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▲This photo is provided by Yonhap News Agency. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
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▲This photo, provided by JG STAR Entertainment, and ATEAM Entertainment, shows girl group bugAboo. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
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| ▲This photo, provided by SOURCE Music, shows girl group LE SSERAFIM. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
SEOUL, December 21 (Yonhap) -- Although K-pop girl groups enjoyed great popularity this year in 2022, it is pointed out that the phenomenon of "inequality" between girl groups of large agencies and those of small and medium-sized agencies has intensified.
As the standard of K-pop fans goes higher, it is becoming more difficult for groups from small and medium-sized agencies to gain popularity, which results in an increase in popularity for just big agency girl groups as the agencies do not save money and make bold investments in their groups.
Girl group bugAboo announced through their fan cafe on December 8 that they are disbanding, according to the music industry on Wednesday. The group is disbanding after a year and two months since their October 20, 2021, debut.
The five member girl group BVNDIT, who made their debut as "ChungHa's Junior Group" in 2019, announced their disbandment on November 11. Seven member girl group HOT ISSUE was also disbanded in April of this year.
The general exclusive contract period signed by idol groups with their agencies is seven years, and there are a series of teams that disappear in one to two years without even working the first half of the contract years because they were not able to make achievements.
One of the biggest reasons for the disbandment of girl groups at small and medium-sized agencies is because popularity tends to favor big agency girl groups.
A total of seven girl group songs were listed on the "Top 50" on Melon's "2021 Year Chart," Korea's largest music platform. Among them, there were five songs by artists who belonged to companies other than HYBE, SM, YG, and JYP, which are considered the so-called "four major agencies." This is due to the success of Brave Girls and Oh My Girl.
However, according to the cumulative Korean music chart data from Melon accumulated from January 1 until December 16, there were 13 girl group songs that have entered the "Top 50," doubling the number from last year, but there are only six songs by girl groups that are not from the "four major agencies," adding one from last year.
Among the six songs, there is only one left, which is (G)I-DLE's "TOMBOY," if songs of IVE, which is a group of Starship Entertainment, an affiliate of Kakao, and the project group WSG Wannabe, produced by MBC TV's variety show "Let's do whatever we can," are excluded.
The numbers of girl group hit songs have increased, but it has become harder for medium- to small-sized agencies to follow them up.
Agencies did not hesitate to spend money on rookie girl groups who made their successful debut.
NewJeans, who made their debut under ADORE, an affiliate of HYBE, in July of this year, produced music videos for all the tracks included in their debut album, bringing in a lot of content.
The group produced more than ten videos, including their dance choreography video, which is a performance video, and music videos of individual members.
The girl group LE SSERAFIM also used the agency's support as a stepping stone to a successful debut.
According to the semi annual report released by HYBE in August of this year, HYBE lent 7.5 billion won to Source Music, their affiliate, for the purpose of "girl group launching."
Considering that LE SSERAFIM was the only girl group to make their debut during that time period, it implies that the agency invested billions in this group.
Due to this reason, rookie girl groups such as IVE, NewJeans, LE SSERAFIM, NMIXX, Kep1er, and more, who were able to show their presence this year were all under the four major agencies, or an agency that is an affiliate of big enterprises such as CJ ENM and Kakao.
Kim Jin-woo, the CEO of RBW, which developed girl groups like MAMAMOO and Purple Kiss, said during the interview he had recently had with Yonhap News Agency that "the phenomenon where the rich get richer and the poor get poorer has been intensified."
CEO Kim said, "When we aimed only at the domestic market in the past, there was a 'limit line' of cost to some extent," adding, "However, if we want to compete with Hollywood like these days, the quality of content will inevitably increase." "The production cost has increased that much," he said.
According to another K-pop official, "as the K-pop market grows, the unit price has increased, and the cost of group activities has nearly doubled from 1.5 times before," adding, "in the end, it is becoming a "money game" between agencies."
There are also concerns among K-pop fans and experts that there will be a lack of diversity in the music industry as girl groups from certain agencies dominate the market.
Pop culture critic Kim Heon-sik said, "A lot of girl groups made their debut recently, and the gap between the rich and the poor has worsened," adding, "This phenomenon might violate the diversity of music and culture at last."
"I am concerned whether K-pop, which is influenced by capital and marketing skills, will be able to produce positive effects in the future," Kim said.
(This article is translated from Korean to English by Dowon Kim.)
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