Why SM sucks (Adding Mark back to NCT DREAM, Lee Sooman, uninteresting concepts, artists unified identity, Kwangya, f(x) exclusion)
I, in no way hate Mark or anything like that, I barely even care that much to dislike him. With that being said, I don't see the point of having that emotional goodbye and having such a sad moment that only helped NCT DREAM grow as a team, just to add him back? I don't get it. The members went through a lot and got much closer as 6 members they were figuring out their musical style and doing very well at it. Some of their music after him was their best (besides Hello Future, soty!) Their styles and voices have matured as well so they no longer go together as much as they used to when they were younger. Also, it's concerning for Mark's health. He had one less job to do but now it has even MORE to do (with the addition of SuperM). SM really didn't have to do that. I understand if he wanted to go back or something like that but I highly doubt Mark is in SM's office begging to have an even more packed schedule than he already does. SM's reliance on Mark has not been of benefit to anyone especially not Mark. Also, Sungchan or Shotaro would have been just fine for NCT DREAM. If they NEEDED 7 members one of them could have debuted in NCT DREAM. It would also add a newer more interesting dynamic for DREAM as a group and their musical style. DREAM doesn't feel like DREAM they feel like an extension of 127. Which is a trend that SM has really been in love with lately because most of NCT's subunits feel like that now. Even their other artists (except Red Velvet and SNSD). Don't Call Me by SHINEE, NCT song. Aespa started good then they released Savage which was good by very female ver. of nct, then doubled down on that with Girls. None of these songs are bad, but they strip these artists of their individual identity that most had before nct even debuted. All of this, is Lee Sooman's fault btw/j Kwangya was a terrible idea, nothing interesting has come out of it (no, not even Aespa's scary sims 2 avatars. Seriously, none of their AIs look like them?? Go CC shopping please?? Fans are making better more realistic sims for free?? BUY THEM!!/hj) SM's now unified identity in terms of music, has not helped any of the image of SM at all. Kpop already had a bad rep due to new kpop stans and their weird sexism and deciding to bully the cute concept out of kpop in favor of the now exhausted girl crush and bad@ass concepts (cute concepts are what SM excels at and allowed SM their biggest hits, everyone say thank you to Girl's Generation!) Now they are trying too hard to be different while pushing away the only that have genuinely unique concepts and songs to the back (Shinee, Red Velvet, f(x), any NCT unit besides 127). They are forgetting the original blueprint of the company it's frustrating because I am sitting here loving SM's artists, watching as SM single-handedly ruin f(x), ignore Red Velvet, turn Shinee into 127 with a super junior wig, and watching my favorite nct units (wayv and dream) get turned into 127 and nct u. Oh, it's terrible for me. No one wants to put their NCT 127 Touch pants on anymore. everyone wants to release Kick It the re-up. Kick It is good, but what does that have to do with Shinee?? There's NOTHING wrong with changing concepts but changing the sound that I loved Shinee so much for? What happened to being Married to the funky, fun, upbeat, catchy, and retro Music?? SM is pushing Red Velvet, the most potential to break out in the American market, away in favor of Aespa which the American GPA doesn't care about. In Korea, maybe Aespa's concept in unique and interesting. But in America, there's so many concepts like Aespa's and so many weird AI "celebrities" chasing for their break out moment that no one really cares about Aespa's outdated sims.
In conclusion, promote Red Velvet, fix the music and concepts, delete any file mentioning Kwangya/j, let Aespa actually show what they have because they have great potential to break out in the U.S. just not with songs like Life's Too Short/srs, we already have Olivia Rodrigo for that (she will get my lashings next I have words for her/j) And lastly, fund GWSN's next comeback but DO NOT step not even a TOE into their recording studio, styling room, teaser photoshoot, concept design, or even set design. STAY AWAY!/j