This year hasn't been a particularly warm one for the relationship between Japan and South Korea. Ongoing tension stemming from Japan's colonization of its neighbor up to the end of World War II — and efforts to complicate what happened during this period — have bubbled up once again, affecting everything from music to tourism.
But this week's "2018 FNS Music Festival" year-end bonanza on Fuji TV reminded us that pop can help create bridges between the two countries. The program featured the Japanese TV debut of Izone (stylized as IZ*ONE and pronounced "eyes one"), a 12-member group featuring nine Korean performers and three Japanese singers coming from the AKB48 universe. This mix has generated some controversy in both nations, but scored record sales in South Korea and strong interest in Japan well before properly debuting there.
Izone came about because of a talent competition show that aired in Korea over the summer. "Produce 48" found the popular "Produce 101" series teaming up with J-pop idol establishment AKB48 to create a new group selected by viewers. It initially seemed like it would be another set of geopolitical pratfalls. From the start, Korean netizens slammed TV station MNET for working with AKB48.
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