12038004_884202045002865_5133682236815755981_n (1)

Popu Lady's Elimination Contest, Surviving in the Showbiz Jungle
Author:meimei
Popu Lady's record label announced that the group will undergo a poll-based elimination contest after the release of their fourth EP "Gossip Girls" on November 22th. Popu Lady's record label cited the three-year-old group's "somewhat less than satisfactory" performance as the reason for this decision. The label proposed a "downsizing" plan for the members of Popu Lady, in which they had to showcase their individual talents and ambition within a given time to retain their place in the group. Within a span of two months, the five members will compete against each other in various talent segments and at live performances. Fans will then be able to vote online for the best performers, with the evaluation process becoming an online series. The member with the most votes will earn the opportunity to release her own photobook EP, while the one with the fewest votes will have to leave Popu Lady.
Popu Lady found it difficult to conceal their unease and anxiety over the announcement. Choking back tears, DaYuan Lin said it would have been better if she left the group voluntarily instead of having the elimination. Fans were also quick to defend their idols, stressing that the five members of Popu Lady are like the five fingers on a hand, each one is irreplaceable, hence the slogan "5 - 1 = 0". On the net, fans blasted the record label for this publicity stunt, with some declaring that they will bring down the contest website, refuse to vote, or even try to create a tie vote for all five members. Whether the elimination will be carried out for real is still an uncertainty, but the dropping of this bomb has indeed brought Popu Lady to the forefront of media attention, making it a fairly effective move.

Launched in 2005, Blackie's Teenage Club was a talent show that led to the formation of the girl group Hey Girl.
In reality, Popu Lady is not the first Taiwanese group to be subjected to such competition, in which one's showbiz survival is determined by talent and popularity. Years ago, the once popular Bang Bang Tang and Blackie's Teenage Club were shows that unearthed the members of Lollipop F and Hey Girl through talent and popularity contests. But compared to Taiwan, poll-based elimination contests have a far longer history in South Korea and Japan. In South Korea, many boy bands and girl groups had to endure elimination rounds before their debuts. They had to prove themselves better than the vast number of trainees under their company's wing. Even BIGBANG, currently one of the hottest groups in Asia, underwent an elimination contest prior to their debut. The whole process was later broadcasted as a reality show.
South Korean entertainment companies typically select a large number of eager youths who will join them as trainees. After undergoing a long period of singing and dance lessons, less than 50% of the initial trainees are able to debut successfully. Picking the right candidates through competition to form groups, has become a way for such companies to "digest" the large numbers of trainees that they handle. In contrast to the pre-debut competitive format practiced in South Korea, Japan's AKB48 sends its trainees directly to the frontline, with only the fittest being allowed to stay.
Based in Tokyo's Akihabara, AKB48 debuted in 2005. Its initial strength of 24 members has risen and dropped over the years. With more than 130 official members at present(not including sister groups based in other Japanese regions or overseas), the group holds the Guinness World Record for the "largest pop group". For those who stood out from the competition and made it through the open selection and company evaluation rounds to become official members, their journey to becoming Japan's national idols has only just begun. Other than those who were known to have resorted to the casting couch, a normal member seeking opportunities for exposure in this 100+ group must first develop a fan base through public performances at her respective local theater. She will then have to clinch a top 16 position in the annual popularity "general elections", in which votes are cast by fans to support their favorites, only then would she have the chance to take part in the group's promotion of their singles and earn exposure time on TV. The increased fan base that she builds through such exposure will help support her in the next election. Although AKB48 does not have a clear elimination mechanism, an unpopular member would have no work and be naturally weeded out in this pragmatic and cruel ecosystem.

