TMZ and Dispatch

 

Just to give my own perspective. And for extra measure, I'm gonna have this on New Years'! The same event of Dispatch releasing any info of a celebrity couple that deserved their privacy. Now I'm referring to idols only since they are the ones who are the most fearful while actors, bands that aren't idols, and solo musicians seemed to be just fine.

As much as people like to say yellow journalism shouldn't exist, it's still freedom of speech. Though they should be careful, especially when gossip is gossip in the end. 

And if MDZS is any indication, gossip can ruin lives if you don't know how to counteract it. Gossip feeds into reputation. Anything did wrong to that reputation and things go down the drain. The gossip crowd will fly to it like honey and gossip would have an outlet whenever celebrities are involved. 

In the West, TMZ has a bad repute. Their TV show just showed just how they work as paparazzi. I remembered watching some TMZ when I was really young, vaguely seeing reporters putting mics to the faces who clearly wanted to get away and obviously don't want to answer to whatever controversy or scandal that popped up. I remembered lots and lots of laughter from the staff as I think they roasted the celebs. I mean roasting is fine, but the way they give off felt like they are just gossiping about whatever thing the celeb is going through. 

But for Dispatch, they worked similarly but with far more power.

Like I said in a previous post, they held power over the rabid gf/bf fans who probably believe whatever BS they wrote for their annual couple reveal. 

However, we should note the gray here. Companies like Big Hit and SM worked with them because better to stave off by keeping close with the enemy. 

Although that means they are also close to inner workings. 

Dispatch enacted these kinds of actions. Their forte is gossip first and foremost. Think Eastern anti behavior but has more power due to intrinsically involved with the entertainment industry.

• has a tendency to blow things out of proportion. Just look at how they accused JK and his friends of going out to clubs when the clubs are available to fucking open! It’s only when the shutdown happens did these guys didn’t do it. 
• fabricate things outright. Pretty obvious since they do this so frequently it's like water to them. 
• spread rumors that may or may not be true. Fake rumors are also applicable since there are loads of them developed in every area in Eastern entertainment you can find. The couples they revealed have this because we don't even know if this is true or not. For all we know, they could just be rumors, fake or otherwise. They could just be friends as apparently opposite sex friends don’t exist. It doesn’t have to be a date no matter how tantalizing it is. Jk and V have to make clear the ladies they met up with are friends and have no romantic interest. I have reason to believe they aren’t dating the ladies. Even then, idols won’t even dare reveal their dating status unless they are ready to and the company will back them. Well, unless you are not one of the better companies.
• might have truths if sensationalized. They are still the major source for scandals that proved true enough that other news channels report on it like the Burning Sun Scandal and music award shows’ suspicious activities. But only the true ones that other news will report but even that’s a low bar since there are far more gossipy articles than actual researched ones. Sometimes when certain Dispatch articles have so much malice in them, we are gonna see them on other channels. The rumors and the couple reveal since I don’t know.
• For companies when they have them in their pockets
• diverting if something goes wrong for companies. This has been a running theory with 
  JenKai reveal. Again, at the end of the day, it's celeb news. This is just a theory as even the companies would throw off itself by debuting new group to throw off. 
• covering up or looking the other way of some shit. 
• pressuring tactics to achieve control over them such as blackmail. Spilling rumors for example just to keep more control such as those rumors to out a gay couple came up again two years after the original. It died off quickly but it came off suspiciously strategic as if it's intimidation. I'm positive the queer idol couple discovered by Dispatch and proof of their date that probably had explicit romantic actions caught on film is still in the backburner and hold it over those idols' company's head even though they can't release the info now since they have made the public promise not to out any queer idol and/or their romance. That doesn't mean it's safe, it's being used as threats. 
• Blackmail on companies’ celebs to hold it over their heads as a threat and keep control. This differs from celebs messing up and managers may or may not drop them because a new celeb would come to take their place. Unlike those incidents, the blackmail Dispatch specialized in are primarily private or the better word for idols’ case secretive life. 

