Netizens Discuss Comeback Promotion Periods: Do You Think K-Pop Idols Should Promote For Longer?

The K-Pop industry is an ever-evolving universe of talent, creativity, and musical revolution that has birthed many modern legends who are now the pillars of world music. From Seoul to the world, the reverse globalization brought forth by the Korean Wave is not just culturally significant but also historically groundbreaking, to say the least. To nurture this bubble of art into a global phenomenon and best modify it for the world to consume and appreciate, the industry has changed manifold over the years.

One of the latest developments in recent times, that is currently drawing attention on online communities such as Nate/Pann and Twitter is the promotional period of K-Pop groups/soloists. While it is common for artists to tease their comebacks for up to a month, the time they spend on promoting the new music in conventional ways such as music shows and variety show appearances has decreased by a considerable margin. This is not a sudden change, however. As a matter of fact, the current standard norm of a 2-week promotion has been established over the last couple of years and yet, netizens are still divided about whether this is too short.

요즘 케이돌 티저푸는 기간보다 활동기간이 더 짧은거 적응안됨

— 우주복 (@nokkumgyangsalm) March 15, 2022

ㄹㅇ 요즘 다 티저 한달동안 풀고 활동 2주 하고 영통 6개월동안 함

— 덩덩춤 (@dumdumver3) March 16, 2022

What used to be a 2-month affair (at the longest) has now come down to roughly 2 weeks (at the shortest) of stage/broadcast promotions alongside more global, fan-oriented activities such as video call events, special performances (STUDIO CHOOM, Dingo's "Killing Voice", M2's "Relay Dance"), unique interviews and talk shows ("Jessi's Showterview", "Idol Human Theatre", "IU's Palette"), podcast and YouTube appearances (Dive Studios, Edward Avila), Instagram and TikTok collaborations (GHOST9 with photographer David Suh and dancer/actor Alex Wong; AleXa with David Suh, actress Shuang Hu, and influencer Lucia), dance challenges (MAMAMOO's Solar's 'Honey' challenge, Jay Park and IU's 'GANADARA' challenge), interactive activities (Twitter Blueroom, Reddit AMA) and so on and so forth.

It is important to note here that the significance of global online activities such as video call events has evidently skyrocketed, majorly due to the pandemic. During a time when stage performances are delivered to empty seats, it is more fulfilling for artists to meet their fans even if it is through a screen.

"I think it's understandable. (The idols) surely get on stage but there's no audience and it's been 3 years already. Money is spent as it is supposed to but no strength is gained. For singers, video calls would be more welcoming because they can at least see their fans indirectly...is what I think as an innocent human being."

While some fans believe that 2 weeks of stage promotions hit the sweet spot, especially with other diverse and interesting content to promote the comeback, others are pointing out that there is a sense of futility to promoting for a short amount of time after teasing the comeback for longer than the same, thus effectively shifting the focus from promoting the music to encouraging sales.

"It seems like it's getting weirder. Is it even meaningful if a singer doesn't perform? Feels like getting ripped off."

The short promotion period also becomes detrimental in the case of some rookie groups who don't get enough time to establish their musical identity on stage after their debut and as such, lose out on the golden time to gain traction. On the other hand, some Netizens are highlighting the fact that music shows are losing relevance and are inefficient in essence whereas unconventional promotional activities are much more conducive to the growth of new artists.

"I think the problem will be solved if the music show system changes, but it's obviously inefficient for singers to devote almost all day to record 3 minutes."

A post on Reddit also opened up a similar conversation, discussing the efficacy of music show promotions. While some users believe that repeatedly promoting on music shows is redundant, others seem to think that in some cases, especially for artists who do not come from big companies, music shows are their only form of promotion. In addition, the purpose of music bank promotions also seems to have different interpretations among users.

Something both Korean and international K-Pop fans seem to agree on is that it would be beneficial for artists to promote more than just the title song. It creates a taste and curiosity for the album and shines the spotlight on the sonic aesthetic and message of the same.

"Like old singers, it would be nice for them to promote as many as three songs from one album."

Like any institution, the K-Pop industry also has its own fair share of strengths and weaknesses. It is only through healthy discussion that we can facilitate change in the right direction.

You can read the original thread here.