YG Entertainment, one of South Korea's 'Big Three' entertainment agencies, is preparing for a major expansion. On October 14 at 2 AM KST, YG released its latest artist activity plans via its official blog. This marks the first time since late April that Chief Producer Yang Hyun-suk (梁鉉錫) has personally detailed the company's future strategy, following a five-month hiatus since his last interview video. While new releases from BABYMONSTER and TREASURE are anticipated, the most significant announcement is YG's plan to debut a new five-member boy group and a four-member girl group, a revelation that immediately garnered widespread attention.
First, BABYMONSTER is set to release the digital single “DESERVE” on October 23, followed by a new album early next year. The group has earned a reputation as “live performance powerhouses” for their exceptional vocal abilities and stage presence, showcased through their third mini-album, CHOOM. They are currently expanding their global reach with their second world tour, CHOOM, which includes 31 performances across 18 cities in five continents. Expectations for their new work are naturally high.
Yang Hyun-suk described BABYMONSTER's new song as a slow track possessing the most intense energy among all their releases to date. He stated that the song blends the members' delicate vocals with their powerful singing, aiming to deliver profound emotion to fans through its emotionally charged music.
As for TREASURE, they are scheduled to release the digital single “SHOCK” on November 2. Following the release of their hip-hop album NEW WAVE in June, which achieved their best performance since debut, the group will further elevate their existing hip-hop style, promising even more powerful musical energy.
Yang Hyun-suk revealed that TREASURE is moving towards a significant shift in their musical style, expressing high confidence in their future activities and encouraging fans to anticipate the new song and the group's “second chapter,” which will extend through 2027.
However, the most intriguing aspect of YG's announced plans remains the debut schedule for its new groups. YG intends to launch a five-member boy group and a four-member girl group, with recording work continuing until the end of the year. A more specific debut timeline will be officially announced once the title tracks are finalized.
Yang Hyun-suk stated that these two new groups, alongside TREASURE and BABYMONSTER, will bear the crucial responsibility of leading YG's future, and he is fully dedicated to their preparation. With the new group plans revealed, the focus now turns to whether YG can once again create a new generation of K-pop groups that will captivate global audiences.
Yet, no sooner had Yang Hyun-suk unveiled the new group plans than they sparked intense debate on Korean online communities. Many netizens expressed skepticism, with the timing of the announcement becoming a particular point of contention.
The nine-member girl group A2O LITE, created by Lee Soo-man (李秀滿), has recently garnered significant attention due to the former SM Entertainment head's return to the K-pop scene after approximately three years. Their debut has been remarkably successful. After the group's debut song “NEON” was officially released on October 13, it quickly achieved strong results on the Korean music platform Melon, climbing to 34th on the TOP 100 chart by midnight and rising further to 11th by the morning of October 14. It also secured 3rd place on the HOT100 chart, demonstrating considerable momentum.
Just as A2O LITE's debut song performance was drawing attention, YG chose to announce its new group plans at 2 AM KST on October 14. This led many Korean netizens to speculate, even questioning whether the timing was related to the impressive performance of Lee Soo-man's new girl group.
The comment sections were flooded with criticism. Some netizens quipped, “The timing of this announcement is so random, it's hilarious,” and “Seriously, what kind of timing is this? ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ Did they see Grandpa Soo-man's group video before making this announcement?” Others suggested that YG should prioritize its existing artists rather than rushing to debut new ones, stating, “Take care of your current singers first,” and “Right now, BABYMONSTER and TREASURE are just constantly touring; now they want to debut new groups?”
Furthermore, the announcement time left many puzzled. Comments included, “Was it released for overseas fans to see?” and “This is so random ㅋㅋㅋㅋ, did he wake up in the middle of the night and write it?” Some even joked, “It feels like he didn't sleep, wrote the article himself, and just posted it directly. It doesn't seem like a time specifically arranged for overseas fans at all.”
Beyond questioning the timing, some netizens expressed dissatisfaction with YG's management strategy, believing the company should prioritize nurturing existing artists rather than rushing to debut new groups. Comments included, “This is why YG is so frustrating, what are they even doing?” and “They should make their current artists famous first.” Another remarked, “I'm not a fan, but I genuinely feel bad for the BABYMONSTER members.” There was also skepticism regarding the new group plans' execution, with one netizen stating, “It'll probably be delayed again, who would believe it?”
Some netizens even directed their criticism at Yang Hyun-suk, expressing discontent that he is still driving such plans as the head of the company, deeming it the most baffling aspect. From the announcement time to the allocation of company resources, YG's new group plans have already sparked a wave of debate on Korean online communities, even before an official debut date has been announced.
