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An observation on @BigHitEnt's curiously smart strategy for #TXT 
to ensure that they're ALL developed equally — @TXT_members
A thread:
to ensure that they're ALL developed equally — @TXT_members A thread:
I already shared my musings about this with a friend (hi @aiscy0613 
) because I've come to observe that Big Hit's TXT team is very conscious of ensuring that ALL members are given equal development not only in talent, but curiously — in terms of popularity and exposure as well.
) because I've come to observe that Big Hit's TXT team is very conscious of ensuring that ALL members are given equal development not only in talent, but curiously — in terms of popularity and exposure as well.
In the beginning, due to his status as "Big Hit's Legendary Trainee" + his natural showmanship as a performer, Yeonjun (unofficially) became the most popular member. Now if this were a Western context, Yeonjun could have been the Beyonce or Justin Timberlake of the group —
meaning he would've been the "central" or "main" member had Big Hit chosen to go the traditional Western route.
Curiously though, Big Hit was very careful that Yeonjun would NOT overshadow his other members. And one of the first steps they did to prevent that from happening +
Curiously though, Big Hit was very careful that Yeonjun would NOT overshadow his other members. And one of the first steps they did to prevent that from happening +
was to focus on the member MOST likely to be overshadowed in a group full of extroverts: the only introvert, Soobin.
Considering TXT's sunbaenims in the company, there was always the danger of Soobin being compared to that legendary group's well-spoken and influential leader +
Considering TXT's sunbaenims in the company, there was always the danger of Soobin being compared to that legendary group's well-spoken and influential leader +
and it didn't help that Soobin (though there's nothing wrong with it) was naturally shy and soft-spoken.
Big Hit then made the logical decision to develop his character and personality by casting him as the MC for Music Bank. What no one expected — not even Big Hit themselves —
Big Hit then made the logical decision to develop his character and personality by casting him as the MC for Music Bank. What no one expected — not even Big Hit themselves —
was that the MC stint brought out Soobin's previously undiscovered natural charm and charisma, and Soobin's popularity SKYROCKETED. Surprisingly, even way past Yeonjun's, according to the brand reputation index.
This was helped immensely by Yeonjun's and Soobin's naturally +
This was helped immensely by Yeonjun's and Soobin's naturally +
tactile relationship dynamics as the self-proclaimed "parents" of the group, which is why (especially during Eternity era) their ship (Yeonbin) also skyrocketed as the most popular.
Now this is already a good thing for Big Hit, having not just one, but TWO popular members in
Now this is already a good thing for Big Hit, having not just one, but TWO popular members in
TXT. At the same time however, brand reputation rankings showed that the maknae line are now the ones being "left behind" in popularity — in particular, Taehyun and Hueningkai.
This is why it finally caught my attention that Big Hit immediately tried to remedy that situation +
This is why it finally caught my attention that Big Hit immediately tried to remedy that situation +
especially for this Blue Hour comeback era. Because the smartest and most strategic thing they did was to pair up their most popular members with their "least" popular members: Soobin with Taehyun (Taebin), and Yeonjun with Hueningkai (Yeonkai).
To be perfectly clear +
To be perfectly clear +
this is not to say that TXT's relationship dynamics were in any way "manufactured" for the sake of popularity; on the contrary, Big Hit instead saw the TXT's natural, easy, deep and open relationship with each other and knew that the best way to way to develop that +
was to HIGHLIGHT it; to not hide it from the public, but to be completely transparent to the public about TXT's unique dynamics.
(After all, it's exactly what they did with a certain legendary group too, and look where that group is right now
)
For TXT in particular +
(After all, it's exactly what they did with a certain legendary group too, and look where that group is right now
)For TXT in particular +
they began spotlighting Taebin's relationship dynamics first during Drama era, highlighting Taehyun's unquestioning devotion to Soobin, and Soobin's reliance on Taehyun as his pillar and strength: the leader / right hand man dynamic. This was strategic because Soobin +
at the time was already skyrocketing in popularity as Mubank's MC. It culminated into Soobin helping Taehyun finally personally meet Taemin at Mubank, cementing their dynamic as the leader and his right hand man.
For Blue Hour, the focus now shifted into the Yeonjuneez line: +
For Blue Hour, the focus now shifted into the Yeonjuneez line: +
Yeonjun (Big Hueningkai) and Hueningkai (Yeonjun Jr. / Small Yeonjun). This time the focus was on how they both happen to be ENFPs and have a lot more in common than is immediately apparent, which works with the big / little dynamic (although as Hueningkai points out, he's +
actually the bigger one now, amusingly enough.)
This strategy of BH to pair Taehyun with Soobin and Hueningkai with Yeonjun immediately worked as Tyunning's respective brand reputation rankings suddenly skyrocketed too, the maknae line's positions much closer to +
This strategy of BH to pair Taehyun with Soobin and Hueningkai with Yeonjun immediately worked as Tyunning's respective brand reputation rankings suddenly skyrocketed too, the maknae line's positions much closer to +
they hyung line's now, instead of having a huge gap between them.
I'm curious to see what their strategy will be now with Beomgyu, if it'll manifest in this comeback or the next, as Big Hit seems to concentrate on specific members + relationship dynamics per era, and Beomgyu +
I'm curious to see what their strategy will be now with Beomgyu, if it'll manifest in this comeback or the next, as Big Hit seems to concentrate on specific members + relationship dynamics per era, and Beomgyu +
has always coasted in that safe median space between the hyung line and the maknae line, not really dropping from popularity but not completely standing out just yet (based on brand reputation ranking).
