope that this whole SB creative strategy won't carry over into BTS music, or any more of their solo work. I wouldn’t care if the quality was there, but imo it’s too inconsistent (I definitely enjoy most of Golden! Seven is a bop, SNTY is 10/10). It’s not about creating art or good music for them, it’s about trying to design a song that they think will chart. And songs like that will almost always lack in some way. So I hope this doesn’t become a pattern and the members retain their creative freedom and recognize that they definitely do not need to rely on those people for a hit (ofc unless the want to work with them).

[fromtenthousandfeet]

idk whether there are special plaques for project manager’s appreciation but here we are. and suddenly so-called ot7 (who, mind you, will find even a needle in a haystack if it’s about their true faves and their praise; and here is the ceo of hybe, a very much known man among fd) and fake boycotters are nowhere to be found but let us wait for next Jimin’s donation to children of his own country not capable to afford themselves education

every time I tell myself I can’t be more disgusted with armys (and company) but they keep proving me wrong

https://x.com/pjmoriarty_/status/1798665443642868118?s=46

I can't believe this controversy happened only 24 hours ago or so. It already feels like ancient history in light of the new song release.

I need to state a fact before we talk about the boycott. Jungkook is held to an entirely different standard by both the company and the fandom. I don't entirely know why, but it's the reason why he can break BTS norms (misogynistic lyrics, heavy promo, certain behavior) without much or any blowback. Folks, it is what it is.

But let's talk about the boycott. HYBE cannot remove SB for his religious or politic views under US employment discrimination laws. Period. End of story. And as I've said before, there is no way on earth Bang Si-hyuk is going to give up his association with Scooter because his connections in the western music industry and knowledge about how to game the system are too valuable.

In my humble opinion, the real boycott should have started the minute HYBE bought Ithaca Holdings. The boycott should have been about Scooter and his history of screwing over musicians (especially women), exploiting talented minors for his financial gain and failing to protect them from industry predators (Justin Bieber, anyone?), and for consistent allegations of using payola and other unethical means to promote his clients. He's been a bad guy forever and it was no secret, but way too many people in the fandom looked the other way or simply didn't know his history.

The boycott should have started in earnest when Like Crazy's versions were split and song sales disappeared. But again, it didn't. And finally, when JK was flown out to L.A. to work with Scooter, everybody should have known something bad was coming. It was a massive red flag, but it didn't get enough attention from the core of the fandom. And don't get me started about SEVEN.

Is it worth fighting with JJKs fans to prove Scooter is deeply involvement in JK's album? My hunch is no because they seem to get a high off of other solos' frustration. They feed off your suffering. And at the end of the day, they don't care if SB is involved as long as JK is put above all the others.

Boycott aside, can we talk about the timing of Scooter's post on Instagram just hours before it was announced that FACE earned RIAA Gold Record eligibility? He's such a petty man. He could have posted that photo and bragged about all those streams for SEVEN on any other day.

P.S. Jimin is a good human.