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JYP thanks Wonder Girls for ‘paving the way’ for Stray Kids, fans ask 'what about BTS?'

Park Jin-young, JYP Entertainment's CEO, thanks Wonder Girls after Stray Kids’ ‘Oddinary’ tops Billboard 200 chart, ignoring BTS, Psy, and TWICE

While it is true that Wonder Girls helped put K-pop on the Billboard charts back in their day, were they the only group responsible for the current Hallayu wave that 4th gen idol group like Stray Kids are riding on? JYP Entertainment’s CEO, Park Jin-young aka JYP, certainly seems to think so. His Instagram post on March 30, had a controversial caption in which he said, “Thank you Wondergirls and Wonderful for opening the door and paving the way,” as he claimed that the second-gen K-pop group entering the Billboard Hot 100 chart at Number 76 back in 2009 was the reason for Stray Kids’ recent achievements. But fans of K-pop are questioning the authenticity of his claim.

Stray Kids recently topped the Billboard main album chart — the Billboard 200 for their latest comeback number ‘Oddinary.’ They are the third K-pop act in history to reach Number 1 on the chart after Big Hit Music (HYBE’s) BTS and SM Entertainment’s SuperM. With JYP claiming that Wonder Girls entering the chart back in the day was the reason for Stray Kids’ recent success, some fans of TWICE (the third-gen girl group under JYP Entertainment) are not happy about the way their CEO is neglecting the achievements of the nine-member girl group.

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JYP neglects TWICE and thanks Wonder Girls instead

As TWICE is making history by recently becoming the first K-pop girl group to hold a concert in North America, fans of the girl group are rightfully annoyed as JYP continues to neglect the achievements of the girls. TWICE made history in October of 2021 as they became the first K-pop girl group to top the Billboard main song chart - Hot 100 for their all-English single, ‘The Feels’. Fans of TWICE are claiming that even though the CEO credited Wonder Girls for their hard work from 13 years ago, he completely ignored TWICE’s recent success. Some fans also claim that JYP is trying to make a fool of himself with his contradicting statement as up until recently, JYP himself called Wonder Girls’ American venture a failure.

It is not just Onces (fans of TWICE) that are sour about JYP’s post as many other K-pop fans, especially the BTS Army are wondering why the CEO and singer made use of the controversial term ‘paved the way’. The phrase is often used by fans of BTS who claim that the third-gen boy group’s success in the US market is the only reason why K-pop is now on the global map. On the other hand, other K-pop fans are calling JYP out for ignoring the fact that SM Entertainment’s BIGBANG was one of the first all-Korean albums to enter the Billboard 200 while K-pop legend Psy’s contribution to K-pop was also conveniently ignored by JYP.

‘Give them an ounce of respect’

While Stays and fans of Wonder Girls are happy about the post from JYP, all other K-pop fans, in general, are calling him out for his controversial statement. One user said, “F**K JYP & HIS BITTER OLD A** . Wonder girls THEMSELVES said that BTS paved the way. Him and Lee soo man & a bunch of other company CEOs are nothing but jealous s**ts who benefited 100% from BTS, taken all the advantages, but will never acknowledge or give them an ounce of respect.” One user said, “Jyp called wonder girls unsuccessful in America not too long ago now all of a sudden they paved the way for all of his groups,” and another responded, “Like I literally cannot take this man seriously.” One fan of TWICE said, “Twice paved the way for JYP entertainment.”

One more fan of TWICE said, “You know that twice paved the way and save jyp entertaiment. but he didnt like respect them? when twice was on billboard, he didnt say anything,but when another group he did (they are my ults too) i hope twice will leave this company.” One user said, “LMAO in that case Wonder Girls paved the way foe JYP itself.” One user said, “13 years later = paved the way. Never once enter bb200 in their 5 years career but go straight to no.1.” One user said, “Jyp you delusional fad.”

One user asked, “Am i the only one who thinks jyp has been using really questionable methods to gain attention lately.. it’s like they’re deliberately setting up their artists to gain negative attention.” One BTS fan said, “Bts actually paved the way jyp remember this?” One user joked, “JYP PAVED THE WAY.” Another user said, “Well jyp and his jealous a** of course after bang pd left him and outsold his company of course he would be jealous and lie that bts didn't pave the way, even the wonder girls he claimed paved the way said bts paved the way.”