Will K-Pop Girl Groups Catch Up To Boy Groups In Revenue? HYBE’s Bang Si Hyuk Weighs In
K-Pop’s popularity among the general public has undoubtedly seen a dramatic shift from boy groups to girl groups in recent years, but why—and will it last? In a recent interview, HYBE chairman Bang Si Hyuk opened up about the growing success of girl groups and what’s been fueling this change.
I think the success of girl groups is related to the zeitgeist. If you even look at the North American market, there has been noticeable success achieved by female artists in pop and hip-hop.
— Bang Si Hyuk
The tides have indeed been turning, with female powerhouses like Ariana Grande, Billie Eilish, and Cardi B dominating the Western charts. South Korea has its own female superstars as well, with K-Pop acts like BLACKPINK, Red Velvet, IVE, (G)I-DLE, LE SSERAFIM, and Newjeans reigning consistently at the top of the charts.
But what’s driving this change? According to Bang, it’s the ever-growing female empowerment culture that’s made a significant impact. This cultural shift has fostered a sense of solidarity among female fans, who are now more eager than ever to rally behind their favorite girl groups.
With the strengthening of the girls-support-girls culture, female fans’ support for female artists is growing fast.
— Bang Si Hyuk
HYBE, always one step ahead, has capitalized on this trend by acquiring SOURCE MUSIC three years ago and launching a new label, ADOR. As a result, they’ve introduced some incredible girl groups to the K-Pop scene, such as LE SSERAFIM and NewJeans. Bang spoke with pride as he reflected on their accomplishments.
We are proud and happy to have introduced outstanding girl groups.
— Bang Si Hyuk
However, the question remains: will girl groups ever surpass boy groups in terms of revenue? Bang remains cautiously optimistic. The HYBE chairman said he “would love to see girl groups generate as much revenue as boy groups” but according to him, they are yet to do so for now.
The streak of success of girl groups just opened its first chapter, and they are yet to generate revenue that is comparable to those of the boy groups.
— Bang Si Hyuk
Bang also brings up an interesting point about the relationship between popularity and financial success. He suggests that while girl groups may be enjoying their time in the limelight, the financial side of the story might not be as clear-cut.
There’s no definite correlation between artists gaining popularity and fandoms’ willingness to spend money.
— Bang Si Hyuk
So, will the pendulum swing back in favor of boy groups? Only time will tell. But one thing’s for sure: the K-Pop world is embracing this new era of girl power, and everyone is excited to see the next steps K-Pop female idols will take.
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