HYBE’s CORTIS Chinese fanbase admits spending millions to boost Melon charts
HYBE’s rookie boy group CORTIS is facing another controversy after a post from its Chinese fanbase admitted to buying albums and mass-streaming to boost the group’s chart performance.
The debate followed reports that two Chinese fans were arrested by the police after trespassing into the boy group’s residence.
The fan post defended the wider Chinese fandom while also admitting how much support they had given CORTIS. Some Korean fans have read that admission as a confession that the fandom helped push the group’s ranking on Korean charts.
CORTIS’s Chinese fans wrote:
“We are CORTIS’s Chinese fans.
We spent millions buying albums, stayed up all night streaming their songs, and used our own money to help raise them to bigger stages.
Now, because of the actions of two criminals, does the entire Chinese fandom have to take responsibility?
We are angrier than anyone else at those two people who acted illegally.
They damaged our reputation and gave people an excuse to discriminate against the entire fandom.
But please be clear about this:
2 people ≠ 1.4 billion Chinese people
Criminals ≠ Chinese fans”
Many Korean netizens zeroed in on the lines about staying up all night streaming and spending large sums to support the group.
The post spread quickly across Korean online communities. Users questioned how much overseas fan-driven streaming and mass buying can affect domestic music charts.
Some commenters said the problem wasn’t limited to one fandom, and argued that overseas fanbases from multiple countries have influenced Korean music charts for years.
Korean netizens wrote:
“Whoa.”
“Because of Chinese, Southeast Asian, and Japanese otakus, the Korean charts are completely ruined.”
“It’s probably not just China. Japan and Southeast Asia, too.”
“What happened?”
“Does anyone seriously not know SM started all of this? SM was the one who turned the charts into a mess in the first place, and now people are only criticizing CORTIS? LOL. Go after everyone. Melon has been full of viral marketing and streaming manipulation for a long time. How else would unknown groups suddenly make it into the Top 100?”
“Well, I guess they have to convince themselves somehow. It’s the only way fans of those male idols from that company can cope after CORTIS completely crushed them. Fighting.”
