K pop entertainment companies are more than the singers who front them. There are many talented sound engineers, stylists, managers, and choreographers that make the magic happen.
Each company has its own unique style, so when we look at new groups, it’s always worth thinking about the companies and the people behind them.
YG – Baby Monster
YG has been teasing their latest project for a while now. Baby Monster (Baemon) is a girl group, but the members aren’t confirmed yet. The only two announced members were both Chinese, but everything is up in the air with the crackdown on Kpop in China.
YG is famous for creating two of the biggest K-Pop groups in history, Black Pink and Big Bang.
YG doesn’t create very many groups, but they have a very high success rate.
It’s too early to tell if Baemon will be able to follow in the footsteps of their Black Pink big sisters. YG groups are famous for the individual personalities that make up the groups, and we haven’t seen many Baby Monster interviews yet.
HYBE – Trainee A
HYBE is only really known for one group, but it was a big one. BTS is the phenomenon that pushed Kpop into the global mainstream.
Trainee A will follow in the footsteps of BTS. Let’s hope they live up to the hype!
Kpop venues are usually small, and they sell out fast. If you’re having trouble finding tickets, look into Stubhub or Tickpick for ticket resells.
HYBE – I-LAND 2
I-LAND 2 is one of the many reality shows that featured contestants auditioning for a new girl group. The winners are expected to debut in 2022.
SMs NCT-Hollywood Unit
NCT has had a string of number 1 hits, and now they’re expanding their membership. NCT- Hollywood is the new unit for NCT, based in the USA.
A US unit makes a big statement, and it’s a new direction for SM. With a local unit, SM can invest in creating new fans in a big market.
JYP has an excellent track record with girl groups. They’ve consistently produced some of the biggest names, like Wonder Girls, Miss A, Twice, and ITZY.
Their new group has the project name JYPn and seems to be heavily inspired by Black Pink. So far, we’ve seen some decent dancing and singing. With JYPs proven management and backend talent, this is a group to watch.
Virtual Reality/ Virtual Influencer/ Artificial Intelligence
It’s time to talk about the groups that don’t exist.
The idea of a virtual influencer has taken off in Korea. Going by various names like artificial intelligence and virtual reality, these are animation concepts backed by real singers and sound engineers.
Artists use video game technology like Unreal Engine to create realistic-looking CG animations that they then claim are real people. They’re not different from cartoon characters like Mickey Mouse and Hello Kitty, but they’re fashionable in Korea.
We still don’t know any specific plans, but there’s massive hype, so there’ll be new CGI characters in 2022.
