Dispatch dips their toes in the recent controversy regarding the Billboard Top Social Artist Award of BTS

[Hyooga]

I was having my lunchbreak at work and chanced upon this article by Dispatch. My Korean is pretty bad but I realized no one has translated this article. I actually thought twice about translating this, but I realized might as well do it. If anyone who speaks and reads Korean better than me has some corrections, please kindly PM me and point out corrections asap. 

 

Disclaimer: Not a native speaker, might have some mistakes so feel free to PM me. 

 

Deleted some images because this post can only limit it up to 15. For more of the photos, original article: http://www.dispatch.co.kr/886488

 

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Dispatch: If you saw Bangtan during the Billboard Awards...this controversy is meaningless

 

This is the Pink Carpet

 

The doorway to the Bilboard Music Awards

 

Bilboard – it’s not a place where you can easily be included. It’s not your typical awards ceremony. In fact, even we (Dispatch) were in disbelief.

 

“Billboard? What? Is it possible?†–Dispatch

 

When something is so difficult to believe, the best way is to see it with your own eyes. As an old saying goes “to see is to believeâ€. So I found myself in Las Vegas in May. 

 

 

Firstly, we will discuss the things we saw. We heard people/officials (?) from Billboard were impressed.

 

 

“Billboard is the top authority in America.  Anyone without a call cannot come.â€

 

â€˜ë¹Œë½•â€™ì¼ ìˆ˜ 있습니다. 하지만 ê·¸ ìžë¶€ì‹¬ 하나는 대단했습니다. 하긴 전세계 모든 ê°€ìˆ˜ì˜ ê¿ˆì´ â€˜ë¹Œë³´ë“œâ€™ 진입ì´ë‹ˆâ€¦. 그럴 ë§Œë„ í•©ë‹ˆë‹¤. (skipping this part as I don’t trust my own translation for it – if anyone can give a suitable translation for this, I’ll put it here. It talks about how every singer aspires to be on the Billboard)

 

 

Ah, The answer was the comment to the question “How was BTS invited?â€

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Surely America’s “lip service†is the best throughout the world, so it is important to actually see.*  If you go to the pink carpet, do you feel the popularity?

 

 

 

 

 

 

From this point, it is the magenta carpet.

 

 

 

 

 

T-Mobile Arena

 

 

 

 

 

It was a world of “ARMYâ€

 

 

 

 

 

Many fans

 

 

 

 

I cheered for BTS

 

 

 

 

Thank you

 

 

 

The true story was 80% of the people there were fans of Bangtan. Most of the fans during the event were ARMY. They were here to see BTS, not the Billboard. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I remember joking about it: Billboard did not save Bangtan, but Bangtan saved Billboard. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last week, BTS was on the frontpage.  Someone threatened their agency “to send 300 million won because he has data on illegal marketingâ€. That person was sentenced by court for 1 year in prison for extortion. â€œê±°ëž˜ì²˜ì— ëŒ€í•œ ë¹„ë°€ì„ ì•…ìš©í–ˆê¸°ì— ì£„ì§ˆì´ ë‚˜ì˜ë‹¤â€ ë©° ì‹¤í˜•ì„ ì„ ê³ í–ˆìŠµë‹ˆë‹¤. (again, not very sure how to translate this part faithfully)

 

 

 

 

 

 

ë¶ˆë˜¥â€™ì€ ì—‰ëš±í•œ 곳으로 튀었습니다. 다름아닌, 빌보드로 ë§ì´ì£ . “불법 마케팅 ë•ë¶„ì— ìƒì„ ë°›ì€ ê²Œ 아니ëƒâ€ëŠ” ì˜í˜¹ë„ 제기ë습니다. (Kinda scared to mistranslate this part so skipping this but it touches upon the recent insinuations the Billboard Award was caused by illegal marketing)

 

Is it possible? It is not. 

 

 

 

 

First, the defendant was assigned to market BTS in 2015. But according to Billboard, the criteria for the 2017 BBMA nominations are from March 2016-March 2017. The period isn’t right.

 

Next, Billboard picks winners based on album, songs, streaming, radioplay, tours, and social engagement. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*Too long but this part Dispatch talks about, how it wasn't clear what "illegal marketing"(불법) the defendant was talking about, the court calling it a "shortcut" (편법) Big Hit mentioned it was online viral marketing ("ê·¸ íŽ¸ë²•ì€ ì˜¨ë¼ì¸ ë°”ì´ëŸ´ ë§ˆì¼€íŒ…ì„ ëœ»í•œë‹¤" - lit trans: that 편법 means online viral marketing). Dispatch then discusses about viral marketing and how it’s actually been commonplace in any industry since forever.* 

 

Original Korean text just in case I understood it wrong lmao: 

 

