Music industry in debate over whether G-Dragon's USB is an album or digital release



Article: Is it an album or not... G-Dragon's USB is a hot potato

Source: Sports Donga via Naver

G-Dragon's USB "album" contains a link to a digital site for download of his album. The KMCIA has decided that they will not consider it a physical album but a device used for the download digital content. Hanteo will be recognizing it in their album category.

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1. [+293, -39] These people are so inflexible

2. [+254, -32] Mmm~~ I think rules need to change according to changing times..

3. [+275, -41] What "big problems" are the KMCIA afraid of happening if it's recognized as an album? ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

4. [+241, -34] Aren't albums nowadays just display items. I think it's way better to download and check the album out through my phone ㅋㅋ

5. [+21, -0] But if all the USB contains is a link to a digital download site, then there's barely any difference from just buying it off a digital site yourself. I feel like he should've just had the songs and music videos loaded and locked on the USB as actual files instead of all this hassle..

6. [+56, -12] I actually think the USB is more useful than a useless CD. No one even has CD players at home anymore.

7. [+50, -10] Seems the KMCIA is full of old farts who aren't with the times

8. [+29, -3] I do have to question why the USBs are being sold offline at all if all they contain is a download link... What's the difference from just buying it off a digital site yourself? If the USB contained music files, it would've made more sense, but all it contains is a download link..

9. [+23, -1] I don't get what the point of having only a download link in the USB is for ㅋㅋ

10. [+25, -1] A CD is something you can listen to forever but a USB containing just a link... is contingent on that link still being valid in the future. You also can't listen to music with just the USB. We live in a world where even a site like Cyworld has failed in 10 years..

11. [+41, -7] Was it that hard to just put his album on the USB?

12. [+22, -1] Seems it isn't the album being a USB that's the problem but the fact that all the USB does is link to digital downloads that's the problem

13. [+19, -0] Hul when I heard that his album would be a USB release, I thought it would actually contain the music files and you'd just have to run it. If all it is is a download link, then I think it's fair for the KMCIA to question its validity as an album.

14. [+14, -0] Seems people aren't reading the article. The KMCIA was going to acknowledge the USB as an album but they realized that it doesn't actually contain music files but rather a link to a download site.

15. [+24, -4] I don't see the point in releasing his album as a USB at all if all he was going to do was link it to an internet site

16. [+24, -4] Let's get this straight: G-Dragon does not have his music files on the USB. There's a download link that you have to click through to download his songs. There are no digital songs on his USB, which is what the problem is.

17. [+12, -0] Well the KMCIA has already decided to classify the USB as a digital source

18. [+44, -12] Well even Hanteo is classifying it under album sales so why not just stick to one ㅋㅋㅋ

19. [+14, -2] GD fans blaming this on "inflexibility" without even reading the article and defending GD because wahhhhh it's GD oppa just call it an album wahhhhh ㅋ

20. [+11, -1] There are more problems that can arise out of this... because the whole point of purchasing an album is that once you buy it, you own it for life. By selling a USB with a link, you only own it for as long as that link is kept alive, and YG can choose to take down that link or charge more for it whenever they want.

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