I feel like there's no winning in a situation like this. I'm a journalist (haven't had the opportunity to interview artist yet) but I can imagine how difficult it would be, especially with bigger groups like SEVENTEEN or TripleS. I had recently read an interview that SEVENTEEN did before Glastonbury and it only had quotes from 2-3 members, at the time as a fan I wanted to see everyone's reaction to their new achievement but reading this article really put things into perspective.
As publicist, I also find the fan response frustrating. My pre-interview prep includes providing journalists with appropriate background, clips, images, logistical information, etc. in order to make an interview an easy, efficient, and as positive experience as possible. It is a lot of work but it can lead to better headlines. But I also have to prep the talent to ensure they understand what the journalist knows, what to anticipate during the interview and to reinforce messaging. If a group member is not contributing a soundbite during an interview then it is usually discussed in advance; not contributing can be a strategy for a variety of reasons. When fans react this way, it minimizes everyone's efforts. Here's hoping common sense will one day prevail. PS: Did you get to interview Stray Kids during Lollapalooza??? Love to know your strategy going into that interview.
Oh, now I'm curious: what would be the strategy for not participating in an interview (if they're there with their bandmates, I mean)? I'm intrigued! (But only share if you can, obviously.)
I was on a trip that overlapped during Lollapalooza, but my strategy is always the same: I research the group, go over my notes from past years, prepare questions for the group and then also have specific questions for each group member. That said, because I write for prominent U.S. publications, I am almost always offered enough time to get everyone involved in the interview. This is not the case for some of my colleagues (especially those not in the U.S.), who are sometimes offered only 10 to 15 minutes.
I know nothing of K-pop but is this the equivalent of interviewing Bon Jovi and not talking to Richie Sambora? Or is it fans acting out/projecting?
I see from the post and comments there are tons of reasons. My initial thought was JI WOONG is shy or some flavor of Neurodivergent and doesn't always have the juice for an interview.
No, the equivalent would be interviewing the group Bon Jovi and getting quotes from all the members, but not including a quote from Richie Sambora for whatever reason (he didn't speak during the interview, he did speak but his quotes didn't make it into the article or was cut out by the editor - things like that ).
I've interviewed western groups for most of my career and those are usually conducted with one member: the leader of the group/singer-songwriter/lead guitarist. It's rare that the entire group is there for the interview unless it's a big feature and/or cover story. With K-pop groups, management is pretty insistent that all the members are present for the interview, even though it's rare for all of the members to speak up without at least a little encouragement. Fans sometimes assume that if a member isn't quoted, it's because the journalist hates him/her and has an agenda to tank their career by exclusion.
Usually the only time a K-pop idol won't participate in an interview (as in he or she won't show up for the interview) is if they are injured and taking some time off from the group to heal. In that case, I explain that in the intro so readers are aware of why they're missing.
I’m glad you brought this up. I think a lot of people (not just fans) do not understand the amount of work it takes to do a good interview. And sometimes, it will mean sacrificing certain quotes if it doesn’t add anything to the piece. It’s also very challenging to include everyone, especially when a group is quite large. Some are happy sitting and listening intently to the members that do contribute. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen interviews that are repetitive and add nothing new to the table for the sake of including everyone. As a fellow journalist, I’ve just decided I’ll keep doing my job as fairly as possible. Not everyone is going to be happy. That’s a sign of a job well done.
It has nothing to do with female writers since the K-pop fans themselves are overwhelmingly women or rather girls prob minors. Yes there's a lot of adults and Kpop fans come in all ages and genders blah blah blah. I wish we could see the ages and nationality of the girls who write the nasty comments because my theory based on being embedded in the Kpop fandom for a couple years is they're overwhelmingly from Southeast Asia. I mean Kpop fans from any region can be crazy but you just don't see Koreans fans or Japanese fans or Chinese fans caring about this type of stuff . Because they're all english comments you can mistakenly think they must be from America or the UK or possibly India. I bet they are from english fluent families of Southeast Asian countries like the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia. I'm not trying to stereotype or say those fans are bad necessarily but they are just more intense about K-pop and they're english fluent and obsessively use places like Twitter. A huge tip off is they clown even black fans when they criticize their faves which most woke people in the West wouldn't do. I think if you actually confronted one in person they'd just say they're joking around and if you've been on Kpop Twitter its kind of a freewheeling, often times vicious ecosystem. I saw someone joking about BTS Taehyungs dead grandmother because they were a Blink, the natural enemy of Armys.
