The project features several prominent artists:
First: Taeyeon (태연) - “Dinner Song”
Second: HANRORO - “A Cruel Angel's Thesis”
Third: AKMU's Lee Su-hyun (이수현) - “Blue Lagoon”
Notably, “Blue Lagoon” was also released in a Japanese version. However, the involvement of actor Heo Young’s (허영) great-grandfather, who was previously embroiled in pro-Japanese controversies, has led to calls for a boycott of related Japanese activities among Korean netizens.
Below are translated comments from Korean online communities:
1. Isn't this supposed to be Korea-Japan exchange? Why aren't the Japanese doing anything?
2. It doesn't feel like a Korea-Japan exchange; it just feels like Japan is unilaterally benefiting.
3. In my opinion, this project is a failure. They say it's for Korea-Japan exchange, but Japan's reaction is always, 'The original is still the best.' What's the point then? I feel bad for the artists.
4. I don't know why they're doing this.
5. Isn't this the result of him getting good feedback for singing Japanese songs before? Isn't it being consumed well?
6. Why are they doing this? The covers don't even sound good.
7. Exactly ㅠㅠㅠ What kind of exchange is this ㅠㅠㅠ It only benefits the original composers, lyricists, and singers.
8. I thought it ended after Taeyeon, I don't know why they're continuing...
9. ㅋㅋㅋ Is it enough to just avoid releasing it on Liberation Day? Honestly ㅋㅋㅋ At least have some conscience and avoid releasing it in early March and mid-August?
10. If they're getting Taeyeon or AKMU's Su-hyun for this, shouldn't Japan get a female singer of Aimyon's caliber? If they can't, then 'exchange' is just empty talk. Stop doing these unconscionable things that only benefit one side but are packaged as exchange.
11. Seriously, enough is enough...
12. Japan can't even get top-tier singers, who is this for?
13. “Dinner Song” was good, but the “Blue Lagoon” cover sounds strange.
14. They're using the popularity of K-Pop to promote J-Pop.
15. Just because Kangnam got good reactions for singing Japanese songs on YouTube, they keep bringing in Japanese content...
16. Korea-Japan exchange is just an excuse; honestly, it's just spreading Japanese culture, and the participating singers don't look good.
17. Japanese people even say, 'The original is still the best' ㅋㅋㅋ but Koreans are happily listening.
18. Kangnam, enough is enough.
19. Who even knows those Japanese songs? ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ Only they know them.
20. I know Su-hyun likes Japan, but it's only three days after Liberation Day...
21. Is it because Kangnam has no connections in the Japanese entertainment industry that he can't do it?
22. It's a J-Pop promotion project.
23. Why on earth ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ Stop it quickly and end it early. What is this all about? J-Pop is far less popular globally than K-Pop, so why should we exchange with it? And why are they using our top artists and vocal powerhouses?
24. Isn't it just promoting J-Pop? I haven't heard a single song released.
25. Isn't this Korea-Japan exchange? Where is the exchange? From what's being done now, it feels like we Koreans like Japan too much, so we're buying songs to cover, even singing the original versions, making a mess.
26. The levels don't even match, why are they doing this?
27. That's why you shouldn't consume Japanese or Korean-Japanese mixed-race celebrities or public figures. At first, for popularity, they'll pretend to like Korea, act innocent, and be subservient, but later they'll show their true colors.
28. Japanese artists are furious that K-culture is developing so well, I don't know why we're still promoting Japan. I also can't understand why Japanese people appear in K-dramas and K-movies.
29. I didn't have strong feelings at first, but gradually... it feels very artificial ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
30. It's as if they can't do without Japanese content. Always going to Japan for mukbangs... I don't watch them anymore recently.
31. Unilateral exchange, I don't like it.
32. From the beginning, there was nothing good about cultural exchange with Japan, was there? It feels like they're promoting J-Pop. Entertainment industry people who want to make money from Japanese artists performing in Korea are darkly creating YouTubers who pretend to be individuals but promote Japanese music, creating a false impression that Japanese music is popular, and now even artists are doing this...
