Trash or Treasure? SEVENTEEN Albums Found Discarded in Japan

Following the highly anticipated release of SEVENTEEN's latest album, "17 IS RIGHT HERE," and the premiere of their captivating music video for the title track, "MAESTRO," the K-Pop community was rocked by shocking footage from Japan.

Opportunists Exploit Fan Fervor

Videos and posts circulated online, revealing piles of SEVENTEEN albums strewn across the streets of Shibuya, Japan.

🤗AFTER🤗 https://t.co/30wTXIWxzR pic.twitter.com/YmJartTL5Y
— ま (@jah_rk32) May 1, 2024

Dishearteningly, a sign encouraged passersby to take the albums freely, igniting a wave of opportunistic behavior among fans and resellers alike.

While some seized the chance to obtain sought-after photo cards and codes, genuine fans were left dismayed by the commodification of the group's hard work.

seventeen after selling 3 million albums through mass buying: pic.twitter.com/EpMDyHNK5W
— Julianna 𐚁 (@jmngaggedme_) May 1, 2024

Many expressed frustration at being unable to purchase albums due to bulk buyers, highlighting the need for reforms in the distribution system.

Netizens Call for Change

Netizens took to online forums to voice their concerns, advocating for measures to prevent exploitation and reduce waste.

Suggestions ranged from limiting album purchases to selling photo cards separately, underscoring the community's desire to protect artists' efforts and the environment.

Despite the uproar, SEVENTEEN's management has remained silent on the matter.

As discussions continue, fans emphasize the importance of respecting artists' contributions beyond commercial transactions and call for action to address the root causes of album dumping.

Hope for a More Equitable Future

The incident serves as a sobering reminder of the challenges faced by K-Pop artists in an industry driven by commercial interests.

However, fans remain hopeful that collective efforts will lead to a more equitable and respectful ecosystem for artists and fans alike.

HERE ARE SOME OF THE FANS' REACTIONS:

my heart hurt.... they work so hard for the album.... just make a giveaway to the carat that can't afford to buy the album, or to the people that can respect their work sincerely.

why waste their hard work?? there are actual fans desperately wanting these..who will enjoy n cherish the albums.

This is so disrespectful. They worked so hard on this album, and this was not the expected response. And this shouldn't be a thing for the other fandoms to treat this group as a mockery, after all it was the fans who did this not the artists.

This is the consequences of competition bulk buying throwing away the albums and only getting the photo cards. I hope industry will open eyes on what's happening.

Sadly I don't live in Japan bcs if I do I will gather all of it. I'm happy to collect this albums especially if it's free and I'm not greedy, cd and lyric book are enough for me.

ALSO READ: SEVENTEEN Spills the Tea on How They Avoided K-Pop Group Drama & Stayed Stronger

KpopStarz owns this article.

Written by Cassidy Jones