Recent trends indicate a departure from the roles of leader and specific positions within a group.
The role of a leader in a group significantly influences the team’s success and stability. Leaders are responsible for understanding individual members’ situations, preventing conflicts and facilitating communication with various entities, such as fans and agencies. While it was common for the oldest member in a group to assume the leadership role, some groups now choose individuals based on trust and reliability rather than age.
Positions, representing members’ specific skills and personalities, have been utilized to showcase individual expertise, such as main vocal, lead vocal, rapper and dancer. The gradual disappearance of leaders and positions despite the clear advantages of having designated positions raises questions.
A music industry insider mentioned that while acknowledging the importance of leaders and positions, the trend reflects a desire not to limit individuals in expressing their personalities and to emphasize the importance of personal identity in the current era, where individuality is crucial in both group and solo activities.
Groups like NewJeans operate without a designated leader or specific positions. While the eldest member Minji is implicitly considered the group’s leader, there is no explicit leader or designated positions within the group. NewJeans Hyein expressed satisfaction with the absence of a leader, stating that the lack of hierarchy allows each member to freely share their thoughts and take the lead in various situations.
Internationally renowned group BLACKPINK is another example of a leaderless group. Other groups like Omega X and VIVIZ also operate without designated leaders or positions. However, they incorporate a system like “class president” for each album to fulfill the leadership role when needed.
The disappearance of positions is also prevalent, with groups like NewJeans, VIVIZ, TXT, ENHYPEN, woo!ah! and Hot Issue having no designated positions. Some argue that this trend signifies a decline in the overall skill level of idol groups. However, industry insiders attribute it to the rise of all-around idols who can handle various roles, as well as shifts in K-pop music trends and training systems.
Source: Daum