They're already starting it a bit in spotlighting Beomgyu's +
They're already starting it a bit in spotlighting Beomgyu's +
couple-y "opposites attract" dynamics with Soobin, together with Taehyun's competitive dynamics with Yeonjun — again using the strategy of pairing them with the group's current most popular members. To be fair, BH has also always given Beomgyu a unique spotlight of his own as +
prod Beomgyu, the only one in TXT so far, so perhaps BH isn't too concerned about Beomgyu not getting enough pubic spotlight given that Beomgyu's strength has always been behind the scenes too, working on their music.
The reason why I am intrigued at this strategy of BH to +
The reason why I am intrigued at this strategy of BH to +
ensure that ALL members have equal (or as close as it can be) spotlight and ranking in popularity and exposure is because it's clever, in so many ways:
1) it kills (or at least delays) the rise of solo stans, considering even TXT's line distribution is almost unerringly equal +
1) it kills (or at least delays) the rise of solo stans, considering even TXT's line distribution is almost unerringly equal +
in their songs, and they get to switch positions even in singing parts (Tyunning used to get all the chorus parts but now even Yeonbingyu gets to do them too). I think BH's TXT team learned from their predecessors handling TXT's sunbaenims,
and are now more careful about shedding equal spotlight among all the members to avoid the immediate rise of solo stans, even as it may seem inevitable. This way, the TXT team can keep the group's narrative within their control as much as possible.
2) It's a good investment +
2) It's a good investment +
for the far, FAR future when the group inevitably gets separated due to military enlistment; unlike the strategy of Western groups and even some Kpop groups that focus on only the popular members, in which the group / the other members inevitably fade into obscurity when the +
"star/s" of the group either go into enlistment or have their own solo career, this strategy of BH to ensure equal development and spotlight for ALL TXT members also establishes that they will have FIVE stars in the future that can a) carry the whole group forward even when
they get separated during enlistment, and / or b) they have FIVE potential solo stars and / or an infinite possibility of sub-units who can go on their own career paths as a precaution should something happen to the group that will make them disband, or if the group decides to +
not renew their contract together.
In any case, it’s a VERY smart strategy for BH to focus on equally developing all five members this early on. Perhaps this is a lesson the TXT handlers have learned in observing the industry’s sunbaenims (which also now makes me curious what +
In any case, it’s a VERY smart strategy for BH to focus on equally developing all five members this early on. Perhaps this is a lesson the TXT handlers have learned in observing the industry’s sunbaenims (which also now makes me curious what +
Enhypen’s handlers have learned in TXT that they will eventually improve through managing Enhypen).
And even if we don’t consider this as a marketing strategy — this is an incredible way to strengthen and forge TXT’s relationship not only as a team, +
And even if we don’t consider this as a marketing strategy — this is an incredible way to strengthen and forge TXT’s relationship not only as a team, +
but in every sense of the word, as a family. It smoothens any possible tensions that may come up about “equal treatment” too, as they all seem to get near-equal spotlight in every way. +
And more than anything, it forges TXT’s identity as FIVE aces who are all *equally* talented, and strengthens TXT’s claim that they will rise in the industry *together*: all FIVE of them pulling their own equal weight.
PS: re: Beomgyu — I have noticed too that they're starting to slowly establish him as the group's central character now in the +U narrative; the "main character" actually keeps on shifting from Yeonjun (in Star era) to Hueningkai (in Magic era) to Soobin (from Eternity era) +
to Beomgyu now, beginning from Drama and in Blue Hour now too. I wonder if the next "main character" for the current / next comeback will now be Taehyun, or if they will keep the spotlight on Beomgyu for a little longer.
It really is a conscious decision on BH's part +
It really is a conscious decision on BH's part +
to continue shifting the spotlight across all five members. None of it is an accident: it's deliberate, well-thought out, smart, and incredibly strategic.
There's something self-aware and breaking the 4th wall about it too, the whole concept of being "overshadowed" / "left behind" in a group, as that's exactly the concept dealt with by Soobin in Eternity and Beomgyu in Drama. And the self-reflexiveness of that is +
the focus of the storyline / narrative shifts on the character who is being overshadowed or left behind, rather than the character who is supposedly the lead, which makes BH self-aware of the narrative of having "central" characters and actually turning that around in its head +
to focus on the characters who are considered as the second leads / supporting characters, ironically making *them* the main character in the story now.
Basically: BH takes the idea of being overshadowed / left behind and makes it the actual focus in the +U narrative +
Basically: BH takes the idea of being overshadowed / left behind and makes it the actual focus in the +U narrative +
which runs parallel to their OWN strategy in real life in ensuring that no member in TXT gets overshadowed or left behind.
Adding this here, as an afterthought #TXT
@TXT_members @TXT_bighit https://twitter.com/vindicatedtruth/status/1330076087553052673?s=20
#TXT @TXT_members @TXT_bighit https://twitter.com/vindicatedtruth/status/1330076087553052673?s=20
I feel like I need to clarify: no, I do not work for Big Hit lmao, and please take every word of this with a grain of salt as these are all PERSONAL, SUBJECTIVE observations, and not absolute gospel truth. That being said — thank you everyone for your kind words
