Representative girl groups of Kpop’s 3rd Generation are showing divergent paths regarding contract renewal
It remains unclear whether BLACKPINK will renew their contract, while Red Velvet’s full-group activities in the future are also uncertain. This contrasts with TWICE, who completed contract renewal with all members last summer.
The recontracting status of BLACKPINK, YG Entertainment’s flagship group, is still vague. As all members’ exclusive contracts expired in August, various speculations, ranging from individual agency formations, some member departures, to rumors of discord, have emerged. Subsequently, with each member actively pursuing solo activities such as the release of Jennie’s solo album, Jisoo’s return to acting, and Lisa’s appearance at Crazy Horse Paris, there was a shift in focus away from full-group activities.
However, there have been positive sights for full-group activities, as all members attended a State Banquet held at Buckingham Palace in the UK, and got their profiles updated on YG’s official website.
YG recently introduced the girl group BABYMONSTER 7 years after BLACKPINK, but with no clear achievements yet. Consequently, as the issue of BLACKPINK’s contract status remains unresolved, YG’s stock fluctuates whenever BLACKPINK-related issues arise.
Meanwhile, Red Velvet, who are in their 9th year since debut, also face uncertainties in full-group activities. Among the members, only Seulgi has completed contract renewal. The remaining members – Irene, Joy, Wendy, and Yeri – have not confirmed their contract status, and some members’ exclusive contracts are nearing expiration.
Red Velvet returned with their 3rd full album, “Chill Kill,” on the 13th of last month, and uncertainties about full-group activities led to “disband rumors” right before their comeback. At that time, Red Velvet’s official Instagram bio got changed into the phrase “Happy Ending”, replacing “Red Velvet Official”, leading to a disbandment speculation. In the end, SM Entertainment explained this as a change based on the album concept, but fan anxiety persists.
Red Velvet, representing SM’s unique colors following Girls’ Generation and f(x), is known for displaying a unique worldview. Therefore, if Red Velvet’s contract renewal falls through and leads to disbandment, there is concern that the fandom will be greatly shaken.
In contrast to BLACKPINK and Red Velvet, TWICE, another representative 3rd generation girl group, completed full-group contract renewal last summer.
As explained by JYP’s CCO Park Jin-young, the relationship between the members and the agency, as well as mutual trust among the members, seems to be the foundation of TWICE’s continued group activities. Park Jin-young, CCO of JYP, recently appeared on singer Sung Si-kyung’s YouTube channel and said, “I’ll be honest. The 9 members still don’t fight. They still love each other.”
Regarding these contract renewal statuses, pop culture critic Ha Jae-geun stated, “The recontracting decisions of these groups involve various variables,” adding, “Nevertheless, the most crucial factor is the members’ determination to maintain the group. The recontracting status of BLACKPINK and Red Velvet are both expected to have a significant impact.”
Source: Daum
