Why K-pop stars like Twice’s Nayeon, Exo’s D.O. and GFriend’s Yerin must wait so long for solo careers - but not Blackpink’s Jennie
- Long waits to go solo in the K-pop industry are not uncommon - Nayeon has gone seven years since her debut, D.O. waited nine
- A music critic says there are reasons for this: groups are seen as more profitable and universally appealing, though there are exceptions like Blackpink
By Dong Sun-hwa
While fans of Nayeon worldwide were electrified by the news that the member of K-pop girl group Twice was making her solo debut on June 24 with EP IM Nayeon, many wondered why it had taken nearly seven years for her to go solo, after her group debut in 2015.
Fans like to see singers pursue a solo career as they often get to experiment with their music in a way they do not get to do while in a group. A lot of them play a more active role in producing their albums, giving fans insight into their preferred music styles when they don’t have to accommodate the tastes of their bandmates.
However, K-pop record labels are unlikely to advance the dates of solo debuts any time soon, according to music critic Jung Min-jae.
“For many labels, releasing a solo album for each group member is not their most urgent task,” Jung says.
“The growth of K-pop globally has extended the lifespan of most K-pop groups. Surviving for more than seven or eight years [used to be] a daunting task, but today, many can enjoy popularity for more than a decade thanks to their international [fans] and the many different platforms where they can showcase their music and content.
“So K-pop management companies, which often put more emphasis on group activities, will seek to make the most of this.”
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The fact, too, that a group guarantees more stable profit than a solo singer can generate on their own means few companies are enthusiastic about debuting soloists.
“Even if K-pop labels come up with decent solo material for a popular group member, this does not guarantee them success because not all fans of the group will give unwavering support to that member,” Jung explains.
He adds that producing an album for a solo singer requires far more technique and energy than one for a group.
“When launching a group, a label can combine different members with different appeal, but when it comes to a solo artist, he or she should be an all-rounder and excel in both singing and dancing,” he notes. “This makes it more difficult for a company to decide on the songs to include and which concept to try [to make them a success].”
But some labels have bucked this trend. One of them is YG Entertainment, home to groups such as Blackpink and BigBang; Blackpink’s Jennie, for instance, made her solo debut with single Solo in 2018, two years after her group debut.
Jung explains that YG has long been building strong personal brands for each member in a group.
“From BigBang to Blackpink, YG has attempted to brand each member – especially in the field of fashion,” he says. “Many YG singers became the ambassadors for labels and, in the case of Blackpink, YG’s effort has led all members to establish a loyal fan base as an individual, allowing them to go solo faster than other K-pop stars.”
Still, most K-pop singers will only get to forge their solo careers years after their group debut, Jung says.
“Girl group IVE, for example, are [popular] these days, but their management company Starship Entertainment is unlikely to have members release their solo albums within two to three years … in fact, it is often more challenging for a girl-group member to go solo compared to a boy-band member, as a boy group usually has more powerful fandoms that will support its members.”
