Official fromis_9 Thread | Where Flovers promise now, cherish it dearly! | The MEMENTO BOX is OPENED on June 27th

[Didact Taleh]

If they announce a comeback sometime from early May to mid June I'll hold out cautious optimism for a second in October/Nov. Anything past mid June will prob mean no second comeback this year, (though I want to be wrong).

I wonder if the new Swing Ent-IZ arrangement will open up room for OTR to do more stuff with fromis_9? We'll see, I guess...

[Didact Taleh]

I'm probably very wrong about this, but I wonder if as of now they're waiting until after Natty's promotions are done. 

I know OTR and Swing are distinct, but they're both Stone subsidiaries so... I don't know. Like I said, probably not the case..

[Didact Taleh]

1 hour ago, satoori said:

Looking at the upcoming releases so far for May, the bold is who Fromis should avoid the most.

So it's starting to look like Fromis might make a comeback mid to end June. The promotions and start of Gyuri drama might give them some needed attention. This will be Kim Soohyun first drama since 5 years ago so there will be a lot of buzz! If the drama is good then even more attention!

You're right, good point. The calendar is stacked with heavy-hitters. Maybe they will decide to have the comeback coincide with the launch of Gyuri's drama for additional exposure.

At some point though, it becomes a matter of jumping into the fray or staying home altogether. (Not an accusation, just an observation.)

Edited April 30, 2020 by Didact Taleh

[Didact Taleh]

Yeah, the beginning of April looked promising to me too. But I guess (in March) OTR was still more focused on what to do about the postponed Japanese debut and fanmeets (and keeping tabs on how things were going in JP), than pivoting back to Korea as an immediate contingency plan.

[Didact Taleh]

1 hour ago, satoori said:

Now I'm wondering what OTR is thinking about their Japan debut. 

Me too. I'm guessing OTR saw/sensed something promising in the Japanese market to move forward with a JP debut before a Korean comeback, but with how things are now it's difficult to say. 

Though at first it looked like Japan had avoided the worst of CV19 it seems it's starting to get bad, and they'll probably be a second wave in the fall.

SK seems to have gotten things under control for the most part, so if I was OTR, (in my dreams), I'd concentrate on Korean activities for the remainder of this year, and hold off on Japan 'til 2021.

Though if circumstances permit, it would be nice if they held at least one JP fanmeet.

 

Edited April 30, 2020 by Didact Taleh

[Didact Taleh]

Well, looks like BP is having a comeback in mid-June. OTR either needs to throw their hat into the mix or wait until July/August, by which time I bet groups that promoted in January to early April will start having their second round of comebacks.

Sometimes it feels like OTR's handling of fromis is comparable to handling/steering a yacht like it was a freighter.

Edited May 4, 2020 by Didact Taleh

[Didact Taleh]

@beram Go for it.

[Didact Taleh]

I know covid threw a wrench in a lot of plans, and maybe OTR is sticking more or less to their original Korean comeback schedule, but I think that shows, (as with their listlessness during the IS investigation), at least partially, that they find it difficult to respond/adapt to contingencies.

If OTR deemed it more profitable, and better for fromis, to begin splitting time between and Japan and Korea that's fine, but circumstances being what they are, I think it could be a chance for fromis to establish a solid name for themselves in Korea, if OTR proves me wrong and is capable of shifting gears.

Also, if OTR keeps doing singles (and one cb per yr) for fromis, that would leave me disgruntled for sure. (And if that were indicative of OTR already looking to a post-IZ group, it would definitely leave me fuming.)

For now, I'll assume that OTR is following their original KR schedule, more or less, and maybe they'll manage to surprise us and do something for fromis in the fall. Wishful thinking maybe, but we'll see.

[Didact Taleh]

@satoori I think you're right. OTR, it seems, has never been self-sufficient.

Double-agree on the need for the girls' individual activities. I find it hard to believe that at least some people at OTR don't have ins with entertainment execs/producers.

