IZONE News and Discussion Thread

They tried!
And they tried for real, it wasn't a timid atempt to taste the water.
They released 2 singles in a row that were Teacher ×2 and No Way Man that were very Kpop influenced, the later featuring P48 alumnis.
After, there was the one and only collab IZ4648. I suppose this song was planed before the show started airing and was part of the initial agreement.
But the sales did not rise enough in the right direction and i believe kpop fans reached during the show weren't willing to give a damn at 48groups.
I'd say the wave of interest calmed down too fast, for more attempts.
So they could only go back to their own things.
I blame the exclusivity here. There could have been more collaborations without it.

 

Even in 2020 the 48s couldn't really be said to be down and out despite all the bad stuff that was going on for them as a result of the Maho scandal, the pandemic, and the increasing defection of their fans to other groups (including but not limited to their dear cousins in the 46s, the girl group being produced by Sashihara Rino, the revitalized Hello!Project, and yes K-pop groups). By the end of the 2020 year they had lost out on Kohaku, but still had the rest of the year end shows, plus Hanareteitemo if I am not remembering incorrectly got them an excellence award.

Produce48 was a show among a sea of shows the 48s appear in, a cog in their long list of shows they appear in that helps keep their machine relevant, but that is literally all that it was. Izone is a group that resulted from that show that was always on a timer and will soon reach its end date. Assuming the girls do not just disappear from Entertainment fans should stop pretending they would be together longer and follow their oshi(s) from the group in their future activities. Especially so considering K-pop's storied history of short lived groups.

It also bears repetition that K-pop is a niche phenomenon. In America, the UK, and Canada it has gained popularity as something foreign that is cool because of its distinctly Western Pop sound and style. It sounds and looks very familiar to English speakers thus the language barrier is easier to get over than with something like J-pop. Korea on the general whole doesn't support it as it should thus many of the groups have to take K-pop outside of its country of origin to find any kind of success and popularity. It is niche with English speakers in predominantly English speaking countries the same way J-pop is niche outside of Japan with anime and manga fans. It is not some gift from the heavens here to conquer/change/eviscerate J-pop (you know, that thing from Japan which makes up majority of the 2nd largest success story in terms of the music markets of the world).

 

I think we only differ on the matter of timing, I think 2018/19 were the damaging years and 2020 was just the final kick in the nuts, you have a differing opinion on the timing that's fine. We also differ on how much Produce48 mattered to AKB's decline, honestly I think it was a fairly minor issue and the other things mentioned were more significant.

If one looks at it through a long lens AKB has been declining for a looooong time, since 2014 probably. It has been propped up by single sales/HS but the fanbase has been contracting for a long time, just look at how AKB concerts have been getting smaller and smaller, how the amount of gravure covers has been getting smaller, how the advertising deals have been getting less and less.

Kpop was at least a good parachute for some of the more promising 48g members. I don't think Sakura necessarily would have stayed with the group, especially with it stagnating. Sakura would have easily gotten an agency, Haruppi signed to Avex after being on hiatus so it's pretty clear Sakura would get a bigger agency and gotten way more acting work than she would with AKS.

I don't like it being framed as JPOP vs KPOP, both forms of music have their ebbs and flows and kind of operate independently of each other. It's not a battle to defeat one or the other, at least in my eyes. Both can be enjoyed for their respective merits, it's just AKB is looking kind of old-fashioned right now.

The only thing is that at the moment 48 group has a demographic that is pretty old whereas kpop has a younger fan demographic.

 

They could have go on with releasing new stuff in IZ*ONE CD releases or AKB. But they didn't.

 

Well I going to assume it's ok to talk about the IZ*ONE & AKB48 relationship, at the PD48 days I was expecting something like a 48 korean group. And that the top12 would be the senbatsu and the rest something loke Undergirls, Next girls, etc. But after the 1st elimination I noticed that wasn't the case but still believed there has to be connection to the AKB48G because that's the point of the collab of PD48 and not just a PD101 season with AKB girls in it as many people said at that time.

For that reason even after IZ*ONE korean debut I was expecting a 48g treatment for their japanese debut (specially after watching the IZ4648 performance). And I was extremely and surprinsingly happy when I saw that in Sukito everything was about the PD48 final ranking like and AKB SSK single, with Wonyoung as center. I really thought I was going to see IZ*ONE being featured in AKB singles after Jiwaru Days. But after the NGT scandal and SSK cancellation everything became irregular, but still expecting to see IZ*ONE in AKB singles after noticing the girls were rearranged for Buenos Aires having Minju as the new center. But when AKB released Sustainable without IZ*ONE being in it I knew they weren't going to appear anymore. But still believed in the connection between both groups becuase they girls were rearranged again for Vampire with Sakura as center, and there was a tracklist annoucement which was the closet thing to a senbastu announcement for all the songs.

Then the hiatus happened, and when they cameback all of that connection was gone, and none of the japanese songs were ever performed again until Twelve which was the first japanese release without the AKB treatment, no new order for the members, no centers, no individual covers. That's when I realized that IZ*ONE was not really a collab group between AKB48G and the K-pop industry but just a K-pop group. Even if they techically are a collab group because of the contract, well that's just a paper.

I don't know what are the terms between Vernalossom and CJ about managing IZ*ONE but it feels like Verna hasn't really been benefited from that. So for me is one of these posibilities:

1) Vernalossom was really excited about IZ*ONE to the point of being naive and blindly trusting in CJ, thinking that they could manage IZ*ONE like to AKB.

2) Vernalossom didn't want to do this collab but Aki-P did so Verna trusted in him.

