VIXX And BTS Suggested As Helping K-Pop's Growth In Japan Despite Waning Popularity Due To Political Tensions

Politics are the leading cause of decline in popularity of Korean cultural exports to Japan, says one Japanese music forerunner.

Bin Taijma, the president of Japan's Hip Land Music, spoke to the audience at this weekend's Asia Music Network event in Seoul, and explained that political friction has harmed the cultural exchange between Korea and Japan. K-pop in particular has suffered, whereas it previously saw extreme popularity in Japan.

A "shadow was drawn across hallyu [Korean Wave] fever," Tajima said, reported the K-Pop Herald, highlighting the past popularity of K-pop and Korean dramas in Japan in the late 2000's and early 2010's.

"When the TV drama 'Winter Sonata' hit Japan, it stormed the nation," Tajima reminsced. "The heat spread to Japanese people's love for K-pop, especially for the likes of groups TVXQ and KARA. If you look back on the TV programs aired during that time, everything had to do with K-pop, K-drama or something related to Korea."

However, political tensions between South Korea and Japan have led to issues relating to K-pop.

"Apart from politics, on the business side, contracts would fall through while working with Korea's management companies to due to 'dissensus' on appearance fees," Tajima said.

Many K-pop acts promoted and debuted in Japan, with top acts from companies like SM Entertainment's BoA, TVXQ, and Girls' Generation spending much of their career in Japan. China has become the largest growing market for K-pop, while Japan still remains important despite the cooling down.

K-pop concerts held by groups like TVXQ and 2PM still have ardent fans in Japan and can sell out concerts at Tokyo Dome, Tajima said, expressing that K-pop's popularity will likely be maintained to some degree in Japan, despite the political tension.

Tajima highlighted K-pop male idol groups BTS and VIXX as potential acts to follow in the success of other K-pop acts to become popular in Japan.

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