allkpop
{{Short description|South Korean news blog for K-pop}}
{{Italic title}}
{{Infobox website
| name = Allkpop
| logo = Allkpop-Logo.png
| screenshot =
| caption = Logo of Allkpop
| collapsible =
| collapsetext =
| url = {{Official URL}}
| commercial =
| registration = Optional
| language = English
| owner = 6Theory Media
| author =
| revenue =
| footnotes =
| logocaption =
| content_license =
| launch_date = {{Start date and age|2007|10|01|df=yes}}
| current_status = Active
}}
Allkpop (stylized in all lowercase) is an American website which features Korean pop{{cite magazine |title=Korean Pop, with Online Help, Goes Global |url=http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2013227,00.html |magazine=Time |date=26 August 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100829073951/http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2013227,00.html |archive-date=29 August 2010}} and gossip news. It is one of the most trafficked K-pop news sites, with over seven and half million readers per month.{{cite web |title=Mashable Awards 2010: Announcing The Winners |url=http://mashable.com/2011/01/07/mashable-awards-2010-announcing-the-winners/ |work=Mashable |date=7 January 2011 |access-date=22 July 2011 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110714045320/http://mashable.com/2011/01/07/mashable-awards-2010-announcing-the-winners/| archive-date= 14 July 2011 | url-status= live}} In its list of useful websites, The Korea Herald called it the "fastest news breaker" for K-pop.{{cite news |title=Click! Online gateways to Korea |url=http://nwww.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20110225000672 |newspaper=The Korea Herald |access-date=12 March 2013 |archive-date=27 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181027061532/http://nwww.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20110225000672 |url-status=dead }}
Controversies
In 2010, Tablo of Korean hip-hop trio Epik High alleged that allkpop had been sharing pirated links to the group's Epilogue album, including "a leaked music video of 'Run' and illegal streaming of all our songs" on his personal Twitter account.{{Cite tweet |title=In 2010 allkpop leaked content from epik high's album "epilogue", releasing parts of the music video and posting links to every single song on the album. they only took down the article after one of the members publicly complained about it |user=qweenbeeval |number=1882111782363566379}} Tablo has since removed the posts.
In 2013, scandal broke out again when solo K-pop artist Ailee's private, nude pictures were leaked with the allkpop logo posted across blurred photos in their coverage.{{Cite web |title=[BREAKING] [BREAKING] [NSFW] Purported pre debut nude photos of Ailee leaked |url=https://www.allkpop.com/article/2013/11/breaking-nsfw-purported-nude-photos-of-ailee-leaked |access-date=2025-01-22 |website=allkpop |language=en}} After facing backlash and lost follower counts, allkpop CEO Johnny Noh and staff member Matt Kim posted responses on their respective Twitter accounts. Noh defended the site saying, "it's our job to report on everything, good or bad" and denied allkpop being the source of the leaks. Noh concluded his statement saying, "But dont [sic] be suprised if in the new yr [sic] we blow some doors open." Kim said the photos were leaked online through a 'sex site.'"{{Cite web |date=January 22, 2025 |title=In 2013 a scandal broke out when solo artist ailee's private nude pictures were leaked. allkpop ended up posting about it and included the photos in the article. after facing backlash, matt kim (staff) and johnny noh (ceo of 6theory, a parent company) posted their responses: |url=https://x.com/qweenbeeval/status/1882111786683675135 |website=Twitter}} No explanation about why allkpop's logo was attached to the photos was shared.
One day later, South Korean entertainment site Dispatch released an audio recording with Ailee's ex-boyfriend, Eun Duk "Daniel" Lee Lee who acted as the vice president of content for allkpop owner 6Theory Media, who was attempting to sell nude photos of the singer to the outlet.{{Cite news |title=[Updated with Transcript] Dispatch Releases Audio Recording of Phone Call with Ailee’s Ex-Boyfriend |url=https://www.soompi.com/2013/11/13/dispatch-releases-audio-recording-of-phone-call-with-ailees-ex-boyfriend/ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20160530234934/http://www.soompi.com:80/2013/11/13/dispatch-releases-audio-recording-of-phone-call-with-ailees-ex-boyfriend/ |archive-date=2016-05-30 |access-date=2025-01-22 |work=Soompi |language=en-US}} In an official statement, 6Theory Media confirmed Lee had previously dated Ailee but "did not post the photos in question."{{Cite web |title=6Theory Media response to YMC's statement on Ailee's nude photos |url=https://www.allkpop.com/article/2013/11/6theory-media-response-to-ymcs-statement-on-ailees-nude-photos |access-date=2025-01-22 |website=allkpop |language=en}} A week later, on November 18, Lee admitted it is his voice in the Dispatch call in which he attempted to sell nude photos of his ex-girlfriend but denied he leaked the pictures to his own publication. Speaking to SBS' One Night of TV Entertainment program where he did not reveal his face, Lee corroborated 6Theory Media's statement that while he did have the phone call, he did not publish the photos to his workplace's website.{{Cite web |title=PressReader.com - Digital Newspaper & Magazine Subscriptions |url=https://www.pressreader.com/malaysia/the-borneo-post/20131118/282699044902225?srsltid=AfmBOopOqSFx92RYMxUF6V6soTZipiufIVTU07Un6BDCcGRiTwwp2uei |access-date=2025-01-22 |website=www.pressreader.com}}
Ailee's Korean representation at the time, YMC Entertainment, explained in a statement that Ailee had been scammed by an offer to model for an underwear company and shared the photos with Lee "in order ot get advice on how to respond to the incident." YMC added, "Ailee shared the photos with him after her persuaded her that he needs the photos to get a better idea on the issue."{{Cite web |last=Herald |first=Korea |date=2013-11-12 |title=Charges fly over Ailee photos leak |url=https://www.koreaherald.com/article/24704 |access-date=2025-01-22 |website=The Korea Herald |language=en}}
The site and its leadership was brought under scrutiny again in January 2025 following its official X account sharing political content including content from Alex Jones, the American far-right{{Cite web |last=Bote |first=Joshua |title=Conspiracy theorist Alex Jones ordered to stop peddling phony coronavirus cures by New York AG |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/03/13/infowars-alex-jones-stop-selling-fake-coronavirus-cures/5044309002/ |access-date=2025-01-22 |website=USA TODAY |language=en-US}} radio show host and conspiracy theorist.{{Cite web |date=November 16, 2017 |title=How Alex Jones, conspiracy theorist extraordinaire, got Donald Trump's ear. |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/how-alex-jones-conspiracy-theorist-extraordinaire-got-donald-trumps-ear/2016/11/17/583dc190-ab3e-11e6-8b45-f8e493f06fcd_story.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161118133525/https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/how-alex-jones-conspiracy-theorist-extraordinaire-got-donald-trumps-ear/2016/11/17/583dc190-ab3e-11e6-8b45-f8e493f06fcd_story.html |archive-date=November 18, 2016 |website=The Washington Post}} While allkpop's political posts were removed within 24 hours, political posts from Noh remained as of January 22, 2025.{{Cite web |date=January 22, 2025 |title=Johnny Noh X account |url=https://x.com/johnnynoh}}
References
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