"Criticism Without Knowing the Popularity of Aillet" Leading to Generational Conflict
As news spread that the Korean K-pop girl group 'I-LIT', which debuted this year, will appear on Japan's largest year-end music festival 'NHK Kouhaku Uta Gassen', a generational conflict reportedly erupted in Japan.
On the 1st, 'I-LIT Kouhaku' became a popular search term on Japan's X (formerly Twitter) and the portal site Yahoo Japan. The NHK Kouhaku Uta Gassen, scheduled to be broadcast on the last day of this year, the 31st, will feature six K-pop idol groups including I-LIT, TWICE, and LE SSERAFIM. This accounts for about one-seventh of the total 41 participating teams.
However, there has been a heated debate among Japanese netizens over the participation of 'I-LIT'. In addition to public opinion such as "Why are there so many K-pop singers at a Japanese festival?" and "It's a K-pop world again this year," criticism has increased because I-LIT is a rookie group that debuted only eight months ago in March with 'Magnetic', leading to questions like "Is it appropriate for a singer hardly known to appear on Kouhaku Uta Gassen?" Since the 1960s, when it achieved ratings over 80%, Kouhaku Uta Gassen has become one of the TV programs symbolizing Japan, and appearing on it is regarded as recognition as a top-tier singer in the Japanese music market. Japanese people expressed displeasure as multiple Korean groups are appearing on this prestigious year-end broadcast, and a rookie who has not officially debuted in Japan is participating.
However, Japanese people in their teens and twenties who enjoy K-pop have responded on social media (SNS) with comments such as "It is wrong to criticize blindly without knowing I-LIT's popularity" and "Criticizing just because they are Korean singers is outdated." For them, I-LIT is one of the most popular K-pop idols.
In response to this debate, music critic Higara Tetsuo pointed out on SNS, "(At Kouhaku Uta Gassen) many Korean singers such as TVXQ, BoA, Gye Eun-sook, and Cho Yong-pil have already appeared," and added, "Kouhaku Uta Gassen is not a stage only for Japanese people."
Meanwhile, marking its 75th edition this year, 'Kouhaku Uta Gassen' is a program held every year at the end of the year where male teams (white team) and female teams (red team) compete in singing battles. TWICE is confirmed to appear for the fifth time this year, and LE SSERAFIM for the third time. I-LIT and TOMORROW X TOGETHER are making their first appearances. Additionally, the lineup includes six K-POP related artists this year, including ME:I (red team) and JO1 (white team), groups born from 'PRODUCE 101 JAPAN', which introduced the format of CJ ENM's audition program 'PRODUCE 101'?known for producing popular groups like Wanna One and IZ*ONE?to Japan.
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