AKB48's line-up is periodically trimmed and changed through popularity polls. Photo from the music video "Kibōteki Refrain".
To vote in the general elections, which is conducted online, you must either be a paying member of AKB48 or its sister group's fanclub, or purchase a single which comes with a voting ticket. 80 members(varies from year to year)are selected and grouped into five groups according to the election results. The first group, comprising the top 16 members, will get to record the A-side tracks and enjoy exposure on TV programs. The remaining four groups will sing the B-side tracks and be eligible to fill vacant performance spots, with rankings deciding the order in which members will be called up. Clinching the opportunity to perform is certainly not an easy feat. Opportunities for exposure is limited without a strong fan base, and the failure to get on TV will further limit a member's fan base. Although you could spin this negative cycle as a process through which anyone can attain fame, the reality is that anyone could axed if they so much as fail to grasp the first opportunity that comes their way.
AKB48 held its seventh general elections this year. Previously, all members including those from sister groups held the right to be a candidate. But since last year, members are allowed to decide if they want to take part in the elections. This means a member must have the confidence and be willing to fight for votes, since she has to submit an application to become a candidate. Haruna Kojima, who has ranked in the top 10 for the last few years and now enjoys a steady supply of showbiz work, chose not to take part in this game of survival where popularity is paramount. Fans who want their idols to take the top spots have dug deep into their wallets. Since each CD entitles a fan to one vote, many fans would buy singles in bulk numbers. Considering that Rino Sashihara, who won the elections this year, got nearly 200,000 votes, it is no surprise that AKB48 has sold more than 40 million singles in total this year. While AKB48's general elections may be a test of popularity for its members, the media exposure, online elements, and CD sales, are all simply a grand marketing effort in the eyes of the company managing the group. The "AKB economy" is now being studied by Japanese academics.

Participation in the Mnet survival reality show Sixteen earned Tzu-yu Chou a spot in the girl group Twice.
This May, South Korea's JYP Entertainment worked with a TV channel to launch the reality survival show Sixteen. 16 trainees partook in a weekly talent show series and viewers got to decide on the seven who will ultimately debut. The absence of the well-liked Tzu-yu Chou (Taiwan)and highly talented Momo(Japan) from the final seven, prompted JYP to "expand" the band and include these two in its line-up, which sparked discontent among some viewers.
Popu Lady's elimination contest is structured like the pre-debut trainee elimination process practiced in South Korea, while its fan-voting mechanism is similar to AKB48's. Will Popu Lady's record label go through with their plan to kick out the worst performer? Or is this merely a marketing plan to promote their EP? Would Popu Lady get to retain all five members or change its line-up, perhaps because the vote is too close to call for any elimination to be fair? The answers will only be revealed in November.
Related article:
BY Taiwan Beats / Nov-10-2015
THE LATEST
BROWSE by GENRES
BROWSE by TAGS
Related Articles

ANKR Live Sessions Episode 6 : B E N N / Turoboan
ANKR / Electronic / Video
BY Taiwan Beats / Apr-14-2022

ANKR Live Sessions Episode 5 : Vice City / Tidaan
ANKR / Electronic / Video
BY Taiwan Beats / Apr-13-2022

ANKR Live Sessions Episode 4 : Tek / Fata'an
ANKR / Electronic / Video
BY Taiwan Beats / Apr-12-2022

ANKR Live Sessions Episode 3 : Sonia Calico / Sazasa
ANKR / Electronic / Video
BY Taiwan Beats / Apr-11-2022

ANKR Live Sessions Episode 2 : A.P.R.A / Dapu
ANKR / Electronic / Video
BY Taiwan Beats / Apr-10-2022

ANKR Live Sessions Episode 1 : Lemonfacer / Gongliao
ANKR / Electronic / Video
BY Taiwan Beats / Apr-09-2022

YouTube Music Sessions x TAICCA - 八三夭 831
Pop / Rock / Video / YouTube Music Sessions x TAICCA
BY taiwanbeats / Mar-28-2022

YouTube Music Sessions x TAICCA - Julia 吳卓源
RnB / Video / YouTube Music Sessions x TAICCA
BY taiwanbeats / Mar-27-2022

YouTube Music Sessions x TAICCA - 盧廣仲 Crowd Lu
Pop / Video / YouTube Music Sessions x TAICCA
BY taiwanbeats / Mar-26-2022