I've been thinking about the possibility that OTR's strategy is D.I.Y.ing or indie-izing fromis, especially if Seoyeon's studio stuff is anything to go by. (I, for one, would've liked them to have the girls do more of that kind of stuff earlier, but the past is the past.) If they are going that way they NEED an online merch store, at least with shirts and pins at the beginning. Getting printed band t-shirts to sell isn't that hard or expensive, especially for a Kpop agency. Even if they aren't going for DIYfrom, I still think it would be a good idea to make money, without having to worry so much about album production cost and sales. I bet they could get Hot Topic to carry their merch in the US if they really wanted to.

Anyway, yeah, I would buy fromis t-shirts and a hoodie if they had a merch store...

[Didact Taleh]

@satoori Sorry, I was being unclear about my use of DIY. I didn't mean to say for the girls to do everything. I meant that OTR could actually behave like an indy label and allow the girls to participate, get involved, and incur responsibility in the creative and music production process. The onus of the heavy lifting would rightly be on OTR as such, because that is their job. But I don't think it's beyond the pale to have them write most of their songs, at least for minis. 

As for the merch, I understand that they invest in commemorative products. What I was trying to point out, I guess, is that a dedicated online merch store provides continuous revenue that doesn't depend on promotional/special events. They wouldn't even have to come up with new designs right away either, just stamp already existing logos and designs on stuff. Most of the profit from that would still go to OTR.

If OTR is low on resources for fromis, they gotta make due with what they've got, and they have at least 3 potentially very talented songwriters. And I maintain that online merch store is a relatively low-cost way to make some revenue.

Anyway, these are all hypotheticals in my head, and very likely a far reach from reality, but it's interesting to think about, at least. 

I too want OTR to do their job well and diligently.

[Didact Taleh]

Wild that for group that's about to be 2.5 years old, fully one year will have been spent on waiting on their next comeback.

[Didact Taleh]

So, apparently IZ is getting a summer comeback ... and still no announcements for fromis_9... feels like OTR is letting fromis drown in the shallows... kind of makes me want to let out a string of expletives, but I'll just say this: GARBAGE.

[Didact Taleh]

3 hours ago, satoori said:

I think fromis will comeback before Izone. 

You're probably right. 

I was already in a foul mood when I read the news, that's why I was so steamed.

[Didact Taleh]

What follows is all conjecture and may have no correspndence to reality:

I've been thinking OTR probably had no plans for a late-spring/early-summer Korean comeback for fromis_9. So they didn't have anything for the girls 'cause they might only have thought about starting to plan for Korean promotions only after they were done with the Japan stuff. Maybe they were eyeing a late-July to early-Sept period. 

If so, that would pretty much confirm fromis as one comeback per year, and probably having to wait till after april 2021.

I think OTRs schedule might be something like: 

late Jun/July - izone

late jul to sept - fromis

oct/nov - izone

march/april - izone farewell

Anyway, feels like fromis are getting clc'd; hopefully they don't get pristin'd.

Edited May 17, 2020 by Didact Taleh
disclaimer/caveat

[Didact Taleh]

I know a lot of the agencies aren't great at communicating with fans, but a lot of fan "anxiety" could be assuaged with some fairly generic communiques.

OTR could have said something along the lines of:

"We know you want see/meet fromis, the members want to see you too. We were diligently preparing for Japanese promotions but the global health situation we sadly couldn't do it at this time. As things stand we need time to readjust so that the group can meet fans under more positive conditions. Please wait for fromis as they get ready to prepare for future promotions. We will be releasing content on youtube and social media regularly, and will let you know when we are closer to meeting you once again."

That took less than 2 minutes to write. It may be PR speak, but it let's you know something, at least. Instead a lot of fans keep expecting a comeback announcement that won't come (soon), are disappointed, and grow increasingly frustrated.

Anyway, I'll keep waiting.. 

[Didact Taleh]

[Izone cb confirmed for June 15] I like it when I get things right most of the time, but this stings.

Kinda wishing those rumors about fromis transferring to pledis and pledis being acquired by bighit had been true. Alas...

C'mon 3rd quarter 2020 comeback...