Its kind of a fuels errand to get in a debate with one about stuff like this because they're not good faith actors. You have to treat them like trolls from 4chan.
Thank you for your honest article, I loved it. As a K-Pop fan I'd rather have the artists be honest and say nothing or something I may not want to hear, than them being forced into doing something they're uncomfortable with.
Again, not a journalist, and definitely have never been in interview settings like these, but I suppose it's difficult to get a quote from everyone in a group. Like, imagine doing that to all of Seventeen. Then the fans will probably go ballistic that one member only had one line, the same way they go ballistic at line distribution videos and whatnot.
Ah, fans. I get that your life purpose at this moment is to fight for the honor of your favorites, but the world has always been more complicated than that. Otherwise, every K-pop group would get equal coverage in the United States, and not just BTS or Blackpink ad nauseum.
It can be difficult to navigate for sure. Luckily, when I write for a publication like Rolling Stone, I'm given a minimum of an hour, so there is time to get everybody. And I do prepare extensively, so that I have questions for everyone in general, as well as each group member. But if you only have 10 or 15 minutes to interview everyone and need an interpreter to help out, it can be extremely chaotic to get everyone. I think one option management might want to consider is splitting members into 2 or 3 groups for the interview, so that each group only has to answer a few questions - and then they're all done.
(Tone: Sincere) I truly Love & appreciate your authentic, clarifying, direct, honest, intelligent, refreshing, relatable, professional, and among much else witty writing! (Just wanted to have it said! I’m sure I will say it again in future as well.)
It’s truly mind boggling how many people whether they are fans/stans or not have such loose fingers when it comes to attacking journalists who invest so much time, energy, & effort to give their readers an eloquent, fun, interesting, relatable, etc… article. The main points for me is that 1. The majority of readers have no idea what kind of work goes in to an interview from start to finish (including the work pre-interview) 2. Those that attack/complain have every right to be disappointed (if they so choose) that the talent they like wasn’t quoted/not quoted enough (what have you); however, this is no reason to be entitled & self-righteous (and some other, less kind, words I won’t mention) right? 3. It’s no secret that Korean talent have strict restrictions that can create arduous scenarios for them– whiny fans included (it can be dangerous & life threatening…(Tone: facetious)…but who cares about that?).
(Tone: Reflective & Sincere) Re: Should all Kpop members be forced to participate in an interview?– absolutely not!!! I think that all journalists with integrity (and who have their humanity intact) give all members equal opportunity to participate and treat their interviewees with respect. Are there ‘bad apples’ in journalism- sure, but that goes for every industry.
(Tone: Grateful) Thank you for shedding light on this topic & for indulging my thoughts! 🙏 (Tone: Hopeful) I do hope that those who read this will take your words to heart and consider reflecting on their own behavior- at the very least, be willing to see a different perspective! 💜🖤✌🏼
Thank you, Scarlett. That's what I wish for as well: that even if readeres don't agree with how an article has been written (assuming it's not maliciously and factually incorrect), that they will view it through a different perspective.
Some K-pop fans who dislike/hate me have 'warned' each other not to click on my articles, even though they admit that they were well written. Do you know who that hurts? Not me. (I'm not paid by clicks. I get paid the same whether an article is read by 1 person or 1 million people.) But editors take note of what kinds of articles perform well for their outlets. I have pitched certain artists to publications, only to be turned down because the last piece they ran on so-and-so didn't do well with readers. And while it is disappointing to hear, I can also understand that from a business point of view, it doesn't make sense to keep covering acts that their readers (seemingly) aren't interested in.
(Tone: Sincere) I wholeheartedly agree- the best outcome is that “readers…will view it through a different perspective.” Re: K-pop fans who warn each other not to read your articles- that kind of behavior is so juvenile…truly high school behavior 🙃🤦♀️…of course, I stand by “each to their own”… all the same, I call it as I see it. Plus, 💯 like you said that kind of behavior hurts the artists and when we go full circle the readers as well.
I also understand where publishers are coming from with the business perspective; however, since they are the ones with the final say I think it is a shame to appease poor behavior at the expense of the artists…
In any case, I appreciate you and all you share & do for us readers! 💜🖤✌🏼
Same. There are a lot of less-famous artists who I would like to write about, and sometimes it's difficult for me to find a home for them. But, I'll keep trying. I'm excited about a newer artist who I got placed in a very nice outlet. That will run much later this year, but I'm still excited about it!