YouTube Music Sessions x TAICCA - Flesh Juicer
Metal / Video / YouTube Music Sessions x TAICCA
BY taiwanbeats / Mar-25-2022

Sorry Youth: Bad Times, Good Times Album Review
Indie / Music Review
BY James Gui / Nov-20-2021

Flesh Juicer Emerge as Biggest Winners at 12th Golden Indie Music Awards
Dance/Electronic / Folk / Hip-Hop / Indie / Jazz / Metal / Music Awards / R&B/Soul / Rock
BY Yoke Ming Chong / Nov-19-2021

Flesh Juicer and LINION Score The Most Nominations At The 12th GIMA Awards
Dance/Electronic / Folk / Hip-Hop / Indie / Jazz / Music Awards / Pop / R&B/Soul / Rock
BY Yoke Ming Chong / Oct-22-2021

5 Taiwanese Indigenous Artists that You Should Know
Folk / Indigenous / List
BY Amy Chao / Oct-18-2021

Nini Music: Taiwan’s Fretboard Warrior Takes on World
Interview / Pop
BY Jules Quartly / Oct-02-2021

At Long Last, The Rappers Take Center Stage on MTV
Hip-Hop / TV Shows
BY Meredith Schweig / Aug-07-2021

2020 Golden Melody Awards Nominees Announced
Dance/Electronic / Folk / Hip-Hop / Indie / Jazz / Music Awards / Pop / R&B / Rock
BY Taiwan Beats / Jul-16-2020

AMWT Announce Top Ten Albums and Singles of 2019
Dance/Electronic / Hip-Hop / Indie / Indigenous / Music Awards / Pop / R&B
BY Brien John / Jul-14-2020

Shallow Levée: The Village Album Review
Alternative / Music Review
BY Cai Ing / Jul-14-2020

Coronavirus Vs. the Taiwanese Music Industry
COVID-19 / Industry
BY Joe Henley / May-23-2020

Album Review: Longone—Alex Zhang Hungtai, Tseng Kuo Hung
Indie / Music Review
BY Joe Henley / Apr-08-2020

ZANI ANNOUNCES DEBUT ALBUM "PORTAL"
Alternative / New Releases / R&B
BY ANGEL ARLIN / Mar-31-2020

Japan's Music Magazine Features 30 Years of Taiwanese Music in Latest Issue
Alternative / Dance / Electronic / Folk / Hip-Hop / Indigenous / Jazz / Magazine / Metal / R&B / Rock
BY Toshiyuki Seki / Mar-13-2020

CINEMA SESSIONS: Cicada
CINEMA SESSIONS / Instrumental / Video
BY CINEMA SESSIONS / Feb-13-2020

Ramblin' with a Muddy Basin Rambler
Alternative / Interview / Jazz
BY Joe Henley / Jan-25-2020

Deciphering the Soul Behind ABAO's Latest Album KINAKAIYAN
Electronic / Indigenous / Music Review / R&B
BY Evan Vitkovski / Jan-13-2020

CINEMA SESSIONS: Tokyo Chuo-Line
CINEMA SESSIONS / Jazz / Video
BY CINEMA SESSIONS / Jan-08-2020

2019 Simple Urban+: Nine Days of Non-Stop Music Right Next to Taipei 101
Electronic / festival / Folk / Hip-Hop / Music Festivals / Pop / R&B / Rock
BY Taiwan Beats / Nov-26-2019

Dance Your Heart Out to NekoJam's Debut Album NKJ_1
Electronic / Interview
BY Evan Vitkovski / Nov-26-2019

First Time in GIMA History: Best Album Awarded to Jazz Masterpiece City Animal
Alternative / Awards / Electronic / Folk / Hip-Hop / Jazz / Pop / R&B / Rock
BY Taiwan Beats / Nov-17-2019

TAIPEI DANCE: DISCO/POP/EARLY MILLENIUM
Electronic / Mix / Pop
BY ANGEL ARLIN / Nov-01-2019

