When Universal Music Group (UMG) decided to pull its music from TikTok, citing the end of their contract and concerns over compensation, AI dangers, and user safety, nobody expected the fallout to hit the K-pop world quite as hard as it did. Among those caught in the crossfire was RIIZE’s infectious track “Talk Saxy,” which suddenly vanished from TikTok, leaving fans and the group reeling.
When UMG first made the announcement, fans wondered which songs would disappear from the platform. Speculation was rife that Western pop icons like Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber, and Ariana Grande, alongside K-pop powerhouses BTS and BLACKPINK, would see their music leave TikTok. But when the purge began on February 1, the impact was uneven. While many Western UMG-affiliated artists were affected, BTS and BLACKPINK weren’t—at least at first. The reason? Their contracts with UMG were mostly for distribution purposes, sparing their music from being pulled.
However, not all Korean artists were so fortunate. Tracks from several K-pop groups, including &TEAM, NCT units, Red Velvet, SuperM, and TWICE, were removed without rhyme or reason. Most of their Japanese and English releases disappeared. As February wore on, the situation escalated. In the beginning, only artists and songs directly under UMG or published via a subsidiary were purged. But the latest UMG takedown targeted music related to the company in any way, including any song with even the slightest connection to the company, whether through writers, producers, or other contributors.
‘RIIZE’ above the fray
But here’s where the story takes an uplifting turn. Enter V K (@vickyntamag on TikTok), who started whipping up acapella versions of beloved K-pop tracks silenced by the purge. Her rendition of “Talk Saxy” caught fire, amassing 1.3 million views.
@vickyntamag @V K I know they’re not UMG but I had to 🤭😂 dc: @SAMU #riize #rizeandrealize #talksaxy #instrumental #Kpop #humour #umg #muted #tiktoksounds #fyp
RIIZE’s Sohee shared V K’s cover on TikTok with a reassuring message, “Don’t worry everyone… we still have this sound!” This post went viral, hitting 1.6 million views.
240229 riize tiktok update with #sohee pic.twitter.com/LZ7S4PDXJr
— sohee pics (@soheefeed) February 29, 2024
Other RIIZE members, Eunseok and Sungchan, showed their moves to V K’s version of “Talk Saxy,” further cementing the song’s undiminished appeal despite the takedown. Their engagement with V K’s content turned a moment of loss into a celebration of music and ingenuity.
@riize_official 🛗🎷 dc. @SAMU #RIIZE #라이즈 #EUNSEOK #은석 #SUNGCHAN #성찬 #RISEandREALIZE
These events shine a light on the effects of UMG’s clash with TikTok on artists and their supporters. Caught in the middle of a standoff between a leading record label and a social media powerhouse, artists like RIIZE and their fans face tough challenges. Despite these hurdles, the creative efforts and backing from fans like V K have allowed “Talk Saxy” to “RIIZE” above the fray. (See what we did there?) – K-Pop News Writer
Featured Image: Necessity really is the mother of invention, even in the K-pop world. Source: X/@RIIZE_official.
