By Kwon Ji-youn
The Korea Music Content Industry Association (KMCIA) declared war against music chart manipulation Monday, pledging to ask the government and the National Assembly to establish a law to root out chart rigging.
"Chart manipulation misleads consumers with false information, cuts business profits for service providers and deprives the right people from receiving royalties," a KMCIA official said.
The KMCIA said that chart manipulation became a serious problem in 2012, when the ranking system was re-implemented at music shows. In 2013, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism launched an investigation into manipulation, but it faded quickly from public awareness, it said.
The KMCIA has decided to work closely with the culture ministry and the National Assembly so that a bill can be drawn up for the punishment of manipulators. It promised to consistently monitor the charts for signs of rigging, to run a website on which consumers can voice their complaints and write a policy guide.
"It is difficult to eradicate chart manipulation just through technical solutions, but when technical, systematic and political measures come together, we are confident it will have a good effect," KMCIA Director Choi Kwang-ho said.
Separately, Yang Hyun-suk, head of YG Entertainment, said he will continue his fight against digital music chart manipulation, vowing to rely on legal steps if necessary.
At boy band iKON's debut concert Saturday, Yang told reporters that he is willing to file yet another complaint with the prosecution if that's what it takes to get an investigation into chart manipulation going.
"I will meet with JYP Entertainment's Park Jin-young soon to discuss the next season of SBS's KPOP STAR," he said. "When I do, I will propose that we file another complaint together."
The controversy first surfaced when music servicer MelOn came under fire last month when it found thousands of suspicious usernames on its server that may have been used to bulk up purchasing and streaming figures. Chart manipulation occurs when brokers or fans stream songs on music sites or applications at mass levels to catapult them up the chart.
Big names in the local music industry agree that music chart manipulation is not a secret any more.
Singer Lee Seung-hwan appeared on JTBC's Newsroom last Thursday to raise the lid on rigging.
"I too have received brokers' offers for chart manipulation," he said. "They've asked for hundreds of millions of won."
JYP's Park agreed. "I believe it exists and a good number of agencies resort to it," he said on the same program. "We've had offers, and I've had one of our employees meet the broker and record the conversation. We, with YG, SM Entertainment and Star Empire, used that recording to file a complaint with the prosecution."
That complaint, issued two years ago, petered out because of a lack of evidence.
Such tricks are used not only to boost revenue, but to provide opportunities for the musicians to appear on television to raise brand awareness, and to ensure they are paid well at events. Experts agree the practice is more evident in idol groups.
In fact, chart manipulation has become a full-time job for some, according to industry insiders. There are brokers who buy and sell Internet usernames for 500 to 1,000 won per name; typically, these brokers reportedly work from China or Southeast Asian countries.
Others who do this are diehard fans who stream or purchase their idols' songs in bulk to make sure they stay atop the chart. But this is considered an expedient that isn't unlawful. Culture critic Kim Heon-sik said the reason MelOn is being targeted is because it has such a big influence on smaller music service providers, and stressed the need for a more reputable organization like Billboard.
The Korea Music Content Industry Association (KMCIA) declared war against music chart manipulation Monday, pledging to ask the government and the National Assembly to establish a law to root out chart rigging.
"Chart manipulation misleads consumers with false information, cuts business profits for service providers and deprives the right people from receiving royalties," a KMCIA official said.
The KMCIA said that chart manipulation became a serious problem in 2012, when the ranking system was re-implemented at music shows. In 2013, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism launched an investigation into manipulation, but it faded quickly from public awareness, it said.
The KMCIA has decided to work closely with the culture ministry and the National Assembly so that a bill can be drawn up for the punishment of manipulators. It promised to consistently monitor the charts for signs of rigging, to run a website on which consumers can voice their complaints and write a policy guide.
"It is difficult to eradicate chart manipulation just through technical solutions, but when technical, systematic and political measures come together, we are confident it will have a good effect," KMCIA Director Choi Kwang-ho said.
Separately, Yang Hyun-suk, head of YG Entertainment, said he will continue his fight against digital music chart manipulation, vowing to rely on legal steps if necessary.
At boy band iKON's debut concert Saturday, Yang told reporters that he is willing to file yet another complaint with the prosecution if that's what it takes to get an investigation into chart manipulation going.
"I will meet with JYP Entertainment's Park Jin-young soon to discuss the next season of SBS's KPOP STAR," he said. "When I do, I will propose that we file another complaint together."
The controversy first surfaced when music servicer MelOn came under fire last month when it found thousands of suspicious usernames on its server that may have been used to bulk up purchasing and streaming figures. Chart manipulation occurs when brokers or fans stream songs on music sites or applications at mass levels to catapult them up the chart.
Big names in the local music industry agree that music chart manipulation is not a secret any more.
Singer Lee Seung-hwan appeared on JTBC's Newsroom last Thursday to raise the lid on rigging.
"I too have received brokers' offers for chart manipulation," he said. "They've asked for hundreds of millions of won."
JYP's Park agreed. "I believe it exists and a good number of agencies resort to it," he said on the same program. "We've had offers, and I've had one of our employees meet the broker and record the conversation. We, with YG, SM Entertainment and Star Empire, used that recording to file a complaint with the prosecution."
That complaint, issued two years ago, petered out because of a lack of evidence.
Such tricks are used not only to boost revenue, but to provide opportunities for the musicians to appear on television to raise brand awareness, and to ensure they are paid well at events. Experts agree the practice is more evident in idol groups.
In fact, chart manipulation has become a full-time job for some, according to industry insiders. There are brokers who buy and sell Internet usernames for 500 to 1,000 won per name; typically, these brokers reportedly work from China or Southeast Asian countries.
Others who do this are diehard fans who stream or purchase their idols' songs in bulk to make sure they stay atop the chart. But this is considered an expedient that isn't unlawful. Culture critic Kim Heon-sik said the reason MelOn is being targeted is because it has such a big influence on smaller music service providers, and stressed the need for a more reputable organization like Billboard.
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