Singer TOP (T.O.P) has released his first full-length solo studio album, ANOTHER DIMENSION, but more than half of the album’s tracks were ruled unfit to air after review by KBS.
According to the results of KBS Music’s review announced on the 8th, of the 11 songs on TOP’s newly released album, 7 were deemed ineligible for broadcast. The seven rejected tracks were all TOP songs, and the main reasons cited were mentions of specific product brands and inappropriate, vulgar lyrical expressions.
The songs ruled ineligible include the title track “You went completely crazy! (Studio54),” as well as BE SOLID, Gokkal Kkeon (FOR FANS), 《Feel like you live in Seoul》 (SEOUL CHAOS), Another Dimension Holy Dude !!!!!!!!, ZERO-COKE, SELF CRUCIFIXION, and, among others, “The play is over, and after that.”
KBS said that for four songs, including “You went completely crazy!” and “ZERO-COKE,” directly referencing specific product names violated Article 46 of the broadcast screening guidelines on limits regarding advertising effectiveness. The rationale is that including brand names in lyrics could compromise the neutrality of public broadcasting.
Some tracks were also penalized due to issues with the lyrics themselves. For SELF CRUCIFIXION, the lyrics were deemed ineligible because they contained expressions raising concerns about encouraging the consumption of harmful drugs such as narcotics or promoting illegal conduct. For BE SOLID, the explicitly stated reason was the use of vulgar lyrics, such as profanity and obscene language.
Meanwhile, another title track, DESPERADO; and the remaining four songs—OVAYA and Only Me, among them—were ruled eligible, meaning they can be broadcast normally.
Tracks that receive a ruling of ineligibility for KBS broadcast may request a re-review after revising or removing the problematic parts. Since songs that fail the review are banned from use in all TV and radio programs run by KBS, attention is focused on whether TOP will revise the lyrics going forward and try again.
In the meantime, TOP released his first solo studio album three days ago and has continued his activities by showcasing a distinct musical world. Fans are watching closely to see whether this review outcome could become a factor in his future mainstream broadcast activities.
