What’s wrong with these screenshots? It shows the top-50 most listened and downloaded J-Pop songs on Bugs.co.kr, and a staggering 16 of these are by Korean artists. Let’s think about that for a minute: people are actually choosing, out of their own free will, to listen to and download Japanese versions of Korean songs. I understand the curiosity factor in wanting to find out how the likes of Girls’ Generation and 2PM sing in Japanese, and I am also aware that people here take pride in singers performing abroad and getting on the Oricon chart or whatever. But this is getting too far – Bugs needs to curate this by excluding Korean groups’ music from this list, because no matter how you look at it, their music is not J-Pop, just Korean pop in a different language. I want to know which songs from Japanese artists are popular in Korea, not how many SHINee fans are listening to their idols’ singles released across the East Sea.
I think language can be an important factor. I listen to KARA in both Korean and Japanese versions, and I find them totally different in sound. At the same time, however, I can understand your point. I, too, want to see more Japanese musicians from the list.
Yeah, I’m not above checking out ‘Gee’ in both languages, but something’s not right when 1/3 of all songs on the list are Korean artists. Perhaps that’s less an indictment of Bugs as it is of the listeners…
I wonder if the list would look any different if HMV Japan compiles its version of the top 50 Jpop list. If HMV produces a similar list, then I guess we might just have to accept it as a piece of reality.
I have a feeling that some of the K-pop acts aren’t as popular as the Korean media makes them out to be. While I understand that SNSD and Kara are well-known, Bugs contains groups like 2PM and Beast and other rubbish, and I cannot imagine them selling out arenas over there.