Is K-pop ushering in a new generation?
K-pop boy band Tomorrow X Together (TXT). Courtesy of Big Hit Entertainment
By Dong Sun-hwa
By Dong Sun-hwa
Is the K-pop industry in the midst of a generational change?
This is one of the questions on the lips of industry experts and fans these days. While some believe that rookie groups such as ITZY and Tomorrow X Together (TXT) have already brought in a new era, others say the time has not yet arrived since most of “the third generation stars” ― including K-pop behemoths BTS and BLACKPINK ― are still going strong.
But the debate indicates that there are distinctive characteristics that differentiate newcomers from established acts. The fourth generation bands, in general, refer to those that debuted in 2018 or later, which put a greater emphasis on international markets and a heavier reliance on digital platforms. In addition to the aforementioned bands, (G)I-DLE, ENHYPEN, TREASURE, ATEEZ, EVERGLOW, Stray Kids and aespa are also often classified as members of the new generation, too.
How are they different?
K-pop girl group ITZY. Courtesy of JYP Entertainment
In the past, most K-pop acts worked to gain a foothold in the domestic industry first before considering making inroads into overseas markets. The stars these days, however, are different: they set their sights on global stage from the very beginning of their career. In particular, since BTS broke into the U.S. mainstream market, more rookie singers are seeking to write their own history there.
TXT, a boy band launched by BTS's record label Big Hit Entertainment in 2019, and JYP Entertainment's girl group ITZY kicked off their promotional activities in the U.S. shortly after debuting and carving out their presence in Korea. ITZY is also aiming for the international market, visiting Indonesia among other countries to promote its music. KQ Entertainment's ATEEZ performed in North America only about four months after making its debut.
Choi Ha-rim (or “Squib”), editor of online K-pop magazine IDOLOGY, compared these stars to EXO, a third generation group that targeted markets outside Korea from the start.
“Unlike the others, EXO resorted to a localization strategy from the beginning to permeate into the Chinese market by launching the sub-unit EXO-M that included four Chinese members,” Choi told The Korea Times. “But rookie singers these days are different ― they usually do not target one specific country or region, but try to embrace all.”
As a consequence, some newcomers such as EVERGLOW are making waves abroad, even though they have not yet ascended to stardom in Korea. Their global popularity and accomplishments are actually helping them spread their names in their home country, industry insiders say.
The emergence of K-pop groups with no Korean members is also noteworthy. Including foreign members in a band has been a widely used marketing strategy for K-pop labels to appeal to the fans in different regions, but now, they are taking a bolder approach: excluding all Koreans.
Last year, JYP revealed its all-Japanese girl group NiziU, one year after SM Entertainment unveiled its Chinese boy band WayV. Although some people question whether these acts fall into the category of “K-pop,” in many cases, they are viewed as the “extended versions” of the existing K-pop acts.
The fourth generation bands also have more platforms other than YouTube and Twitter to communicate with fans from around the globe.
“Platforms like YouTube have been used as communication tools for quite a long time, but today, there are more fan platforms like Weverse, Lysn and Universe,” Choi said. “Some of them even offer a one-on-one messenger service between a star and a follower, helping them boost interaction.”
History of K-pop and the challenges for newcomers
H.O.T. is one of the first generation K-pop groups. Courtesy of SM Entertainment
The first generation K-pop is, according to the definition of some experts, are the ones that began in the late 1990s, with the arrival of popular acts including H.O.T., S.E.S., SECHSKIES and Fin.K.L. These bands were hugely popular in Korea, but received less attention from international fans. Still, there were some meaningful successes; H.O.T., for example, basked in popularity in China and BoA became the first Korean to top Japans' biggest pop chart Oricon in 2002 with her first full-length album in Japan, “Listen to My Heart.”
TVXQ, Super Junior, Girls' Generation, KARA and BIGBANG, which debuted in 2004 or later, are known as the leaders of the 2nd generation. They expanded K-pop's presence in the Japanese and Chinese markets to a great extent.
The third generation stars include BTS, BLACKPINK, EXO, TWICE, which have been making a splash beyond Asia. With the rise of platforms like YouTube, these singers have reached a global audience and built solid international fandoms.
Now, the latest generation acts want to make their own mark, aiming even higher. But critics point out, to meet their expectations, they should be more culturally sensitive and mentally strong.
In fact, dozens of K-pop stars were recently criticized for their cultural insensitivity. One of them is Monsta X's I.M, who apologized Feb. 15 after wearing a shirt with an Islamic phrase ― which is reportedly recited by Muslims during prayers ― in a promotional image for his upcoming solo album “Duality.” Some fans took offense, saying such a phrase should not be used for “aesthetic reasons.”
“K-pop stars and the agencies need to understand the broader cultural and historical contexts now, considering how diverse K-pop fan bases are,” music critic Cha Woo-jin said. “For them to earn global recognition, they should be more prudent in creating their content.”
Choi touched on the issue of the celebrities' mental health.
“Numerous K-pop singers previously revealed they are suffering from mental illnesses. But they may feel even more stress these days because they now have to prepare more content for various platforms and spend additional time communicating with their fans,” he said. “Therefore, not only the singers but also the companies should seek ways to better handle the stars' condition.”
Cha also advised the rookie bands not to be overwhelmed by the achievements of their forerunners.
“Success is not all about topping the charts,” he said. “The rookie singers should forge their own paths instead of trying to meet certain standards.”