Edited May 18, 2020 by Didact Taleh

[Didact Taleh]

The channel_9 stuff in the dorm really shows that Seoyeon is a lot like a little puppy. It's so funny...and endearing, I might add...

[Didact Taleh]

2 hours ago, GlenCoco said:

Hello, new Fromis_9 fan here well since F.U.N came out

Nice to have you.

[Didact Taleh]

3 hours ago, satoori said:

 

I'm also noticing watching the dorm life and channel 9 special in general, their group dynamics more. 

Good observations.

It's nice to see how their relationships with each other have evolved, and how they conduct themselves generally.

One of the most interesting things for me is seeing more of Jisun's independent woman style. She's cool and kinda intense without being showy or brazen. 

Another is, as I already mentioned, Seoyeon's puppy-likeness. She wants to cuddle and play, gets hungry and bored, and so the cycle goes. It gives me the "warm and fuzzies."

Related to that, I find the dynamics between Seoyeon and Saerom fascinating. Or rather, their relationship is very sweet, I guess. Saerom is like the big sister and Seoyeon the (much younger) little sister. In one vlive I think Seoyeon said Saerom doesn't like being touched, and Saerom affirmed. But she does let herself be hugged by Seoyeon, and during the In the House couch interviews, Saerom was constantly holding Seoyeon's hand. Very heartwarming, I think.

All the girls are super, and they care for each other well, it seems.

[Didact Taleh]

During the last vlive Jiheon said she used to practice Hapkido. Now I want her to teach me, since I've wanted to learn for a while. Haha!

[Didact Taleh]

I was thinking about the short 4minute cover fromis did... it would've been cool if they did something like "F.M. Dance Project" where they put out full dance covers every other week or something... especially since they've been in the practice room for at least the last 3 or 4 weeks, according to Jiheon.

[Didact Taleh]

Yeah, who knows how the pledis/bighit thing will affect fromis, 'cause OTR doesn't say a damn thing.

I'm with @satoori that they're mostly a shell, but even shells have a try-to-polish-sh** PR team.

"yada yada, please bear with us, with some big changes, we're trying to decide how to serve the group going forward, yada yada..."

If Cj/Stone didn't want the responsibility of taking care (in all respects) of a girl group, and they clearly don't, why make it a permanent group in the first place?

So, we're in the dark on the relationship between OTR/pledis/bighit and fromis' place in all of it, or their future...

As for the fact that they're not preparing for a comeback right now, there's 3 options:

1) A KR comeback in Aug./Sept.

2) OTR was betting it all on Japan, and waiting for the emergency restrictions to be lifted (which it seems they will soon) and is going ahead with JP stuff.

3) They've got nothing for the group and kind of have them in a holding pattern of "off-season" practice.

That OTR doesn't feel the need to provide updates (or even one) on fromis shows how low on the priorities they seem to be; in an "agency" with just TWO groups!

The girls deserve so much better, it grinds my gears.

[Didact Taleh]

From the beginning they could have had a temporary contract with a permamency clause for good performance, or a permanent contract with an "underperfromance" clause to switch to a temporary group. 

Either way CJ needed to make sure to place them in a place where they could provide stability and proper attention.

I think the biggest mistake was CJ basically dumping both groups on Pledis, when Pledis had a history of not being able to juggle multiple groups. And at the time they were already struggling with what to do with Pristin.

I'm sure there was no shortage of suitors to manage izone for cj. But no, they wanted it easy and thought, "well we already have a contractor in pledis."

And now what? fromis seems like the child of divorce who's custody is in question and which no particular party seems too invested in.

[Didact Taleh]

3 hours ago, satoori said:

last epTT so what's next for fromis?

Back to posting outtakes and unreleased footage from older material, I guess...

Thinking of posting my bad attempts at bad poetry inspired by fromis_9:

Sing and dance youthful muses, with the twirling of your forms and the melody of your voices, remind me that the world is fair.

[Didact Taleh]

It could just mean they are planning to release the full cover, or maybe another cover. Of course, I'd want it to be indicative of a comeback, but we'll have to wait in any case.

Also, let it be known that not even Jisun will make me succumb to asmr... I'm with Jiheon on this, haha.