단, A씨가 했다는 ë§ˆì¼€íŒ…ì´ ë¬´ì—‡ì¸ì§€ 정확히 ë°í˜€ì§€ì§€ 않았습니다. A씨는 <불법>ì´ë¼ ë§í–ˆê³ , 재íŒë¶€ëŠ” <편법>ì´ë¼ 봤으며, 소ì†ì‚¬ëŠ” <ê·¸ íŽ¸ë²•ì€ ì˜¨ë¼ì¸ ë°”ì´ëŸ´ ë§ˆì¼€íŒ…ì„ ëœ»í•œë‹¤>ê³  해명했습니다. ‘바ì´ëŸ´ ë§ˆì¼€íŒ…â€™ì„ ì¡°ê¸ˆ ë” ì„¤ëª…í•˜ìžë©´ ì´ëŸ° ì‹ìž…니다. “ì´ë²ˆ 앨범 대박â€, “믿고 듣는 ë‚´ ê°€ìˆ˜â€ ë“±ì˜ ìžë»‘ ê¸€ì„ ì˜¬ë¦¬ëŠ” 것ì´ì£ . ì´ëŠ” ì—°ì˜ˆê³„ì˜ ì˜¤ëž˜ëœ ë§ˆì¼€íŒ… 툴입니다. 가요계 ë¿ ì•„ë‹ˆë¼, ì˜í™”계나 패션계는 ë” ì‹¬í•˜ê³ ìš”. 심지어 ì¼ë¶€ ìŠ¤íƒ€ë“¤ì€ ê°œì¸ ë°”ì´ëŸ´ ë§ˆì¼€íŒ…ë„ í•©ë‹ˆë‹¤.

 

 

 

 

I do not know what Big Hit was trying to market. But with any marketing, you cannot buy a Billboard. It is clear that Billboard has a partner taking all the statistics – Nielsen. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BTS ranked first in social artist category in 2017. On May 6 (15 days before the deadline), the votes for BTS was 100 million. Justin Bieber has 13 million. 

 

 

 

 

 

Can I tell you the final result? BTS got more than 300 million votes. Bieber only had 23 million votes. They were ahead by more than ten times. 

 

 

 

 

 

The Billboard Award of BTS. It is a valuable that cannot be denigrated. It is an outcome that cannot be gained by marketing and cannot be bought with money. 

 

 

 

 

 

I am just imparting what I saw and experienced in Las Vegas. This was Dispatch reporter Kim Suji.

 

[Marshmallows]

Normally I dont like Dispatch but it's really nice that they did this for BTS.

[gore]

love seeing all these journalists defend bts.  the boys must leave a good impression on them 

[Sana <3]

Normally I dont like Dispatch but it's really nice that they did this for BTS.

[taekoos]

Another in their defense. only a true idiot would question the validity of those 300 million votes.

[Fat Ass Keâ„“â„“y Price]

"80% of people were ARMYs"

A psychic can tell better lies than that

[90's Baby]

on the bright side, this issue gave BTS even more attention for their comeback. karma is truly an army lmao

[stylish]

love seeing all these journalists defend bts.  the boys must leave a good impression on them 

[Smile Hoya]

Even Dispatch is appalled. 

[feat. you]

this all started because of stupidity but the mediaplay is GREAT for bts and army. this comeback is huge

[Stepkdramafan226]

 

    

 

 

Army really made me proud that day. I love y'all   

[mochacapp]

[ImAmazing]

Dispatch actually came through for once. I'm glad Armys and other journalists are clapping back and making Jeon Won look like a bigger dumbass. 

[Wookookie]

It's great to see journalists calling out other journalists. Dispatch is Dispatch and I'm sure if they can get any dirt on BTS they won't hesitate in publishing it but at least this time they came forth for them.

 

Thanks for roughly translating it, I hope we get a more detailed translation soon.

[DULSET]

When even a trashy paparazzi defend them (along with tons of other journalists of course), you know how fucked up in the head those who attacked them.

[vivianss]

BTS deserves better.

Xportnews and the reporter's credibility of journalism already tainted over a petty hatred to a kpop boy group.

There's not only dispatch. There are more news outlet out there defending them even when they don't need to do, bc just like some part of OH says about this issue.

it's only kpop, it's not that deep

 

But well reality tell otherwise.

[Youes]

I'm so proud of this. in the end, BH didn't have to do mediaplay, It naturally happens because of someone pettyness

Life is fair tho.

This is so accurate btw:

Taehyung, Jungkook! You're famous! I saw your face is there!!

 

EDIT:

WORLDWIDE HANDSOME TOO! KYAAA! plus taekook

[saffy]

Someone that was ACTUALLY there spoke up hah !

[ASS]

"80% of people were ARMYs"

A psychic can tell better lies than that

Were you even there? Bc if you were not you can stfu lol.

 

Dispatch was nice for this~

[Sakura // TaeTae]

after that time when dispactn called jimin and jungkook spies at bb concert..., did not see this one coming

[flashfox]

 

[TammyMay]

What do netizens think about this whole issue?i hope this still doesnt affect BTS.

[satoori]

When even a trashy paparazzi defend them (along with tons of other journalists of course), you know how fucked up in the head those who attacked them.

[Arundati]

nice article dispatch~

 

maybe all the korean news in TV should come out with this video too~

There's many army cheers for them~ So that they believe bts popularity in there

 

http://youtu.be/rhOlyCu6vCM

[satoori]

What do netizens think about this whole issue?i hope this still doesnt affect BTS.

 

idk I don't think it will...considering the clarification post released by Bighit trended on Naver...and the popular comments in articles are supporting BTS. Other Korean media outlets are defending them too.

 

Plus the CEO of Xsports "apologized" - people tend to apologize when they are wrong and/or scared of the backlash..

 

 

However will there be more people in the future who try to ruin BTS reputation and hurt them? Yes.