I think the #2 is the closest to be real based on the fact that Aki-P wrote the lyrics of Lesson, the new song. And the fact that it was produced by Yena (who obviously is Aki-P's fav Korean member) makes think that he definitely wanted to work with IZ*ONE.

I guess it's like somebody mentioned before, that tnis project was for Aki-P to aproach to K-pop and write songs for a K-pop group, nothing else. So yeah PD48 was a really bad decision from Verna ( AKS at that time). If Sakura, Nako and Hitomi graduate without even going to Japan, that would be the final blow of the consequences of tha5 bad decision. At least that's what I think.

 

To be honest, when IZ*ONE was established, I thought their concept would be Keyakizaka 2.0 with Wonyoung as Techisus 2.0 . Imagine, a Kpop group have emo theme with unsyncronized dance and one of member got more solo dance part than group dance (the whole of Kpop fandom would go riot). But, they decided to be Lovelyz 2.0 -and somehow it made me less excited (still, their discography are the best among the 4th gen)

Now it's long post time

Speaking about "PD48-did-harmed-48G", yes. Not only caused some fans moved to Kpop fandom, but also caused some right-wing fans moved to 46G (I bold this because right-wing wota are beneficial for 48G). And then, the Mahohon saga came. 48G, which already lost some right-wing fans caused by PD48, lost its "commercial trust" from media (cancelled TV shows, lost CF deals, gave radio show slot to Nogi, less exposure). 48G went risen during Sustainable era, but the Moeka graduated and COVID-19 came

Also speaking about "have-48G-tried-riding-PD48-fame", yes the management tried. Beside No Way Man and IZ*4648 (which caused some 46G wota went mad -i saw it on Twitter), the management tried pushing Miu and Erii (poor Myao tho). Even the online live (forget the show) when Miu subs Yuiyui gained more views than when Yuiyui appears (lol). But then, somehow, the management decided to hard-push IxR girls (which are right-wing favorite) than PD48 alumni like Miu or Erii . Prolly caused though they have orthodox-dol type, they're "tainted" by Kpop world (unlike right-wing favorite).

Spoiler

Which means... the management prolly dgaf whetever the J-lines graduate and move permanently to Kpop world as long as Naachan, Yuiyui or Zukki hasn't announced their graduation yet

Speaking about "have-Akimoto-Yasushi-and-Vernalossom-dgaf-with-IZ*ONE" , for Vernalossom it's yes, but for Aki-P I thought it's yes until he wrote Lesson (and he decided to collab with Yena instead of Sakura lolmao /killed). Vernalossom started dgaf after their dreamed IZ*ONE concept "failed" and completely dgaf since OTR's partner changed from Pledis to Swing Entertainment (tbh they only hold out until that 2.5-year-exclusive-contract ends). I'm not surprised if Vernalossom is one of the agency who refused to extend the contract (or prolly dgaf about contract extension discussion since IxR girls aren't in IZ*ONE lewl).

So, PD48 brings lot of fiascos and new experience for everyone -but if the management had to choose to do this again, they rather not to do

 

Yes, yes, yes. To attract one kind of group which having negative perception of AKB48 as the group where old man stanning young girl, let have a song about a girl wanting to have a relationship with her teacher and having an old man in the beginning of the MV.

Spoiler

Even SKE48 "Sekai ga Naiteru Nara" have better chance to attract KPop fan and closer to KPop (if management want to go to the route of Dreamcatcher style of KPop).

 

Chinese Sakura fans paid for a drone show to celebrate her birthday.


if the video does not show watch the video here

 

I'm not saying a word because I would get at least 15 dislikes.

 

13 words = 13 down votes

 

This is AKB48 thread. AKB48 News & Releases Section. And I don't understand why this topic is still there and not in Other48-Subunit/Solo News & Discussion like French kiss, Diva etc.
Oh.. no, I know. Because many people like IZ*ONE including "important people of Stage48", and they don't want to see their lovely group at the bottom of stage48 in unpopular section.
Do not hate IZ*ONE, I like them, but not there in Stage48

 

Heres a free one for you

Maybe you should ask the users of the thread? Its one of the more relevant threads on this forum.

 

Was it mentioned in this thread? The amount of people that go to the feedback area is a micro percentage of the forum

 

More about the Kfans "takeover" project
https://twitter.com/CoolKetchup1029/status/1373281399491399683
It's a project driven by some fans who have strong connections with the korean entertainment agencies, the kinds who are sometimes allowed to TV shows rehearsals, or are given some infos directly from the various staff, the kind that know their favorites schedule before it is made public or who can have infos such as planes reservations. In short these guys are no joke.

But, from this letter, it's clear they took CJ ENM out of the equation and I doubt they have any connection with Vernalossom the other IZ*ONE producing agency.
Witout the main financial and facility support, their chance of suceeding look slim.

The SURPR*IZ photobook sold 11,936 copies in it's 1st week
https://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/obp/w/2021-03-22/
I find this low.

 

Cover of Tangled Up In Me (by Skye Sweetnam) by Yujin:


if the video does not show watch the video here

My order of it from CDJapan has been delayed and according to the staff member I was in contact with there, their entire delivery had to be returned to the supplier because of 'damage'. Whether that just affected CDJapan or if it happened to any other suppliers I don't know.

 

Maybe let's not call it that and stick to Sukito

I guess it is low, but the photobook is quite expensive and heavy. I also bought it on CDjapan, and only FedEx and DHL shipping were available (and ridiculously expensive). I also know that people have been charged an additional amount once they were shipped out because it was even bigger/heavier than expected. I know that people who tried to buy it a couple days after the release date couldn't get it on CDjapan anymore.

Mine hasn't been shipped yet, though. I ordered it alongside ≠ME's debut mini album, which will be released in mid April, so it won't be shipped until after that.