Dispatch likes to say they aren't paparazzi but they admitted they took inspiration from American paps. They sure love to pass off their so-called nighttime stalking as coincidental when people pointed out its clear stalking. Well then...let's go through this story that probably happened already. 

Just imagine their glee when they caught two queer idols going on a date whom they recognized from a rising band with a quick google search that they have a two-year difference. Imagine the increasing excitement they have so much material on the queer couple, explicit romantic actions like kissing or outright hearing one man call another man pretty, that they decide to keep track of their movements, knowing they got a story without considering the idols’ rights. Once they got enough and uploaded the article, they sent the material to the agencies with blackmail threats. 

Meanwhile for the agency, having been alerted to the article beforehand probably did not expect this or perhaps never thought it would come to this when they were sent the photos from the very outlet that said they got the juicy scoop on the two recognized. Immediately in the middle of the night, the boss called every manager of that band for an emergency meeting while calling for NDAs made. 

Imagine the terror going through the closeted idols’ whole bodies when they were called in because they were discovered and they could’ve to lead to disbandment. But the companies' lawyers made quick work for the outlet to take the article down, only leaving rumors.

Then now that the company is aware the queer couple has been discovered and kept their eye on them, just knowing that romance is just blooming or already had been bloomed and cannot be stopped. Perhaps they have been aware of the attraction since the trainee days but tried to remain in ignorant bliss until they were caught and they have no choice but to make damn sure the PR around the couple just seems like bros. Saying something like that reminds me of the Sailor Moon dub debacle of Haruka and Michiru being cousins than lovers, but apply that to closeted idols and celebs on a grand scale. Every time I see people believe the bro thing for potential lovers, I want them to think about what is really happening. BJYX aren’t lovers, they’re cousins! Taekook isn't lovers, they're cousins! 

I'm going to have brought up the gay couple Dispatch threatened to release. As I said before, there are many, many closeted idols and couples. If by chance, they are dating another idol is up in the air. I'm pretty sure Sehun, a gay man himself, is dating a non-celeb so he's safe though I'm sure he's worried for his peers and colleagues who probably were freaking out if he knew anyone dating another idol. I would be freaking out too if I was there as an idol. Any queer Korean idol would worry regardless because regardless of culture, a forced coming out is not okay. Even though forced coming outs do happen and still occur, it's still not okay. Finn and that damn commercial outing Santana to the school and the wide county does not make it okay. 

Thankfully, Dispatch has not released any info although rumors had popped up again later in 2018 or just before. That got shut down fairly quickly though the rumors are enough to drive up to any paranoia. 

Just that Dispatch threatened it and decided not to reveal it when it just happened in the country a political crisis. Only then they stated it would divert attention from crucially important politics. Politics are always important but which couple is important enough to actually divert attention? Is it because they're queer or because they just happened to be very famous people who just happened to be queer? I mean just being a queer celeb in Korea is enough to attract some attention from the country. I mean look at the openly queer Holland yet he certainly isn’t famous enough to divert political attention away. In South Korea, he’s known as the openly gay idol thus his popularity is fairly modest. Because unless you fit in the mold, it’s gonna take long years if not more so for out young celebs to make it. But is the latter case enough to divert significant attention? Just who on earth are these queer couples who have the power to actually capture a country's attention when there's a political crisis going on?

Hey, I'm trying to look at it from all the angles so I could see which one people would take away from it and which is implied from Dispatch's statement about not releasing info on the couple than the requisites of same group, two year age difference, and in a rising group.

Because now, unless the couple is still together, Dispatch won't be able to release information until the couple comes out in the future if they choose to and probably want to if they truly wanted the future. 

What I should note is that Dispatch has a strange relationship with Taekook in particular. They almost exclusively sectioned these two off from the rest of the group entirely. I don't know why these two. Does Dispatch have dirt on these two or what? Is it because they are the two most popular members of BTS? But then why only bring them together than individually since JK is insanely popular? Are they a popular subunit even though at that point it's clear to many people they're 'drifting apart'? I'm trying to think why only those two when given the chance to write anything outside of BTS as a group? 