CINEMA SESSIONS: Undecimber Fin.
CINEMA SESSIONS / Rock / Video
BY CINEMA SESSIONS / Oct-25-2019

2019 GIMA Nomination List
Alternative / Awards / Electronic / Folk / Hip-Hop / Indigenous / Jazz / Pop / R&B
BY Taiwan Beats / Oct-04-2019

HEARTING Online: First-Ever Social Platform Founded by an Indie Band
Folk / News
BY Taiwan Beats / Sep-24-2019

RayRay Takes Over EDM with an 'Alien Invasion'
Electronic / Music Review
BY Evan Vitkovski / Sep-19-2019

9m88, Xiao Bing Chih, 831 Attracted World Attention at 20th Summer Sonic
Live Recap / Pop / R&B / Rock
BY Taiwan Beats / Sep-16-2019

LIVE RECAP: Shout Out Festival
Alternative / Folk / Hip-Hop / Music Festivals / Rock
BY wèi wáng / Sep-12-2019

Taiwan Indie Artists Leave a Lasting Impression in Toronto
Electronic / Live Recap / Rock
BY Taiwan Beats / Jul-09-2019

CINEMA SESSIONS: XICO x Dizparity
CINEMA SESSIONS / Electronic / Video
BY CINEMA SESSIONS / Jul-04-2019

Jolin Tsai Dominates: 2019 Golden Melody Awards Winner List
Awards / Electronic / Folk / Hip-Hop / Indigenous / Jazz / Pop / R&B / Rock / Traditional
BY Brien John / Jun-30-2019

CINEMA SESSIONS: Elephant Gym
CINEMA SESSIONS / Rock / Video
BY CINEMA SESSIONS / Jun-18-2019

L8ching: The Urban Millennial and His Taiwanese Chill R&B
Interview / R&B
BY Jessie Chiu / May-27-2019

2019 Golden Melody Awards Nominations: Jolin Tsai and Sandy Lam Leads
Awards / Electronic / Folk / Hip-Hop / Indigenous / Jazz / Pop / R&B / Rock / Soundtrack / Traditional
BY Brien John / May-20-2019

Urban Nomad: A Film and Music Festival with an Indie Attitude
Electronic / Hip-Hop / Indigenous / Jazz / Music Festivals / Pop / R&B / Rock
BY Joe Henley / Apr-08-2019

Unconventional Convention: Future Proof’s 冢虎 Zhonghu
Electronic / Music Review
BY Father Moo / Mar-22-2019

SPOTLIGHT ON: My Skin Against Your Skin 激膚
Rock / SPOTLIGHT ON / Video
BY Brien John / Mar-12-2019

Six Taiwanese Artists to Check Out at SXSW 2019
Electronic / Music Festivals / Rock
BY Andrew Hsieh / Mar-05-2019

Warm Up Fest 2019, Turning it Up in Taipei
Electronic / Hip-Hop / Music Festivals / Rock
BY Taiwan Beats / Jan-25-2019

21-Year-Old R&B Newcomer LINION Debuts with Single "Room 335"
New Releases / R&B
BY Brien John / Dec-07-2018

Dig Deep into Taiwan's Unique Hip Hop Scene
Hip-Hop / MUSICANIMATION / Video
BY Brien John / Nov-28-2018

The Music Wonders of the Indigenous People in Taiwan
Indigenous / MUSICANIMATION / Video
BY Brien John / Nov-28-2018

DJ Ground Wonders Why "Miss DJ" Shows More Tits Than Talents
Hip-Hop / It's Taiwan Pop! / Video
BY Brien John / Sep-28-2018

RayRay Drops Debut EP 'Purple Alien' on Barong Family
Dance / Electronic / New Releases
BY Brien John / Sep-18-2018

Psych-Folk Group Prairie WWWW Drops New Album Pán
Experimental / Folk / New Releases
BY Brien John / Sep-11-2018

