Following the announcement that LE SSERAFIM would be making their first comeback of the year, Sakura's largest Chinese fan base has announced they will be boycotting the release.
Keep on reading for all the details.
Sakura's Chinese Fan Base Announces Boycott Against LE SSERAFIM Comeback
On January 22, 2024, Source Music announced that LE SSERAFIM is gearing for their first comeback of the year. They will release their third EP, "EASY," on February 19.
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Following the announcement, Sakura's largest fan base in China, Sakura Bar, released a notice stating they would not be supporting the girl group's comeback.
In a post made to Weibo, the fan base lamented over how HYBE Labels—Source Music in particular—has been disappointing and angering Sakura fans. Despite how they have wholeheartedly continued to support the group's album and activities, Sakura Bar believes they have not done their due diligence in taking care of Sakura.
Because of that, they will not be supporting LE SSERAFIM's upcoming comeback. Instead, they will only support Sakura's individual projects and Sakura's upcoming birthday.
"Since LE SSERAFIM's debut, Sakura's supporters have continued to wholeheartedly support the group's album and activities despite how HYBE and Source Music repeatedly disappointed and angered fans. However, after sending a protest truck to voice our concerns about Sakura, Sakura Bar has decided not to support the upcoming comeback album. Instead, we will only support individual projects and Sakura's upcoming birthday."
Sakura Bar not supporting LE SSERAFIM's comeback will be a massive blow for the group. Sakura Bar is known for its ability to organize mass purchases for fans. The fan base's financial stability and mature management of activities have helped establish positive cooperative relationships with major platforms.
They are well-respected among LE SSERAFIM fans. They negotiate independently for the lowest album prices across different platforms. Fans are also confident in their ability to handle the shipping for thousands of fans.
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Now that they are not supporting the comeback, the sales figure for this comeback album is expected to be significantly lower than previous releases. For reference, when LE SSERAFIM released "UNFORGIVEN," Sakura Bar's purchasse accounted for 52% of the sales.
Sakura Bar will work with online retailers to develop a secret connection. Sakura Bar will not handle any album transactions; instead, everything will be done through the platform.
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What do you think of the situation? Tell us in the comments below!
LE SSERAFIM Recent Activities
On October 12, Source Music announced LE SSERAFIM would be releasing their first English-language single, "Perfect Night," on October 27 to promote Overwatch 2.
From November 1 to November 20, there was an in-game event with cosmetics and game modes based around the group. LE SSERAFIM performed at BlizzCon on November 4.
The group released "Dresscode" on November 19. It is the theme song for the live-action television series in Japan that adapts the manga series "Sexy Tanaka-san."
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Written by Alexa Lopez