(Tone: Sincere & Curious) This is more of an aside question– Are All(H)Ours & Big Ocean getting any traction in the US yet? I’d Love to read your take on them 😇😎💜🖤✌🏼
Big Ocean should be getting a lot more attention than they are. All(H)Ours's latest concept is intriguing. FWIW: Management/PR for the groups have not sent over any press releases (to me and some of the other writers I know who would be interested in them).
(Tone: Agreeing) I also believe Big Ocean definitely deserves more attention, which is one of the reasons I asked. (Tone: Honest) I Loved them from the moment they came onto my radar. (The same holds true for All(H)Ours but for different reasons.)
(Tone: Pensive) Surprising that management/PR hasn’t sent anything yet. I would have thought they’d be more proactive; however, I know there’s always more going on behind the scenes than what I am aware of. So, in the meantime I’ll be patient and excitedly look forward to when you do get the chance to share about them! 😇💜🖤✌🏼
(Tone: Grateful & Happy) I, for one (certainly there are many others), eagerly look forward to your articles and will be on the lookout for the one you’ve mentioned above!
(Tone: Sincere) I appreciate the work that you do and the time & effort you extend to all artists- new or otherwise! (I know I’ve said it before and I don’t mean to overdo it– I just firmly believe it’s important to credit & praise where it’s due!) 😇💜🖤✌🏼
Best thing about the Internet: it gives everyone a voice.
Worst thing about the Internet: it gives everyone a voice.
I read this and it was like reading about book publishing kerfluffles and reader drama. And it so often comes down to nine times out of ten reader/fan doesn't understand what goes on behind the scenes. And even if they did, they wouldn't care. *sigh*
Exactly! I understand that fans don't want their bias to be overlooked. But unless you are writing for a legacy publication, writers are often given so little time to interview 7, 8, 9 or more group members. I know of journalists who were given 10 minutes to conduct an interview, and they needed interpreters, which also cut into their time. It's not an optimal situation for anyone involved.
I feel like there's no winning in a situation like this. I'm a journalist (haven't had the opportunity to interview artist yet) but I can imagine how difficult it would be, especially with bigger groups like SEVENTEEN or TripleS. I had recently read an interview that SEVENTEEN did before Glastonbury and it only had quotes from 2-3 members, at the time as a fan I wanted to see everyone's reaction to their new achievement but reading this article really put things into perspective.
As publicist, I also find the fan response frustrating. My pre-interview prep includes providing journalists with appropriate background, clips, images, logistical information, etc. in order to make an interview an easy, efficient, and as positive experience as possible. It is a lot of work but it can lead to better headlines. But I also have to prep the talent to ensure they understand what the journalist knows, what to anticipate during the interview and to reinforce messaging. If a group member is not contributing a soundbite during an interview then it is usually discussed in advance; not contributing can be a strategy for a variety of reasons. When fans react this way, it minimizes everyone's efforts. Here's hoping common sense will one day prevail. PS: Did you get to interview Stray Kids during Lollapalooza??? Love to know your strategy going into that interview.
Oh, now I'm curious: what would be the strategy for not participating in an interview (if they're there with their bandmates, I mean)? I'm intrigued! (But only share if you can, obviously.)
I was on a trip that overlapped during Lollapalooza, but my strategy is always the same: I research the group, go over my notes from past years, prepare questions for the group and then also have specific questions for each group member. That said, because I write for prominent U.S. publications, I am almost always offered enough time to get everyone involved in the interview. This is not the case for some of my colleagues (especially those not in the U.S.), who are sometimes offered only 10 to 15 minutes.
I know nothing of K-pop but is this the equivalent of interviewing Bon Jovi and not talking to Richie Sambora? Or is it fans acting out/projecting?
I see from the post and comments there are tons of reasons. My initial thought was JI WOONG is shy or some flavor of Neurodivergent and doesn't always have the juice for an interview.
No, the equivalent would be interviewing the group Bon Jovi and getting quotes from all the members, but not including a quote from Richie Sambora for whatever reason (he didn't speak during the interview, he did speak but his quotes didn't make it into the article or was cut out by the editor - things like that ).