Young Rapper K-HOW Honors Hometown "VASA"
Hip-Hop / It's Taiwan Pop! / Video
BY Brien John / Aug-31-2018

A 60-Second Animation Montage of Music in Taiwan, Where the Finest Happens
Dance / Folk / Hip-Hop / Indigenous / Metal / MUSICANIMATION / Pop / Rock / Video
BY Brien John / Aug-07-2018
-300x150.png)
SPOTLIGHT ON | CosmosPeople 宇宙人
midem / Pop / SPOTLIGHT ON / Video
BY Brien John / Jun-04-2018

SPOTLIGHT ON | ABAO 阿爆
Canadian Music Week / Indigenous / R&B/Soul / SPOTLIGHT ON / Video
BY Taiwan Beats / May-09-2018

SPOTLIGHT ON | Dizparity
Canadian Music Week / Electronic / SPOTLIGHT ON / Video
BY Taiwan Beats / May-09-2018

SPOTLIGHT ON | JADE EYES 孔雀眼
Canadian Music Week / Electronic / SPOTLIGHT ON / Video
BY Taiwan Beats / May-09-2018

2017 Golden Melody Awards: Full Winner List
Golden Melody Awards
BY Taiwan Beats / Jun-24-2017

Midem 2017 Taiwan Artists: The Chairman
midem / The Chairman
BY Taiwan Beats / Jun-01-2017

Midem 2017 Taiwan Artists: DJ QuestionMark
DJ QuestionMark / midem / PROJECT APJ / SEMIFUSA / Spinbox
BY Taiwan Beats / Jun-01-2017

TheCube Launched New Website About Taiwanese Modern Sound Cultures
Culture / database / TheCube
BY Taiwan Beats / May-26-2017

SXSW 2017 Taiwan Artists: DJ QuestionMark
DJ QuestionMark / PROJECT APJ / SEMIFUSA / Spinbox / SXSW
BY Taiwan Beats / Mar-11-2017

SXSW 2017 Taiwan Artists: Miss Ko
Hip-Hop / Miss Ko / Rap / SXSW
BY Taiwan Beats / Mar-10-2017

SXSW 2017 Taiwan Artists: Matzka
Matzka / Reggae / SXSW
BY Taiwan Beats / Mar-10-2017

SXSW 2017 Taiwan Artists: Hello Nico
Black Market Music / Hello Nico / SXSW
BY Taiwan Beats / Mar-10-2017

SXSW 2017 Taiwan Artists: Zooey Wonder (黃玠瑋)
SXSW / Zooey Wonder
BY Taiwan Beats / Mar-10-2017

SXSW 2017 Taiwan Artists: JADE EYES (孔雀眼)
Electronic / JADE EYES / SXSW
BY Taiwan Beats / Mar-10-2017

Interview with Bingham Yeh/Other than melisma
Bingham Yeh / Days like these / The Voice of China
BY daig1202 / May-16-2016

Interviewing G.U.T.S: Our Mainstream Is Self-Created
Chang Zhen Yue / MC Hotdog / MJ116
BY Taiwan Beats / May-06-2016

Yen-J & The Tic Tac Are Making Their Show on CMW
CMW / The Tic Tac / Yen-j
BY Taiwan Beats / Apr-25-2016

Indie Rock Band 1976 Kicks off 20th anniversary Tour
1976 / IndieRock / Tour
BY Taiwan Beats / Apr-25-2016

Claire Kuo Launches New Album “La Vita è Bella” on Singles’ Day
Claire Kuo / La Vita è Bella / 郭靜
BY Sophia / Nov-12-2015

Bobby Chen’s Latest Duet Music Video is One to Remember
Bobby Chen / PiA / 陳昇
BY Sophia / Nov-10-2015

Interview with Hao-en/A Man Made Complete by Music(2)
Daniel Ho / Hao-en / Legends of Passage
BY Taiwan Beats / Nov-09-2015