That's what's curious about it. It had been clear Big Hit and Dispatch has a contract until 2020 and I'm sure they got dirt on them on the backburner, dirt that can't be aired out lest Dispatch themselves wanted to be sued. That's the thing I'm curious about what kind of dirt they would focus entirely on Taekook. In the articles themselves, they referenced as bros and nobody is decrying that. But the articles and their photos are almost exclusively Taekook. Dirt or no dirt, it's just weird to focus on just the two of them. Yes, they got other BTS articles and promotions as part of a contract, but when given the reins, they choose Taekook to focus on. 

I mean after the contract with Big Hit was up, Dispatch immediately went on war, writing 'controversy' after another on any members, and deleting any mention or adverts of BTS in any way, shape, or form. 

This is why I never believe the meme that Dispatch doesn't have anything on BTS. Just because they snapped a pic of them in the airport after the HYYH tour (maybe they caught something before this and wanted to air it out and did send threats to them but can't due to lawsuits and later saying they won't out any queer celeb couple. It doesn't have to be that but Dispatch did say they won't out any queer couple in the K-ent business) does not mean they didn't have any blackmail material on them that just can't be aired out lest they want to have lawsuits and people calling them more morally reprehensible for even releasing such info; what's better to use blackmail material that you can't use to circulate than to keep it over their heads as a threat. I firmly believe Dispatch got something on BTS and BH that they still hold over their heads to this very day but they can't trade the info or release it probably because either people won't believe it or it's just better for their use than any other company whose jealous of BTS and BH. That very info might be too valuable for Dispatch to not consider trading the info. I wouldn't be surprised. When BTS accomplished so much for K-pop, music, and SK, wouldn't you think there would be material that is so good for Dispatch and would utterly refuse to give it to other jealous companies? Because it would only benefit them, BTS, and BH if push comes to the shove. 

At least, other companies got the idea now they will have to deal with a nasty Dispatch after contracts end. 

More of the usual but with a more venomous edge. 

I’m sure they got supposedly insiders to feed them or claiming they have to appear more legitimate. It’s a thing for gossip tabloids. Former gossip columnist Shallon Lester does this all the time as the supposed insider when she isn’t even working for them anymore! 

Gossip culture lives in their own world filled with slander and cruel judgment. This is what Shallon Lester thrived in until people called her out and commentary Youtubers deconstructed her that she can’t really argue against. Gossip can exist but it is meant only for the brainless. Gossip feeds a lot into people not knowing the right information mixed with lies. 

Unlike gossip Youtubers, a whole industry is not going away. There will always be an audience for gossip. Nothing is gonna stop Dispatch barring destroying the celebrity gossip market. 

People want them to stop stalking the celebs. Stalking is bad no matter how much you cut it. Dispatch is stalking celebs for any juicy details they can use. Invasion of privacy is a no-go when the life of a celebrity is not normal. Stalkers will be there so celebs have to take measures just to not get stalked. Getting in a gated community is the best choice for any celeb like just what BTS did. Anything to push them away. I mean just happening a chance upon them getting in their fave cafe is enough for a normal fan.

I’m sure Dispatch played off their stalking as coincidences like fans who happened to catch idols visiting a cafe. I know that fans happened upon Taeyang and his wife one time. 

There is a difference between that and attempting to catch Jungkook on the act when he simply went to the store to buy banana milk aka running quick errands. What were they expecting? Going to a sex shop? Buying porn? 

The Kpop fanbases have a treasure trove full of finding couples based on matching clothes or items, wearing brands they don’t usually wear or endorse, buying cars when there is no need unless you are so rich you can buy cars anyway, sns love posts, etc. Usually, the biggest piece of evidence is the people they know closest to them would drop subtle hints, sometimes obvious ones. Fans are the ones who would find these things and because people usually go searching for it, fans have the unspoken truth that they would never air it out to the public; as long as they know it to be true, the rest of the world would think of them as clowns when the rest of the world are clowns for not believing in them. That got to the point that the latter would say the fans would already know about this. Believe me, this is the case of the Eastern fanbases. 

