[JO1] Nikkei Entertaintment 210904 (Lapone CEO)

Streaming strategy - Process JO1
The next move of JO1 whose momentum continues to wildly excite on the level of their debut
It’s been about one and a half years since their debut which had been a spectacular start. JO1 is gaining another momentum while changing the shape of their approach. The point is to head into the same direction as JAM.

JO1
A global boys group formed by 11 people who were selected from about 6000 people by the “National Producers”, the viewers of “PRODUCE 101 JAPAN”, a large scale Japanese audition program in 2019. on 18th August they released their 4th single “STRANGER”. On 23rd September, they will appear at “KCON World Premiere: The Triangle” held at Pacifico Yokohama. From 19th November to 21st November they are scheduled to hold their first lives with audiences at Makuhari Messe International Exhibition Hall 9~10.

Since July 2nd “PROCESS JO1” is updated every friday on the group’s YouTube channel. The 11 members who aim “to become the number one Japanese performance group” seriously discuss with each other about what is necessary to achieve this goal, and carry out what they need to do currently.

Following the airing of “PRODUCE 101 JAPAN” in 2019, JO1 were formed in December of the same year. With their debut in March 2020, they decorated the top of the digital charts of course in Japan, but also in various other countries and made a spectacular start. From the next year and a half on, there has been various efforts to maintain the excitement of JAM as their fans are called. We spoke with Choi Shinhwa, the CEO of their agency LAPONE Entertainment.

How do you look back to the one and a half year since the debut?
Choi: I think besides debuting, the first year was like a low for us. We had to postpone a lot of lives because of the corona pandemic, and things often hardly went as we had imagined them. Also, it’s true that the representative numbers such as the sales of the songs, peaked at the debut and died down afterwards.
However, around the formation anniversary in December last year, by focussing on various events and measures, including their first solo online live, the numbers started to improve again. Based on those results, we thought that there must be some way for the members, JAM and ourselves to work as one in order to produce JO1. “PROCESSJO1”, which was launched mainly on YouTube in July, is one part of that.

The members talking to each other in a serious atmosphere in the first episode was impressive. What is the aim of these videos?
Choi: I want the members to have a fully professional mindset, and to think about “What is necessary in order to aim even higher?” themselves. The first stage of growth is over. When we thought about what to do from here on, I wanted to encourage them to change their mindset. Furthermore, by releasing this aspect, we hoped for active feedback from JAM. We think of JAM as “producers” who create JO1 with us together.
I always say that to the members, too, but we can’t aim for the top with our power alone. For example, it's thanks to JAM’s power that made it happen that we are constantly invited to TV programs where appearing had been difficult in the very beginning. If they appear, the name of the show along with “#JO1” will be tweeted and it rises to the 1st place of the trends and raises excitement. These achievements are what made them what they are today.
Especially because they want JO1 to improve, there are surely times when JAM are frustrated with us. That’s why, we want to show to JAM how the things are decided, how the members think seriously and how we improve. Because it’s a world in which you often don’t know whether you will get good results or not, but the aim is the same for me, JO1 and JAM.

Once more we want to go global

Did the members actually change?
Choi: They did. There were a lot of talks, and as expected the performances are important and they practise every day (for those). After that, there are the things they weren’t interested in before… The wish to try to write lyrics or music budded in them. The member who shined through “PROCESS JO1” might be (Sato) Keigo. I think his gentle side that thinks of the members was conveyed. (Kawanishi) Takumi composes surprisingly good music and I want him to study it. However, all members are positive about self producing, and I think while it’s still at the stage of seeds, you can already see the glimpses of everyone’s talents. What doesn’t change about the 11 members is that they constantly work hard. After the Korean training camp in winter, the members became closer and continuously said “Let’s practise so that we can aim higher” “This performance isn’t good enough”. (Kawashiri) Ren-kun does that reliably.
These efforts had been worth it, because with the release of “STRANGER” on 18th August, various figures returned to the same level as during the debut. They will hold their first lives with an audience in November and we hope that this will raise the motivation of the members and JAM even more.

What are your future outlooks?
Choi: Once more, we want to go global. We have been preparing for this for several months in some countries already. Focusing on the time after Corona, we want to be ready to take on challenges as a global group at any time. Of course, we also continue to work hard in Japan so that we are called for the year end music shows. Both the members and JAM have really endured a lot until now. I have more love for them than anyone else, but I constantly think “JO1 is not only mine”. It’s the members and JAM who have made what they are today and I was a mere support. Soon INI will debut, but LAPONE is a family. I hope that all the fans support each other’s groups. The love of LAPONE is the key point of my production.