What Went Wrong with The Entertainment Empire JYP?

Both 4th gen girl groups seem to be struggling

JYP, known as one of the top 3 powerhouses in K-pop, particularly for their knack in producing girl groups, seems to have lost its footing as both of their 4th gen girl groups are not doing as well as expected.

In February 2019, JYP launched ITZY. During the first years of their debut, ITZY made waves with hits like “Dalla Dalla” and “Wannabe”. These songs quickly propelled ITZY to stardom, making them the most formidable competitor to aespa.

Despite a promising debut, JYP couldn’t maintain ITZY’s momentum. The group began to lose steam in 2021 when aespa dominated the charts with “Next Level.” From being the trailblazing girl group of the generation, ITZY started slipping, with consecutive comebacks failing to break free from their existing fan base.

By the summer of 2022, ITZY struggled amidst the girl group frenzy. Despite their album “Checkmate” and the title track “Sneakers” maintaining stable sales thanks to their core fandom, they failed to shine on music charts.

The past year has been particularly tumultuous for ITZY, with member Lia taking an indefinite hiatus due to health issues, leaving the group without their main vocalist. Even their early 2024 comeback with “Born To Be” failed to make much noise despite minimal competition.

Many attribute ITZY’s decline to JYP’s strategy. While the group initially saw promising growth, JYP’s shift in promotion seems to have hindered ITZY’s long-term prospects.

Instead of keeping the momentum, producing catchy music, and cultivating a public-friendly image, JYP’s lack of creativity in concept development has become evident. ITZY’s music post-2020 seemed to cater only to a specific fan base, and controversies surrounding member skills were frequent. This is likely why ITZY lost its edge.

It’s not just ITZY facing issues; NMIXX – JYP’s second 4th gen girl group – also failed to make a splash. Despite boasting talented members and top-tier visuals like Sullyoon and Lily, JYP seemed to have squandered their potential right from their debut project, “O.O.” 

While aiming to create a pioneering girl group, NMIXX’s music failed to resonate from the start. JYP focused on building a fandom but overlooked the importance of making their rookie public-friendly.

NMIXX had the potential to lead the generation, but amidst direct competition with IVE, NewJeans, and LE SSERAFIM, their overly unique music style seemed to hinder them. 

Currently, when listing top 4th gen idol groups, NMIXX and ITZY seem to have been forgotten by the public. Despite three years of activity, NMIXX has yet to see a breakthrough.

Stray Kids seem to be constantly embroiled in controversies

In contrast to the struggles of the girl groups, Stray Kids – JYP’s 4th gen boy group – has been achieving much success, especially in international recognition. In 2023, Stray Kids soared with record-breaking album sales. 

Their album “5-STAR” became the highest pre-ordered album by a 4th-generation artist in K-pop history, with 5 million copies. Stray Kids ranked in the top 10 global artists of 2023 by IFPI in both the artist chart (#3) and album chart (#2).

Additionally, Stray Kids became a rare Korean representative to win awards at the 2023 BBMAs and the 2024 People’s Choice Awards. These international accolades solidified the group’s global influence.

While Stray Kids attracted international fans, they seemed to struggle on domestic music charts. Furthermore, Stray Kids have frequently been embroiled in controversies. Recently, the two most popular members, Hyunjin and Felix, faced backlash.

Firstly, Hyunjin, an idol who previously faced allegations of school violence in 2021, was involved in the latest controversy involving Han Seo Hee. Though this turned out to be a false accusation, it reignited fans’ frustration. Some fans even sent trucks to JYP’s gate, demanding Hyunjin’s departure from the group.

The Hyunjin incident hasn’t settled yet, but Felix also got caught in a controversy for appearing with a soft drink can in a livestream. Specifically, he accidentally associated himself with a globally boycotted brand, leading to criticism. This significantly affected international fans’ perception of Felix, leading to his apology.

However, Felix’s apology still drew criticism towards JYP for over-sensitivity. Many felt it was an unnecessary move. Fans worry this incident might affect Felix’s future collaborations and the group’s overall brand.

TWICE’s recent comebacks haven’t been explosive

Fans have come to terms with the fact that TWICE’s popularity isn’t what it used to be during their debut. The group still diligently promotes, making comebacks 2-3 times a year, but their achievements are dwindling. In early 2023, TWICE’s music was criticized by many netizens as “unredeemable.”

TWICE’s music no longer resonates as it used to. In terms of virality or trend-setting abilities, they lag behind 4th gen girl groups. Their latest comeback with the mini-album “With YOU-th” and the English single “I Got You” faced similar challenges.

TWICE’s glory has passed its peak. Meanwhile, their “rival” BLACKPINK still maintains the No. 1 position even without comebacks. In terms of reputation and achievements, each BLACKPINK member has surpassed TWICE on music charts.

TWICE’s strength lies in its strong fandom. Similar to SEVENTEEN, TWICE’s schedules are packed, but the difference is their declining reputation. Meanwhile, SEVENTEEN is breaking new records, gaining more fame almost a decade into their debut. 

However, within the company, TWICE is still a revenue pillar. This indicates a lack of development in JYP’s new artists.

JYP’s overall situation 

From being the “foundation” of the BIG3 in K-pop, JYP seems to be gradually losing its influence. This isn’t just an issue for this company alone. SM and YG are facing similar challenges, especially with the rise of HYBE. 

The rapid expansion of HYBE has completely tilted the balance in favor of Bang Si Hyuk. Following BTS’s success, Bang Si Hyuk decided to acquire various small and medium-sized entertainment companies, restructuring the activities of potential idol groups.

HYBE now manages the strongest names including BTS, SEVENTEEN, NewJeans, LE SSERAFIM, TXT,… Looking at the growth of HYBE, JYP fans are increasingly worried about the future of JYP idols. In recent years, the hit production frequency of this entertainment empire has not been consistently maintained.

Source: K14