Fans, Official Channels and those YouTube Re-uploads

Except for extreme YouTube cases like the Japan music industry’s issue with their videos [1], with the removal of fan YouTube accounts and videos taken down, as well as Japan’s latest attempt to upload short versions of their PVs (which I’m for, by the way).

A full length YinYueTai version is available, by the way.

I have a bone to pick with some of you fans.

I love the work and dedication many of you put into sharing your music passion, especially if that passion includes indie artists that we otherwise wouldn’t have heard of. But, PLEASE! Search the YouTube database before you upload a video you think no one else has uploaded before, and if you are re-uploading something that is already on the site, it’d better be in a better quality than the original upload.

I know the blog section on this website has been inundated with Kpop-related posts, but it’s the most clear example of hurtful re-uploads to the industry — disregarding what VEVO is doing with other official YouTube uploads in music from other countries.

I remember very clearly that when Brown Eyed Girls launched their spazztic Sixth Sense [MV], an hour or so later there were already other re-uploads of the video — in 1080HD and all. WHY? The video, at least for me living in one of the most web-inhospitable places where nothing is available, was easily available and there were no complaints from people about it being blocked in their countries.

In fact, Kpop has proved to be VERY open when it comes to web presence, and I’ve never run into a problem with the uploads of several major K-music players.

Which brings me to official video re-uploads.

For example, we can always count on LOEN Entertainment to have almost everyone’s uploads. But who do we click when Brown Eyed Girls’ official YouTube account uploads a video that LOENENT is also uploading? The same was happening with YGEntertainment and their uploads for BigBang and 2NE1, but thankfully, they seem to have gotten the idea.

And that’s not even counting official uploads of Korean music videos on their Taiwanese distributors’ channels. Though, at least they’ve had the decency to upload some or most of the songs with subtitles, which give those music re-uploads another purpose. But even then, they take so long to subtitle a song that fansub groups put them to shame.

In the end, please~

One official music video upload with no region restrictions will suffice.

Please, fans, don’t re-upload videos because those few thousand views your upload takes are a few thousand that the official upload video could have gotten. We know you want to share your music taste with your YouTube contacts and other friends, but please just use a YouTube bulletin.

amy

YAM Magazine editor, photographer, blogger, translator and part-time web designer. Film junkie, music junkie… and lately series (a.k.a. TV) junkie.

7 Responses

  1. Anikor says:

    Some great points! 100% agree there is usually no need to re-upload K-pop videos! If you want to share it, embed the official one into your blog, tumblr, website etc. Now if only the Japan labels would do the same! Less hassle for everyone! Love the site by the way!

    • amy says:

      @Anikor, hey! Thanks for the comment!

      The only videos I approve of re-uploads are those that are blocked, or official uploads that worked but then get worked because Sony or Warner suck. But I don’t think I’ve seen that with Kpop at all… it’s usually Taiwan singers signed to Sony, or Taiwan labels (official) that got their accounts suspended for uploading the Sony content they were distributing in Taiwan.

      And even if you only have a YouTube account, you can share the official upload in your channel with a favorite. No reasons for re-uploads ;)

  2. Camiele says:

    Here, effing, HERE!!! Completely agree with you. When there’s already an acceptable version of a video online, why do we need about 4423 reuploads (of equal or lesser value, might I add)? It boggles my mind. For me the guiltiest party has GOT to be the users who continue to reupload lyrics videos. I’ll find one that’s actually pretty fantastic and the next day be forced to sift through 20 more reproductions of the same video until I find the one that I actually wanted. It’s ridiculous. But, whatever…I guess. HaHa.

    • amy says:

      @Camiele, I actually don’t watch lyric videos any longer – at least the fan ones. I know it’s become really in for artists to release their own though… Cee Lo Green’s F*ck You comes to mind. That was a reaaaally good one.

      To get tracks I just end up in Xiami most of the times.

  3. ghost says:

    I fucking hate Vevo, I don’t know what they do that they need to upload and re-upload their clips adding that “pre-Vevo” view count. And all the videos they upload with non-latin character names, they romanize titles that they’re very hard to find at times.

    Vevo also uploads videos at 480 – good quality 480, but still – other people that uploaded 720 versions get their accounts suspended or the videos get deleted.

    • amy says:

      @ghost, I thought YouTube had a policy of not allowing non-latin characters on its frontpage, but for a couple of months it hasn’t been the case. At least there were loads of Korean videos lately – before the redesign.

      With the new redesign, they don’t have the Most Popular videos in each section. At least I don’t see it in mine.

  1. October 15, 2012

    […] There’s now no reason to upload an extra video with subtitles… at least in English [1]. […]

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