Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism to Crack Down on Bulk Music Sales
A law was recently passed in Korea that is cracking down on sajaegi, or the buying of albums and digital singles in bulk. The law is garnering concern amongst fans, as group purchases fall under the definition of sajaegi as stated in the law.
According to the “Promotion of the Music Industry Legislation” clause of the law, producers and distributors, as well as consumers, can face punishment for the bulk purchase or sale of music. Specifically mentioned in the law is “fan-mobilized group activities through [music] agencies,” leaving people wondering if the fans can be punished for voluntary group consumption of music.
The biggest concern with the law is how it will be interpreted when actually implemented. This is because it is hard to determine whether the group purchases are for the benefit of the company with the shared goal of promoting the artist, or whether they are done out of just being a fan.
A representative for the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism stated on March 3, “The government will be working with representatives from the music industry to arrange guidelines for the application of the law up until it goes into effect. We will make every effort to ensure that the law is enforced according to the process of discussion and to avoid excessive regulation.”
100. Crayon Pop - Bar Bar Bar (33,012,670) [-3] 99. TVXQ - Mirotic (33,149,251) [-3] 98. PSY - Right Now (33,436,414) [-4] 97. GOT7 - A (33,807,695) [NEW] 96. 2NE1 - Don't Stop The Music (33.840,543) [-3] 95. AoA - Miniskirt (34,060,425) [=] 94. Red Velvet - Ice Cream Cake (34,070,806) [+5] 93. High4 & IU - Not Spring, Love or Cherry Blossoms (34,187,419) [-1] 92/ f(x) - Pinocchio (34,506,767) [-1] 91. Henry - Trap (35,383,074) [-1] 90. 2NE1 - Go Away (35,560,339) [-2]
89. Girls' Generation - Dancing Queen (36,258,441) [-3] 88. Girls' Generation - Genie (36,579,156) [-3] 87. f(x) - Hot Summer (36,716,275) [-3] 86. Wonder Girls - Be My Baby (36,783,180) [-3] 85. EXID - Ah Yeah (36,842,115) [+4] 84. Beast - Beautiful Night (37,747,942) [-3] 83. BIGBANG - Love Song (37,760,688) [-4] 82. Super Junior - Mamacita (38,276,093) [-2] 81. BTS - Boy In Luv (38,374,537) [+6] 80. 2PM - Hands Up (38,670,743) [-2]
79. PSY - Korea (38,968,356) [-2] 78. G-Dragon - One of a Kind (39,282,522) [-2] 77. BIGBANG - We Like 2 Party (39,389,812) [+5] 76. f(x) - Rum Pum Pum Pum (39,510,284) [-2] 75. EXO - Mama (40,640,512) [-2] 74. Girls' Generation - Catch Me If You Can [+1] 73. Beast - Fiction (41,094,327) [-5] 72. SISTAR - Touch My Body (41,173,421) [=] 71. G-Dragon - That XX (41,227,862) [-1] 70. 2NE1 - Fire (41,428,852) [-4]
69. G-Dragon - Who You? (41,806,100) [+2] 68. Twice - Like Ooh-Ahh (41,846,516) [+30] 67. EXO - Love Me Right (42,642,429) [+2] 66. EXID - Up & Down (42,736,238) [+1] 65. 2NE1 - Falling In Love (43,791,086) [-2] 64. miss A - Only You (45,363,545) [-2] 63. G-Dragon - Crayon (45,413,833) [-3] 62. GOT7 - Just Right (45,978,400) [+3] 61. Nu'est - Face (46,133,283) [-3] 60. EXO - History (46,958,543) [-4]
59. HyunA - Red (47,155,021) [-2] 58. BTS - Dope (47,599,941) [+6] 57. Girls' Generation - Lion Heart (47,741,084) [+4] 56. BIGBANG - Sober (47,789,187) [+3] 55. 2NE1 - Come Back Home (47,886,960) [=] 54. Taeyang - I Need a Girl (47,940,129) [=] 53. G-Dragon - Heartbreaker (49,174,419) [-2] 52. SISTAR - So Cool (49,417,801) [-2] 51. Taeyang - Ringa Linga (49,576,041) [+1] 50. Super Junior - Sexy, Free & Single (49,710,270) [-2]
49. SHINee - Hello (50,213,587) [-2] 48. 4Minute - Crazy (51,361,018) [+5] 47. 2NE1 - Lonely (51,528,230) [-1] 46. SISTAR19 - Ma Boy (53,129,015) [-2] 45. 2NE1 - I Love You (53,212,818) [-2] 44. BIGBANG - Tonight (53,645,680) [-2] 43. BIGBANG - Let's Not Fall In Love (55,209,533) [+2] 42. Taeyeon - I (56,003,700) [+7] 41. Girls' Generation - Party (56,207,194) [=] 40. SISTAR - Alone (56,892,344) [-1]
10. BIGBANG - Bang Bang Bang (116,095,155) [+2] 09. PSY - Daddy (129,495,590) [=] 08. Girls' Generation - The Boys (135,498,447) [=] 07. 2NE1 - I Am The Best (145,647,993) [=] 06. Girls' Generation - I Got a Boy (156,693,158) [=] 05. Girls' Generation - Gee (156,884,783) [=] 04. Big Bang - Fantastic Baby (208,732,923) [=] 03. PSY & HyunA - Oppa Is Just My Style (624,968,229) [=] 02. PSY - Gentleman (937,320,195) [=] 01. PSY - Gangnam Style (2,528,955,169) [=]
The article states that BIGBANG has broken out of the “K-pop machine” and “matured to become a new generation of boyband, one whose artists are involved in writing, composing, and producing.”
“Actually, I don’t know why they call Korean music ‘K-pop,’” Seungri said in the interview. “Good music is good music.” G-Dragon added, “We are Korean, so obviously they call our music K-pop. But we never thought of our music as K-pop. Our music is just our music.”
T.O.P had the final word, saying, “You don’t divide pop music by who’s doing it. We don’t say, for instance, ‘white pop’ when white people make music.”
