2024 was a tumultuous year for K-pop. What might we expect in 2025?
And are second and third generation groups here to save the day?
From tour announcements to the number of new idol groups debuting, it feels strange to ever think the K-pop industry experienced setbacks in the past year. But while there was certainly lots of movement in the business, 2024 was also a year marked by chaos.
For one thing, major labels experienced challenges.
SM Entertainment faced criticism over its handling of toxic fans, after Seunghan announced he would be leaving his group RIIZE for good. JYP Entertainment dealt with the fallout of former VCHA member KG, who announced she was terminating her contract with JYP USA and filing a lawsuit alleging “abuse and mistreatment by certain staff members.” While HYBE, continues to be embroiled in a legal challenge with the members of NewJeans after the group announced the termination of their exclusive contract with HYBE subsidiary ADOR.
Developments for the latter two situations are very likely going to continue into 2025. Earlier this month, NewJeans members Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin and Hyein announced they intend to rebrand and redebut as the group NJZ at ComplexCon in Hong Kong in March. Since this news went public, the group has alleged HYBE chairman Bang Si-hyuk of attempting to prevent them from performing at the event.
Outside of label drama, it appears the K-pop industry as a whole is also figuring out what to do when it comes to slowing album sales. According to The Korea Herald, exports had steadily risen since 2015. Though 2023 marked the first time in a decade that the growth rate stalled. According to Circle Chart, total album sales for the top 400 albums from January 1 to December 14, 2024 amounted to 92.67 million copies—a 19.5 per cent drop compared to the same period in 2023.
This begs the question…are fans beginning to lose interest in K-pop?
K-pop had a boom of interest during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially when many of us have been cooped up at home. Since things have reopened, it has only gotten more and more expensive to keep up. Concert tickets are incredibly pricey. And as the world grapples with climate change and uncertain economic times, does it actually make much sense to be buying and collecting so many versions of the same album?
Then comes the nonstop cycle of promotions and new K-pop acts debuting every month. Some of my friends have told me they are overwhelmed by the industry. Others on Reddit have also shared the sentiment that “K-pop is probably the closest to fast fashion in music.”
As much I love K-pop, 2024 actually saw me questioning whether the industry is in the middle of an identity crisis. Of course, the business has often been about the money. But considering all the drama happening with labels, it’s hard not to feel conflicted at times.
Given this uncertainty, I still find myself feeling optimistic and excited nearly two months into 2025.
For one, this year marks the return of BTS, who are expected to be released from their military duties. Blackpink, who went on hiatus to pursue solo activities, are also slated to return later this year with a stadium world tour announced this summer. These two groups are not just global stars in their own right. But I’ve been incredibly impressed with the way each band went off their separate ways to pursue solo and creative endeavours on their own terms.
What’s more, we are also seeing a resurgence of second and third generation groups. GOT7, who hasn’t had a comeback in three years, recently marked their return with the single “Python.” GFRIEND, a group many have been dying to hear from in ages, have also been performing together as part of their 10-year anniversary. And for fans who have been around since the second generation, groups like Big Bang and 2NE1 have also recently reunited to make music. The latter is currently on a world tour.
This all excites me because I love a good comeback narrative. Each of these groups have gone off to try different things in the last couple of years. And in turn, are returning more mature, more experienced and on their own terms.
One of the reasons I’ve actually found myself a bit burnt out by K-pop in 2024 is the lack of real life narrative of groups. I want to know the journey! Though it’s hard to achieve this sense of connection when it feels like there are so many groups debuting right now. And far too often, companies and labels still hold tight control over the artists they manage—from their personal lives, interview answers and what they post online. If K-pop is really at an identity crisis, perhaps now is the time to give artists more autonomy over their careers and lives—especially if the goal is to continue expanding globally.
Authenticity sells, which is why I’ve been been following the NewJeans/NJZ story so closely. It’s also why I’ve been so taken by idols like Seventeen’s Seungkwan speaking up about the toxic environments faced by K-pop artists. It’s not news that the industry has much work to do. So why not work towards change in 2025?
As I have written before, I truly believe that things have to get worse before they get better. And while I expect this year will see some turbulent times in the K-pop industry, I will remain optimistic that there might be some positive developments given the 2024 we’ve just had.
Things I’ve also been reading:
K-pop’s seemingly unstoppable rise shows signs of slowing (The Korea Herald)
K-Pop Paradox: Why Some Acts Find Global Success But Face a Disconnect Back Home (Billboard)
2024 was an off year for K-pop. Can BTS, Blackpink and China turn the tide? (Korea JoongAng Daily)
Get in touch by emailing bunnipopnewsletter@gmail.com. Or, follow me on Instagram, TikTok and Threads.
I did notice the fatigue, too—but then, I attributed it to having much more energy (and newcomer excitement) with the second and (especially) third generations. I seem to remember much more of the lore surrounding Apink and Red Velvet—and even how fans troll Taemin—than any of the newcomers.
I suppose it's also because as I grew older, I got busier and had more responsibilities (not to mention the fallout from breakup with the ex, who introduced me to K-pop in the first place). I had to "select" a group to follow. It was almost Ive, but "After Like" literally became a trigger for me; I ended up going for Billlie, but I can't even follow them as much, only knowing the broad beats of Moon Sua's hiatus and still not telling Sheon and Suhyeon apart.
Or maybe it's because the K-pop "aesthetic" became too streamlined (I was supposed to say "Westernized" but that was always the case) and I could not tell, say, NewJeans and Illit and Le Sserafim and Fifty Fifty and Rescene and [insert girl group here] apart? All it does is make me yearn back towards the time of Mamamoo and GFriend—and I was a bit disappointed with how identikit their comeback is.