Check out the video with Pentagon knowing about Hyuna and E’Dawn’s relationship and that’s one example I can name at the top of my head. 

These evidence fans use are mainly those actual coincidences and public info. Noticing an idol buying a car when there is no need for it strikes me as weird. 

I honestly don’t care who is dating who, rumors or otherwise. If JenKai is happy, good for them. I do take issues with dating rumors with Sehun with women; it’s fine if they’re beards but he already has a boyfriend. Just to clear, beards are gonna be seen a lot if they wish to be public and don’t want to come out in the sociopolitical climate. I have my suspicions with EXID’s Hani, whom Dispatch previously exposed to dating. I don’t follow all the idols in the industry since it’s hard enough for them already with the secretive life off-camera. Remember, only the public info and coincidental sightings. 

I mean even Dispatch used the exact same process just with a little more stalking and lying. I’m sure they got workers stalking them just so they can get blackmail. The infamous JK scooter bulletin says just enough how far they are willing to go.

Remember at the end of the day, they are a tabloid. The fact there are some truthful articles does not level out they have had threatened to destroy idols’ careers when they are fully aware just airing it out is enough of a backlash from the gf fans. Seriously just threatening to out a queer idol couple in a homophobic society is horrifying when just being in a heterosexual idol relationship is career-threatening enough. Not everyone is going to be like VIPs when Taeyang finally got his girlfriend and later wife.

I mean BTS is trying their best to shake out the gf fans, clearly not enjoying them. At the beginning of their careers, they used that to their advantage because they are struggling and really anything (seriously, fanservice and gf fans are the tips of the iceberg of them just believing they get some modest popularity to maintain their group. Some even thinking the handsomeness of certain members is just enough. You can even find their gf fans idol fantasies videos when they were rookies at the time. Remember they did not expect to win a daesang, given their reactions. By that point, they have in no way knowing they would be the Beatles and/or Seo Taiji and Boys of the new generation and simply content with one daesang and a decent following. Unlike BigBang who didn't aim to gf fans because by then Korean idol music was budding, BTS didn't have fortune like that at the beginning.) to maintain even just a little bit of money is good. This is why in Rookie King they said their fans are their girlfriends and all that 'interacting' with the camera acting scenes and doing heavy like there's a lot there than usual fanservice in their early years - the typical amount of fanservice is usually how they have done since they got reasonably popular to stand though they use fanservice to show each other affection. But not when they earned their success and don’t like gf fans fantasizing themselves when they just saw Chen getting backlash for marrying and starting a family. Do you think any idols watching these rabid gf fans being interviewed only to be hit that these girls whined the idols are supposed to be dating them? To refuse to even buy any more of the idols’ merchandise just because these girls expected the idols to marry them? 

Just when they thought it was even though it has its circumstances (either fans believe them or not since people have thoughts whether it is to divert attention for the companies) JenKai seemed relatively accepted, the loudness of the Chen incident revealed there is a long way to go. But when years have gone by with idols and companies forced to apologize to the rabid gf fans, no matter how famous, it's gonna take years. This means queer idols coming out is gonna be a maelstrom since when they are so damn popular. We have seen idols coming out by making it part of their image but the reasonably popular ones are so subtle they are never listed on the official queer idols list. This means someone more popular than Exo may or may not change the paradigm because they have so damn popular and have spoken on LGBT rights in the past to actually come out. I am just giving a thought. Since we have seen idols on varying levels of popularity somewhat comes out but have to be subtle but for someone extraordinarily popular is gonna do something since people around the world see the person as straight but that's gonna change once the coming out was released. 

I already ranted enough about gf fans so I waste any more breath just talking about this delusional subset. 

Dispatch has so much power of these fans and their visceral reactions that the fans will become the one that will drag their celeb down if the celeb doesn’t know how to weather it. 

Remember despite the internet making it look big, they are loud and small. When the gf fans who showed up to protest Chen’s marriage, it’s only a small amount. This goes to every loud fanbase unless it’s a consensus and even that, general fans would be sick and tired of whatever the louder fanbase subset is loud about, agreeing with them but throw in sarcasm and apathy towards either the creator or the works or both. 