Interview with Hao-en/A Man Made Complete by Music(1)
Daniel Ho / Hao-en / Legends of Passage
BY Taiwan Beats / Nov-09-2015

Fans are Looking Forward to Tanya Chua's New Album “Aphasia(失語者)”.
Aphasia / Tanya Chua / 特色文章
BY Sophia / Nov-05-2015

Taiwan Beats(臺灣之夜)was featured at New York’s CMJ Music Marathon on Oct 13th. Soft ...
Boxing / CMJ / io / SOB’s / Soft Lipa / Taiwan Beats / Treya
BY Taiwan Beats / Oct-26-2015

Reliving Your 'Boyhood’ and Remembering Your Dreams with Victor Wong (品冠)
Adulthood / Boyhood / Victor Wong / 品冠
BY Sophia / Oct-14-2015

Landy Wen 'Love Myself' Metamorphosing into a Sexier, Stronger, New Woman
I'm Alright / Landy Wen / Love Myself / PDA / 溫嵐
BY Sophia / Oct-13-2015

Who did it better/Hebe Tien(田馥甄)- 'A Little Happiness'(小幸運)
A Little Happiness / cover / Hebe / Our Times / 小幸運
BY Asian Pop Weekly / Oct-07-2015

Sodagreen came back from Berlin with new album "Winter Endless"
Berlin / everything / Sodagreen / Winter Endless
BY Sophia / Oct-03-2015

Rene Liu(劉若英)/Wish You Well
Rene Liu / Understood / Wish You Well / 劉若英
BY Sophia / Sep-23-2015

Review Joanna Wang's "Bob Music"
Bob Music / Joanna Wang / 王若琳
BY Asian Pop Weekly / Sep-18-2015

Nicholas Teo(張棟樑)/There’s No If
Idol Singer / long vacation / Nicholas Teo / There’s No If / 張棟樑
BY Sophia / Sep-16-2015

Unstoppable 3-Epochal Times
Andrew Tan / Bii / Dino Lee / Epochal Times / Ian
BY Sophia / Sep-08-2015

Fang Wu(吳汶芳)/《Chaos, but Beautiful》
Chaos but Beautiful / Fang Wu / 吳汶芳 / 汶亂卻美好著
BY Sophia / Sep-03-2015

Mayday "Her Story" Album Review
Her Story / Mayday / 女也
BY Asian Pop Weekly / Sep-02-2015

Concert - Behind the Scenes Series (1-2) The Director
concert / director
BY Taiwan Beats / Aug-25-2015

Concert - Behind the Scenes Series (1-1) The Director
concert / director
BY Taiwan Beats / Aug-24-2015

Leo Ku(古巨基)/We(我們)
Finding You was My Greatest Success / Leo Ku / We / 古巨基
BY Sophia / Aug-20-2015

Who Did It Better? Jolin Tsai-‘Play我呸’
cover / Jolin / Play / 蔡依林
BY Asian Pop Weekly / Aug-18-2015

Interview with Jia(家家)/I’m the kind of person who needs time to adapt.
Jia / 家家
BY Taiwan Beats / Aug-12-2015

Interview with Magic Power:A Band Blended with Positive Power and Passion
Magic Power / midem / Super Hero / 魔幻力量
BY Sophia / Aug-11-2015

It’s all here. The new singles composed by the three Adonis of Eagle Music
Bii / Dino / Eagle Music / Ian
BY Sophia / Aug-09-2015

Interview/Q & A with Men Envy Children小男孩樂團
everything / Men Envy Children
BY Taiwan Beats / Jul-21-2015

'Taiwan Beats'- Taiwanese Music hits the world
DJ code / My Skin Against Your Skin / Waa Wei
BY Duke / Jun-05-2015

Tree Jr.: Asking Right Questions for a Better Music Industry
indie / Streetvoice / Taiwan / Taiwan music / Tree Jr.
BY Taiwan Beats / Apr-27-2015

It is hardcore this time – How I see Amit
A-mei / Amit / concert
BY Taiwan Beats / Apr-20-2015