33. Enough is enough, how many times are they going to do this?
34. Those Japanophiles will listen and say, 'The original is still the best,' and then disparage our Korean singers and lyricists ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ Whose exchange is this for?
35. Are those singers trying to make money in Japan?
36. ? What kind of exchange is it to unilaterally promote one side's songs using K-Pop idols and K-Pop's fame? Even if he's naturalized, he's still a gloomy Japanese person, this is clearly a K-Pop freeloading project.
37. Honestly, who benefits from this project besides Kangnam? Taeyeon and HANRORO are both said to be much worse than the original ㅋㅋㅋ Kangnam tried to be a singer in Japan, challenging bands and such, but failed and came to Korea, didn't he? ㅋㅋㅋ His continuous role as a bridge between Korea and Japan will only increase Kangnam's influence in the Japanese entertainment industry ㅋㅋㅋ
38. What cultural exchange? It's just unilateral promotion of Japan.
39. Among so-called artists in Korea, many admire Japan, but the reverse is rare. It would be good if they weren't self-deprecating; would any Japanese singer be willing to cover Korean songs?
40. This is a strategy to use K-Pop's fame to push J-Pop to the world, damn it. K-Pop idols sing it, so overseas fans will naturally listen, and then J-Pop will be integrated.
41. It really is just a Japanese song promotion project.
42. Kangnam, enough is enough.
43. I feel annoyed seeing him so eager to promote Japan.
44. Hey, they don't know when to stop.
45. They call it Korea-Japan exchange, so why don't Japanese singers sing Korean songs?
46. Releasing it on August 18th is ridiculous ㅋㅋㅋ If it's August, it should be early or late in the month ㅋㅋㅋ How can it be released right after the Liberation Day holiday ㅋㅋㅋ
47. No, why are they so enthusiastic about promoting Japanese culture? I hate it.
48. With all the commotion before Liberation Day, they should at least have some sense. They can't even do that.
49. Enough, why are we paying copyright fees for Japanese songs out of our own pockets?
50. It feels like Japan invested in this; otherwise, it's incomprehensible.
51. No, why is he promoting Japan even more diligently after naturalizing?
52. If you go to Kangnam's YouTube, he's practically a Japanese promotion ambassador.
53. Isn't it just promoting J-Pop with K-Pop?
54. I wonder if they received investment from Cool Japan.
55. I really don't think it's necessary. Are those Japanese songs that good? No... Why should our country's top singers sing Japanese songs? And pay all the copyright fees? Releasing it quietly just a few days after Liberation Day is also really bad. Does avoiding that specific day mean they have minimal sincerity?
Don't they know what the public opinion about Japan is like these days? Ha.
56. What kind of exchange is this ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ It's clearly using K-Pop to promote J-Pop ㅋㅋㅋㅋ
57. Go to Japan and be a Japanese singer.
58. And it's after Liberation Day, hmm...
59. They're really pulling out all the stops... Even if his Japanese content on YouTube is popular, was it necessary to naturalize for this?
60. Why don't Japanese singers sing our country's songs? Frankly, if Taeyeon sings “Dinner Song,” shouldn't the original singer of “Dinner Song” cover Taeyeon's song? That would be reasonable.
61. This time, I truly realized he is Japanese.
62. Why on earth are they doing this project? I never understood why we should exchange with Japan from the beginning. Isn't it just to satisfy Japanese pride?? After reading the comments, I'm really curious, do Japanese singers also plan to cover K-Pop? I don't mean to be angry at Kangnam, but those mediocre Japanese artists always trying to piggyback on Korean culture to go global and gain attention really irritate me. Japan isn't a friendly country, honestly, it's a country I want to tear apart. They always try to interfere with our culture; do you think that looks good?
63. This isn't a two-way exchange ㅋ And Kangnam probably can't get top-tier Japanese singers of the same caliber as those he collaborates with in Korea.
64. Stop it now.
65. I don't know who this project is for.....
66. It only benefits Japan unilaterally, and they package it as 'cultural exchange'... Then Japanese singers should also find top-tier singers like Taeyeon or Lee Su-hyun to sing Korean songs, is that possible? They really should stop.
67. I will absolutely not listen, not even the Korean version.
