Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Last year's K-pop keyword was definitely 'girl group'. In particular, the new girl group, which just debuted, filled the music industry with a frightening momentum and did well. And in 2023, they were no longer rookies, but "the trend."
The best group this spring is definitely Ive. Ive, who debuted in December 2021, has just passed the first anniversary of his debut. IVE, who emerged as a "monster rookie" at the same time as his debut, continued to perform on every album. Prior to the release of the first full-length album "I've IVE" on the 10th, the pre-released song "Kitsch" heralded the return of the trend early on. He filled his first full-length album with as many as 11 songs. Ahn Yu-jin and Jang Won-young also participated in writing solo lyrics.
IVE is especially supported by the MZ generation. The worldview of "Narcissism (self-love)" that has been solidified since their debut has properly caught their taste. If I paid attention to narcissism in the relationship of 'love' in my previous work, this time I was closer to my own life, not love. The title song "IAM" sings about an independent attitude of life, saying, "Be sure on my way."
As it is a so-called "good" group, I'm also confident in introducing Ive's album. At a press conference on the 10th, Ive said, "Ive expressed his ambition to enjoy without fear of rising and falling (of life)," and introduced the message, "We are the beings who will shine from the highest place." Ive, who won the No. 1 trophy on music shows without appearing in "Kitchs," is dominating the music charts at the same time as the new album is released. Following "Eleven," "Love Dive," and "After Like," it is Ive that succeeded in four consecutive mega hits.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
The popularity of JYP Entertainment's group NMIXX, a famous girl group, also gained momentum. "Love Me Like This," the title song of "expérgo" released last month, has gradually raised its music ranking since its release, maintaining the top 10 on the daily chart of streaming site Melon. In the U.S., it first charted at No. 122 on "Billboard 200."
Nmix, which debuted in February last year, is sticking to their own genre of "MIXX POP." "Young, Dumb, Stupid" is a mixture of hip-hop and children's songs that permeates familiarly. "Love Me Like This" mixed street vibe's bounce rap with R&B style vocal line. There are concerns about likes and dislikes, but they persistently push ahead with mix-pop. It's a mix pop that started off unfamiliarly, but it's slowly solidifying its own color.
The strength of NMIXX is also noticeable in live content other than refined sound sources. It also confidently releases videos of choreography practice and live performance at the same time. Following Lily's video, which appeared on the YouTube channel "Limousine Service" last year, Haewon's recent live video is also a hot topic. He won his first music show title since his debut at the end of last month and set up an encore stage by singing in harmony while crying. This is a different move from some idols who avoid live performances due to their intense performance.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
There is also a surprise craze for the miracle girl group Fifty Fifty. Fifty Fifty, which debuted in November last year, entered the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 about four months after its debut. It overtook NewJeans, which entered six months after its debut, to become the fastest K-pop group to enter the chart since its debut.
Although it has not received much attention in Korea, its popularity from overseas seems to have spread to Korea. It is also slowly raising its ranking on the domestic music charts. The global craze continues. On the 10th (local time), PT's "Cupid" ranked 85th on the "Hot 100" chart on the 15th. It became a K-pop girl group that entered the "Hot 100" with Wonder Girls, Black Pink, TWICE, and New Jins.
On the 1st of next month, Le Sserafim is set to make a comeback. Attention is also being paid to whether Le Seraphim, which has succeeded in making various memes (cultural factors such as trendy words and actions), will be able to blow a new wind following its previous work "ANTIFRAGILE." (G)I-DLE is also set to make a comeback in about seven months. The girl group's activities are expected to continue for a while until the news of the comeback of (G)I-DLE, who shows a firm presence with their own stage and music.
