Do you think a solo/group artists’ career is financially sustainable in this digital era (of streaming and social media)? Has technology improved or made the conditions more difficult for artists to sustain their careers? What compromises may artists be forced to make in order to be financially sustainable? Consider how few groups are as successful as BTS, Big Bang, or Twice and how many groups and solo artists “never become sophomores” (in the words of Macklemore).
In the K-pop industry, artists under major entertainment companies such as SM, YG, and JYP often struggle from earning extremely low paycheques day by day as a group member or as a solo performer. In order to comply with the global demand, managers in charge of identifying talent would frequently introduce fresh solo artist or groups to attract new fans to K-pop or lure supporters from other idols. Apart from performing in live shows, recording music videos for an album, or promoting merchandise at events, K-pop artists also rely on product advertisements and television appearances to generate more supporters and income.
With the emergence of online streaming and social media, K-pop artists are able to reveal their unfiltered side to the public, and fans from around the world would have the access to any recent performances or interviews as long as it’s available on social media. Although the digital era created opportunities for more idol exposure and product placement in advertisements, artists in this industry do not have a financially sustainable career and I would argue the utilization of social media strengthens an artist’s chance of succeeding in the business by staying relative with the fans and generating discussion among club members.
One of the social media platform that stores and shares K-pop music content is Youtube. This platform not only offers an acoustic aspect of music, Youtube additionally provides the visuality of music to the fans and replaces MTV as the provider for music video consumerism (Ono and Kwon 2013, 207-210). In YouTube, views on a video can translate into money compensation for artists to potentially earn. Furthermore, they have an opportunity of earning additional money by appearing on YouTube advertisements for a product or the group. As K-pop continued to grow with YouTube, major entertainment companies such as YG and SM began to join YouTube in 2006 and created YouTube channels for fans to browse their idols (Ono and Kwon 2013, 208).
Technology connects fans with artists through social media, anyone can browse the latest post from their idol with just a press of a button, artists can release unedited videos on social media to trigger discussion ahead of the release date, fans in facebook groups can arrange meetings after school or work to practice their Ttechang. Technology offers alternative ways to earn money and it improved the conditions for an artist to remain relevant in the business, solo or group artists can financially sustain their career without physically participating in any events or shows.
Reference:
Ono, Kent A. and Kwon, Jungmin. 2013. “YouTube as a K-pop Interlocuter.” In The Korean Wave: Korean Media Go Global, edited by Youna Kim, 199-214. New York: Routledge.
Hi Wesley!
I really enjoyed reading your response. I agree with your first point where many entertainment agencies compensate poorly to their signed entertainers. This brings back to the discussion we had on “royalties” in class and the youtube video we have watched from an idol explaining how their payments are distributed as an idol group within the entertainment agency. To conclude from that video, as being just the performer, the percentage you get will not be as much as the producer, songwriter, or the choreographer. Therefore, for an idol to possibly being financially stable in this industry is to have the talent to be able to choreograph, to song-write, to perform, and to produce the music. Therefore, this idol will obtain a higher percentage of the profit from royalties.
However, with the advancement in technology and the rise of the social media era, we are able to further expose these artists to the real world. There are many outlets to do this. In particular, in our generation today, the two main social media outlets that some rely on a living is Youtube and Instagram. This includes having artists to endorse product placement in their videos. As a result, these media outlets have helped these artists to sustain their careers because it allows them to constantly create new content for their fans to follow. This ultimately invokes a big following for the idol and can result in them to be found attractive to many well-known brands as an advertising opportunity.
Technology has made a great impact on these artists. This has been shown within the success of Big Bang and BTS. As a matter of fact, Aritzia, a big Canadian retail store, has even requested a BTS album to all of our stores’ music playlists. Without technology, the international viewers, like us, would be unable to have the opportunity to be exposed to K-pop.
However, a thought has come to mind about these artists. If they are signed with these big entertainment agencies, then they are limited to what certain contents they are able to share to the public. Therefore, do you really think signed artists or idols make a sustainable amount to be financially stable?
I also think that social media nowadays creates a great connection between the fans and the idols. Apart from posting photos videos of their recent lives, the artists will also have live chat with their fans around the world so that they can actually interact with each other. I believe that technologies definitely bring the stars and the fans closer together. As what Wesley said, the idols can earn more money through participating different advertainments other than making albums or having the concerts. And technologies play an important role here, because the artists can share their products by using social media. On the other hand, the fans from different countries can get along with each other through social media and create a bigger fandom world to support their idols. I agree that Youtube is another way for the artists to sustain their careers. The more views of the music video on Youtube have, the more extra money the artists can earn.
Hi, Wesley!
I agree with your argument that: “social media strengthens an artist’s chance of succeeding”. It is very true. And in my opinion, I think social media is an easy way to make fans and idols closer. They can interact with each other in the social media such as YouTube, Instagram and Facebook. As you said that idols can download their music/dancing video on YouTube and every fan can see them with free. This is a break even action for both fans and idols because idols can make profits from YouTube instead of sell albums and fans would feel convenience that just open their phones and computers to see their idol’s performance.
And I also get a point that social media can strengthens idol’s international fans. For example, G-dragon is famous in China and his group Big Bang is also famous. Every group member in Big Bang has Instagram account even some one has Weibo (A Chinese social application). They often put their life pictures and the announcement about their concert and event on those social media. As a result, every one can see those pictures not only for Korean idols. Every fan can write comment below, too. It likes a communication between fans and international idols. Social media is a good way for international fans know about their idol’s current life easily.
As a result, if an idol often communicates or post some pictures to his/her fans in social media. They will increase their reputation and it will bring some opportunities about advancement to make more profits. I think if a idol become a spokesperson of a brand, their fans will feel excited. The reason is, first, they may have the same product with their idol. Such as, a shirt or even a bottle of water, etc. Second, they can support their idol when they buy those products. It is more significant than buy an album. They can see their idol in different places not only on the stage.