The most extreme cases were Star Wars, Star Trek, and Doctor Who where the original was revered but the new ones banked off nostalgia and being woke without considering what it means to be actually diverse. A lesser case would be JKR and Harry Potter. I have seen people doing ‘read another book’ for the latter (thankfully dying off though I still recall remnants like transphobe wizards book/movie) when the Potter fans have been disillusioned by the author since she tried to force her authorial intent on them with her Word of God statements. Don’t hurt the fans, the death of the author is and will be recommended, just don’t hurt anyone wanting to read something that has a strong legacy despite the author is less than great. Potter fans have learned to close their ears and eyes from her anyway. Just don’t hurt the fans or anybody just wanting to read a damn book. People have listened to music written and sung by musicians who do horrible things like Phil Spector straight up killing a girl! Why is transphobic fame getting to the head author any different?

Off-topic but you get the idea. 

The subset is always louder and the subset of the said subset will be even louder. Only when there is a consensus, largely apathy or sarcasm will be the response from the general crowd or fans. Sometimes for the general fans, they can ignore if they are used to whatever the creator says and do. Seriously JKR isn’t even the first, just look at many preceding her like Ronald Dahl and H.P. Lovecraft. 

And Dispatch has power over them.

And this is what truly makes Dispatch powerful. The gossip was just a cherry on top since they already got enough power just revealing couples. I mean the only thing setting apart TMZ and Dispatch is the vicious ways the latter played in the industry. If TMZ has blackmail, they wouldn't be the same TMZ today. 

Yes, their stalking doesn't make the situation and their extremely dubious actions. At least TMZ has the decency to not out a queer celeb and/or relationship. Yes, I am not letting that go because when they threatened to do that in a homophobic society that will reject the couple and forced the couple to quit the industry altogether. And that's one of the worst-case scenarios because the truly worst one is suicide and that's an unfortunate fact. 

What one can do to dissuade is to not let any celeb catch in the act so secret service level from management, the company, and everyone else in the know - celebs will inevitably slip and blackmail will still occur in the industry although laws are put in place - and don't believe everything they say. Idols keeping their private life secretive is already distressing enough so to add Dispatch and coincidental happenstance by fans and media is not what they want. For queer celebs, it's already upsetting enough they have to pass as straight but on top of that, they are passing off their lover as friends or siblings. Well, that is if they are dating somebody. I mean dating a non-celeb is enough to get on the news in some form for hets. At least when non-celeb 'friends' for closeted queer idols are easily shrugged off as simply friends. I have seen this happen to Sehun, BJYX, and Zhuliuhai. The last one is the one I have a problem deciding because the pool of evidence I managed to find is just so damn small. I'm just waiting to dive into the Taekook pool if it's even possible since it's just sixty-ish percent. 

They will still exist because gossip is still a major thing in the world, especially celebrity gossip. Even if it's the wrong sources. Freedom of speech is still essential though an addendum should be one be careful about those words lest those words can be really bad and do deserve the backlash. 

I am still not forgiving Dispatch for trying to out a gay couple when they should be fully aware of what it really means. Then again they did out couples, true or not, and just let the tidal wave of gf/bf fans wash over the chaos. So yeah, they crossed the line when they tried to force out a gay couple when that is far worse than any het idol would ever have to deal with if their relationship was revealed. At least theirs will be accepted by the general public exempting the rabid gf/bf fans. 

In comparison to idols dating and/or queerness, idols’ family lives are kept very private. If you thought a hidden relationship was something, then family means just as much. BTS kept their family very private, used to show in their early years but stopped as they grew so popular. I mean we got tiny glimpses such as Tae briefly mentioning his sibs being distant from him. Should be thankful that the idols were able to have that at least. 

While heterosexual celebs relationships gossip and speculations run rampant while even suggesting one idol may be queer and have a queer relationship with another makes you delulu. Dating news means nothing to people overall. It doesn’t hurt anyone that they’re even dating in the first place. Except when they're queer because of homophobia.