I've interviewed western groups for most of my career and those are usually conducted with one member: the leader of the group/singer-songwriter/lead guitarist. It's rare that the entire group is there for the interview unless it's a big feature and/or cover story. With K-pop groups, management is pretty insistent that all the members are present for the interview, even though it's rare for all of the members to speak up without at least a little encouragement. Fans sometimes assume that if a member isn't quoted, it's because the journalist hates him/her and has an agenda to tank their career by exclusion.
Usually the only time a K-pop idol won't participate in an interview (as in he or she won't show up for the interview) is if they are injured and taking some time off from the group to heal. In that case, I explain that in the intro so readers are aware of why they're missing.
I’m glad you brought this up. I think a lot of people (not just fans) do not understand the amount of work it takes to do a good interview. And sometimes, it will mean sacrificing certain quotes if it doesn’t add anything to the piece. It’s also very challenging to include everyone, especially when a group is quite large. Some are happy sitting and listening intently to the members that do contribute. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen interviews that are repetitive and add nothing new to the table for the sake of including everyone. As a fellow journalist, I’ve just decided I’ll keep doing my job as fairly as possible. Not everyone is going to be happy. That’s a sign of a job well done.
OMG all the drama! It certainly requires skill and self confidence to do your job.
It has nothing to do with female writers since the K-pop fans themselves are overwhelmingly women or rather girls prob minors. Yes there's a lot of adults and Kpop fans come in all ages and genders blah blah blah. I wish we could see the ages and nationality of the girls who write the nasty comments because my theory based on being embedded in the Kpop fandom for a couple years is they're overwhelmingly from Southeast Asia. I mean Kpop fans from any region can be crazy but you just don't see Koreans fans or Japanese fans or Chinese fans caring about this type of stuff . Because they're all english comments you can mistakenly think they must be from America or the UK or possibly India. I bet they are from english fluent families of Southeast Asian countries like the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia. I'm not trying to stereotype or say those fans are bad necessarily but they are just more intense about K-pop and they're english fluent and obsessively use places like Twitter. A huge tip off is they clown even black fans when they criticize their faves which most woke people in the West wouldn't do. I think if you actually confronted one in person they'd just say they're joking around and if you've been on Kpop Twitter its kind of a freewheeling, often times vicious ecosystem. I saw someone joking about BTS Taehyungs dead grandmother because they were a Blink, the natural enemy of Armys.
Its kind of a fuels errand to get in a debate with one about stuff like this because they're not good faith actors. You have to treat them like trolls from 4chan.
Thank you for your honest article, I loved it. As a K-Pop fan I'd rather have the artists be honest and say nothing or something I may not want to hear, than them being forced into doing something they're uncomfortable with.
I want them to be as happy as they make me.
Stay strong and keep going!!💜👍🏻
*INDISCRIMINATE YELLING*
Again, not a journalist, and definitely have never been in interview settings like these, but I suppose it's difficult to get a quote from everyone in a group. Like, imagine doing that to all of Seventeen. Then the fans will probably go ballistic that one member only had one line, the same way they go ballistic at line distribution videos and whatnot.
Ah, fans. I get that your life purpose at this moment is to fight for the honor of your favorites, but the world has always been more complicated than that. Otherwise, every K-pop group would get equal coverage in the United States, and not just BTS or Blackpink ad nauseum.
Okay, back to the yelling.
*MORE INDISCRIMINATE YELLING*
It can be difficult to navigate for sure. Luckily, when I write for a publication like Rolling Stone, I'm given a minimum of an hour, so there is time to get everybody. And I do prepare extensively, so that I have questions for everyone in general, as well as each group member. But if you only have 10 or 15 minutes to interview everyone and need an interpreter to help out, it can be extremely chaotic to get everyone. I think one option management might want to consider is splitting members into 2 or 3 groups for the interview, so that each group only has to answer a few questions - and then they're all done.
(Tone: Sincere) I truly Love & appreciate your authentic, clarifying, direct, honest, intelligent, refreshing, relatable, professional, and among much else witty writing! (Just wanted to have it said! I’m sure I will say it again in future as well.)
It’s truly mind boggling how many people whether they are fans/stans or not have such loose fingers when it comes to attacking journalists who invest so much time, energy, & effort to give their readers an eloquent, fun, interesting, relatable, etc… article. The main points for me is that 1. The majority of readers have no idea what kind of work goes in to an interview from start to finish (including the work pre-interview) 2. Those that attack/complain have every right to be disappointed (if they so choose) that the talent they like wasn’t quoted/not quoted enough (what have you); however, this is no reason to be entitled & self-righteous (and some other, less kind, words I won’t mention) right? 3. It’s no secret that Korean talent have strict restrictions that can create arduous scenarios for them– whiny fans included (it can be dangerous & life threatening…(Tone: facetious)…but who cares about that?).
