YG Entertainment Taking On Other Entertainment Labels? — Netizens Criticize Company Known For BIGBANG And 2NE1 Of Inconsiderate Business Conduct

In South Korea today, specifically in their music industry, there are numerous entertainment labels that specialize in K-pop. It usually consists of the “Big Three” — SM Entertainment, YG Entertainment, and JYP Entertainment — and many smaller entertainment labels such as Source Entertainment, Cube Entertainment, Big Hit Entertainment, and so on.

Despite the obvious fact the aforementioned labels are considered competition to each other, they still try their best to be formal and respectful. For starters, the K-pop music industry understands that if they continue to become more popular as a whole, they can establish a more secure foothold in international entertainment, more so than they currently do now. As a matter of fact, that considerable business conduct seems to have evolved to major collaborations such as GFriend and Twice working together to perform Girls’ Generation’s “Gee” or Tiffany (also of Girls’ Generation) recording at JYP Entertainment as part of Sister’s Slam Dunk.

Unfortunately, not all entertainment labels share the same respect and consideration for each other. YG Entertainment, the label best known for K-pop acts Big Bang, 2NE1, iKon, and Black Pink, is one such label. Just recently, netizens criticized YG Entertainment of inconsiderate business practices. Such can be seen as YG Entertainment going head-to-head with their competition at any means necessary.

Netizens are criticizing YG Entertainment for inconsiderate business practices after the popular entertainment label decided to set up press conferences at the same time other entertainment labels have already set up press conferences for their talent. According to AllKpop, Nine Muses A, a sub-group of Nine Muses, had a press conference set up on August 4 at 2 p.m. KST. YG Entertainment decided to set up their press conference for Big Bang’s 10th Anniversary on the same day at the same time. This forced Nine Muses A to move their press conference up by three hours at 11 a.m KST. In a similar case, Jun. K, the main vocalist for 2PM, has his solo album showcase scheduled at 4:30 p.m. KST on August 8. YG Entertainment has their conference for Black Pink scheduled at 3 p.m. which might overlap with Jun K.’s conference.

Usually, when press conferences of K-pop artists are scheduled at the same time or are in danger of overlapping, the K-pop artists’ respective entertainment labels will work together so that they will not interfere with each other. For example, in February, Astro’s debut showcase and Taemin’s solo album showcase were scheduled at the same time. SM Entertainment and Fantagio Entertainment resolved the issue in which the former pulled Taemin’s showcase up an hour and the latter pushed back Astro’s showcase an hour. A month before that, Ryeowook’s solo showcase and GFriend’s showcase overlapped too. Both of their respective labels adjusted for an hour each too.

Summarized, entertainment labels avoid conflict with overlapping. They will communicate with each other, working out a way to avoid conflict. That does not seem to be the case for YG Entertainment. Both Star Empire (Nine Muses A’s label) and JYP Entertainment (Jun K.’s label) revealed YG Entertainment has not contacted them about overlapping schedules. What’s worse, YG Entertainment scheduled their press conferences after Star Empire set up Nine Muses A’s conference and JYP Entertainment set up Jun K.’s conference.

Right now, it is a very bad time for YG Entertainment to be sowing discord among other entertainment labels in the K-pop industry. Despite being competition, they need to stand together especially if K-pop, along with all other things Hallyu, are banned from entering China. But it seems, YG Entertainment wants to take them all head-on.

[Image via YG Entertainment and AllKpop]