Reports from Japan indicate that a large number of Seventeen's latest album, "17 is Right Here," are being discarded in public spaces.
Photo via pannchoa
The popular K-pop group recently achieved record sales with this album, but the aftermath is raising concerns about waste and commercialisation.
A Japanese fan posted on social media, "I'm sorry to bring this up so suddenly, but something has come to my attention. A TikTok video shows a lot of Seventeen albums being tossed on the streets of Shibuya."
The post included photos of stacks of discarded albums, with a sign that read, "Take what you want."
Speculation is rife that fans or resellers are buying albums in large quantities to get hold of the photo cards or digital codes that come with them and then dumping the rest. Critics are pointing out that this kind of waste is not only environmentally harmful but also indicative of exploitative sales tactics.
Comments on social media reflect growing discontent: "This kind of waste is a sign of irresponsible marketing," while another person commented, "These sales practices are unsustainable," and "It's not a good look to celebrate record sales when so much of it ends up in the trash."
What do you think about this issue? How can the K-pop industry address the problem of waste and unethical buying practices?
