These Kpop groups are facing the 7-year curse in the upcoming year.
The term “7-year curse” refers to the fact that idol groups who have been active for 7 years will often disband, or lose and change members due to contract renewals.
This curse started to happen after 2009, when the Fair Trade Commission enacted “a standard contract for exclusive contract according to standard terms and conditions for celebrities”, which limited the maximum validity period of exclusive contracts to 7 years. As a result, after this time period, a renewal season will approach for each Kpop group, and members of the groups will take time to decide on their career path. Below are 3 idol groups who are facing the end of their exclusive contract in 2023.
1. Brave Girls
Kpop girl group Brave Girls, which consists of Minyoung, Yoojung, Eunji, and Yuna, debuted on February 16, 2016. On June 1, 2021, their old song “Rollin’” achieved a phenomenal surge in popularity, making Brave Girls the first girl group to top the Melon monthly chart for 3 consecutive months in the same year.
2 . Astro
ASTRO is a 6-member boy group which debuted on February 23, 2016, under Fantagio, consisting of Cha Eunwoo, Jinjin, Moonbin, Rocky, Yoon Sanha, and MJ/
Immediately after their debut, ASTRO won the 2016 24th Korea Culture and Entertainment Awards Kpop Singer Award, the 26th Seoul Music Awards Hallyu Special Award, the 34th Gold Disc Awards Best Performance Award, and the Grand Fact Music Awards Artist of the Year Award.
3. Cosmic Girls (WJSN)
Cosmic Girls (also known as WJSN), who debuted on February 25, 2016, is a Starship female idol group consisting of Seolah, Bona, Exy, Subin, Luda, Dawon, Eunseo, Yeoreum, Dayoung, and Yeonjeong.
Immediately after their debut, Cosmic Girls released a number of famous songs such as “Secret”, “Boogie Up”,”Catch Me”, “As You Wish”, “Last Sequence”, and more. They also won the Grand Prize EPK Discovery of the Year Award, the 3rd and 4th Soribada Best K-Music Awards, New Hallyu Artist Award, and the Music Icon Award.
Source: wikitree