(Tone: Reflective & Sincere) Re: Should all Kpop members be forced to participate in an interview?– absolutely not!!! I think that all journalists with integrity (and who have their humanity intact) give all members equal opportunity to participate and treat their interviewees with respect. Are there ‘bad apples’ in journalism- sure, but that goes for every industry.
(Tone: Grateful) Thank you for shedding light on this topic & for indulging my thoughts! 🙏 (Tone: Hopeful) I do hope that those who read this will take your words to heart and consider reflecting on their own behavior- at the very least, be willing to see a different perspective! 💜🖤✌🏼
Thank you, Scarlett. That's what I wish for as well: that even if readeres don't agree with how an article has been written (assuming it's not maliciously and factually incorrect), that they will view it through a different perspective.
Some K-pop fans who dislike/hate me have 'warned' each other not to click on my articles, even though they admit that they were well written. Do you know who that hurts? Not me. (I'm not paid by clicks. I get paid the same whether an article is read by 1 person or 1 million people.) But editors take note of what kinds of articles perform well for their outlets. I have pitched certain artists to publications, only to be turned down because the last piece they ran on so-and-so didn't do well with readers. And while it is disappointing to hear, I can also understand that from a business point of view, it doesn't make sense to keep covering acts that their readers (seemingly) aren't interested in.
(Tone: Sincere) I wholeheartedly agree- the best outcome is that “readers…will view it through a different perspective.” Re: K-pop fans who warn each other not to read your articles- that kind of behavior is so juvenile…truly high school behavior 🙃🤦♀️…of course, I stand by “each to their own”… all the same, I call it as I see it. Plus, 💯 like you said that kind of behavior hurts the artists and when we go full circle the readers as well.
I also understand where publishers are coming from with the business perspective; however, since they are the ones with the final say I think it is a shame to appease poor behavior at the expense of the artists…
In any case, I appreciate you and all you share & do for us readers! 💜🖤✌🏼
Same. There are a lot of less-famous artists who I would like to write about, and sometimes it's difficult for me to find a home for them. But, I'll keep trying. I'm excited about a newer artist who I got placed in a very nice outlet. That will run much later this year, but I'm still excited about it!
(Tone: Sincere & Curious) This is more of an aside question– Are All(H)Ours & Big Ocean getting any traction in the US yet? I’d Love to read your take on them 😇😎💜🖤✌🏼
Big Ocean should be getting a lot more attention than they are. All(H)Ours's latest concept is intriguing. FWIW: Management/PR for the groups have not sent over any press releases (to me and some of the other writers I know who would be interested in them).
(Tone: Agreeing) I also believe Big Ocean definitely deserves more attention, which is one of the reasons I asked. (Tone: Honest) I Loved them from the moment they came onto my radar. (The same holds true for All(H)Ours but for different reasons.)
(Tone: Pensive) Surprising that management/PR hasn’t sent anything yet. I would have thought they’d be more proactive; however, I know there’s always more going on behind the scenes than what I am aware of. So, in the meantime I’ll be patient and excitedly look forward to when you do get the chance to share about them! 😇💜🖤✌🏼
(Tone: Grateful & Happy) I, for one (certainly there are many others), eagerly look forward to your articles and will be on the lookout for the one you’ve mentioned above!
(Tone: Sincere) I appreciate the work that you do and the time & effort you extend to all artists- new or otherwise! (I know I’ve said it before and I don’t mean to overdo it– I just firmly believe it’s important to credit & praise where it’s due!) 😇💜🖤✌🏼
Best thing about the Internet: it gives everyone a voice.
Worst thing about the Internet: it gives everyone a voice.
I read this and it was like reading about book publishing kerfluffles and reader drama. And it so often comes down to nine times out of ten reader/fan doesn't understand what goes on behind the scenes. And even if they did, they wouldn't care. *sigh*
Exactly! I understand that fans don't want their bias to be overlooked. But unless you are writing for a legacy publication, writers are often given so little time to interview 7, 8, 9 or more group members. I know of journalists who were given 10 minutes to conduct an interview, and they needed interpreters, which also cut into their time. It's not an optimal situation for anyone involved.