Grading the K-Pop Agencies 2024: YG ENTERTAINMENT

1 month ago 12

It’s that time of year again! While December is filled with year-end countdowns, I like to take a look back at some of K-pop’s biggest agencies during November. Before reading (especially if you’re new to the blog), it’s helpful to know that my grading focuses most heavily on music releases and how comebacks are managed and delivered to fans. Scandals and non-musical factors can certainly impact an agency’s grade, but the biggest criteria will always be the music itself. Following SM Entertainment‘s analysis earlier this week, it’s time to dive into YG Entertainment.

As usual, the thoughts below are my own and aren’t privy to any insider information. There will be plenty of subjective critique.

YG Entertainment

The Good

YG Entertainment continues to be buoyed by its established acts. BLACKPINK may not have made a group comeback this year, but its members released solo singles and high-profile collaborations, extending their push into international markets. Rosé’s duet with Bruno Mars is a bonafide global smash, while new efforts from Lisa and Jennie also made waves far beyond Korea. These ladies have clearly established themselves in a variety of media and in 2024 they were able to reap the rewards of that effort. This solo work wasn’t actually managed by YG, but the agency was still able to benefit from the success when it comes to their overall brand.

Much of YG’s focus this year went towards establishing rookie group BABYMONSTER. Their work was a mixed bag musically, but so far they seem to be continuing the agency’s run of successful girl groups, doubling the sales of their first album with their just-released full-length.

Though we don’t yet have any new music, veteran girl group 2NE1 just kicked off a reunion tour, showcasing why they’re the template that both BLACKPINK and BABYMONSTER were built from. And the always-reliable AKMU continued to do their own thing, both as a duo and soloists.

The Bad

As far as I can tell, YG Entertainment have become creatively bankrupt. Nothing they release feels new or novel. Each new girl group follows the same sounds and concepts that have been successful in the past. BABYMONSTER’s burgeoning discography is pretty much a xerox of 2NE1/BLACKPINK, but we’ve been down this same road for so long that the copies begin to fade with each passing generation. The agency seems unwilling (or unable?) to switch things up. This might capture new fans for a moment, but there really isn’t anything for those of us who have been listening to YG artists for years.

While BABYMONSTER received a fair amount of promotion this year, YG’s boy groups languished. Treasure released a digital single and Winner was nowhere to be found (to be fair, some of its members are currently enlisted). With iKON and Bigbang gone from their roster, YG doesn’t seem to have much interest in developing this side of their line-up. The agency has never been able to multi-task, but it feels like they’ve placed all their hopes on a narrow sound that’s becoming narrower by the year.

One way to expand this sound is through subsidiary The Black Label. Unfortunately, this label seems to be following YG’s worst instincts. They continue to have no idea what to do with Jeon Somi‘s music even though the answer (judging by Fast Forward‘s success last year) is obvious. New girl group MEOVV came and went with little promotion and no distinct identity. We’ll be lucky if we get one or two songs from them next year, judging by The Black Label’s meager track record.

Apart from one or two exceptions, music does not seem to be YG’s focus any more. The agency feels more like a brand, churning out endorsements more often than new albums. The music exists to support its artists’ cachet, as evidenced by all the global collaborations YG pushed this year. They so desperately want to be in the room hobnobbing with a-list celebrities that they’ve forgotten the artistry that got them into that room in the first place. I can’t remember the last time I was genuinely excited about a new release from a YG artist. The agency itself doesn’t seem excited about the music, so why should we?