The Hallyu wave is currently blowing strong beyond Asia to other parts of the globe, and K-pop artists are making their way to bigger stages all over the world.
International K-pop fans have been able to instantly access their favorite stars through mediums such as Twitter and Youtube, and accordingly, Korea’s top agencies are well aware that every new group they release will be introduced to an expanding global audience. Here’s a brief look at what Korea’s top 4 agencies have planned for next year.
<SM Entertainment – Global boy group to debut with overseas unit groups>
SM Entertainment has plans to debut a boy group with an international audience in mind. SM’s new boy group will promote in Korea, Japan, and China as both a group and separate sub-units.
The group, which has tentatively been named M1 and M2, will simultaneously begin promotions in Korea and China upon debut. They will be the first group that SM will be releasing since f(x)’s debut in September 2009.
For the past 2 years, SM has been spreading K-pop awareness around the world with their SM Town concerts. Just as TVXQ, SNSD, Super Junior, f(x), among other SM artists have been garnering international attention, SM’s new group is also expected to develop a strong international fan base.
<YG Entertainment – Trendsetting girl and boy groups to debut>
YG Entertainment has been holding their ground in the music industry for the past 15 years with their unique music style. Representatives from YG announced that they will be debuting a group that will be “unique like Big Bang and 2NE1, but with a new style“.
The team which will debut in the first half of next year will be a girl group consisting of members that are all under the age of 20. The group has already started gaining interest after news of “Super Star K2“‘s Kim Eun Bi‘s membership in the upcoming group.
Though Kim Eun Bi is still young, she surprised the judges with her vocal talents and landed a spot among Superstar K2′s Top 6 finalists. Since the show ended, Kim Eun Bi has been focusing her attention on preparing for her debut. Many are anticipating to see her with her new image.
In addition, YG will be also be releasing a boy group. Details regarding the group’s members and their musical style has yet to be revealed, however, they are expected to possess a fresh style with not only musical talent but extreme fashion sense as well.
<JYP Entertainment – No new groups planned>
JYP Entertainment, led by J.Y. Park, has no plans to release a new group anytime soon. In turn, they will be focusing on further overseas activities for their current groups, Wonder Girls, 2PM, and miss A as they will be making their way into the US, Japanese, and Chinese markets.
The Wonder Girls will be busy promoting across Asia starting next month until the beginning of next year. Afterwards, the Wonder Girls will be holding a press conference for their upcoming movie “Wonder Girls at the Apollo,” as they begin their promotions in the US.
The 2PM boys will be devoting themselves to their Japanese promotions. With the establishment of JYP Japan, they are now ready for full-scale activities in Japan. 2PM has set themselves apart from Japanese boy groups with their powerful performances and songs, thereby capturing the hearts of many female Japanese fans.
Lastly, miss A, who have captured much attention since their debut, are gearing up for their Chinese promotions. Their debut song “Bad Girl Good Girl“, “Breathe“, and “Goodbye Baby” have all been hit tracks. miss A plans to officially begin promoting in Greater China next year.
<Cube Entertainment – Multinational rookie group in the works, simultaneous Asia debut>
Cube Entertainment has quickly risen to one of K-pop’s leading agencies as they are home to artists such as B2ST, 4minute, and G.Na. Just as they have been successfully promoting their company-brand concerts and various overseas promotions, Cube’s upcoming rookie group is also expected to garner much attention.
They are currently preparing a 7-member boy group to debut next year. The team will possess strengthened vocal, rap, and dance skills and plans to debut with an innovative method. The group aims to promote not only in Korea, but all of Asia.
A Cube representative stated, “A 7-member boy group with members from Korea, the rest of Asia, and America are preparing for their debut. They will put on powerful performances as well as showcase their wit on entertaiment programs.”