The Next Generation of K-pop Girl Groups

In general, the tenure of K-pop groups is described by the waves of "generations." The first generation, that is, the beginning of K-pop as we know it, is traceable to the early 1990s with the debut of Seo Taiji and Boys. Then the 2nd generation, when K-pop truly began to catch international ears and eyes, would begin in the mid 2000s and last till the mid 2010s, dominated by now venerated acts such as SNSD, SHINee, 2NE1, BigBang, and KARA.

Within these generations, 3 entertainment companies have often succeeded in formulating the most popular acts. YG Entertainment, currently with Blackpink and Treasure, SM Entertainment, with aespa and NCT, and JYP Entertainment, with Twice, Itzy, and Stray Kids, together constitute the "Big 3" of K-pop. Now that we are seeing a slow trickle into the next generation, many fans are wondering what exactly these major labels have in store for fans?

First, we have JYP Entertainment's upcoming girl group, NMIXX. Composed of 7 members, Bae, Haewon, Sullyoon, Lily, Jiwoo, Jinni, and Kyujin, NMIXX have already been showing off their skills pre-debut with various "Qualifying Covers" on Youtube. In fact, their debut was actually announced much earlier back in 2021 with the announcement of a "blind package." Then under the mysterious moniker of JYPn, it was announced that pre-orders for NMIXX's debut album would open for just 10 days. The catch? Not a single detail about it would be revealed, including what the group's sound and visual style would be, and not even the names of members. It seemed absolutely ludicrous, but JYP's stellar record with girl groups proved a force to be reckoned with. Within the 10-day period, NMIXX managed to gather a whopping 60,000 pre-orders as per reports from Korean pop-culture blog Soompi. It's insane to think about how this is without any music released! As for newer details, their overall theme is now said to be inspired by outer-space and extraterrestrial life.

If those numbers convey anything, it's that we definitely have high expectations for NMIXX's debut (which is set for February 2022). And based on their Qualifying Covers, they clearly have the charisma and talent to deliver.

(L: Jinni. Top to Down, L to R: Lily, Haewon, Jiwoo, Jinni, Sullyoon, Kyujin, Bae. Credits to JYP Entertainment and NMIXX Pics)

NMIXX is one of the few major girl groups of which we have this much information. Most others, though, are shrouded in mystery, such as those of HYBE Labels. Even if it may not be part of the original Big 3, HYBE has rapidly grown to be one of K-pop's largest conglomerates in thanks to BTS' volcanic success. It is currently home to the likes of TXT, BTS, Enhypen, and oddly enough, Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande, and the Black Eyed Peas. As such, their next ventures are rumored to be the debut of multiple different girl groups:

The first will be under their newly unveiled subsidiary headed by Min Heejin, ADOR (an acronym for "All Doors, One Room"), and composed of members from ongoing global audition competitions. The name Min Heejin in and of itself should warrant floods of press around this group! Previously working at SM Entertainment, she is the concept director behind some of K-pop's most iconic releases and visuals, and HYBE has reportedly given her major creative control over the group. She has already begun to make her mark too, with ADOR's quirky, early-2000s-video-game marketing. Interestingly, the group is rumoured to be named New Jeans. While we do not yet know much else about this girl group, we can remain assured that they will be here to rock the sluggish boat of trends in K-pop.

(L: ADOR audition poster. R: Min Heejin. Credits to ADOR Label)

The second girl group that HYBE is rumored to be preparing is completely unconfirmed at this point. Industry insiders and eagle-eyed fans surveying copyright reports have all agreed upon one thing, though: the group will most probably be named Lesserafim. A shortened version of "Les Seraphim," the name is a reference to celestial beings of Biblical origins. There are also reports that Source Music, the subsidiary that will allegedly handle the group, has negotiated contracts with two former IZ*ONE members, Chaewon and Sakura (IZ*ONE was an immensely famous, temporary group formed with the winners of a survival show). If this turns out to be true, Lesserafim is already set for a bright future as Sakura and Chaewon were arguably some of IZ*ONE's most popular members.

Finally, we have YG Entertainment. Most K-pop fans will have heard through the grapevine that their new pre-debut project is, at least for now, titled BabyMonster. Certainly an... interesting name, but true to their standards YG seems to be delicately crafting a very polished act. Fans have already seen 2 supposed members of BaeMon, Vicky Wei and Jane Wang, on season 2 of iQiyi's Youth With You. While we do not know much else about their lineup or sound, it is rumored that they will be debuting in 2022. However, I personally would not believe these reports as YG Entertainment is infamous for constantly pushing back release dates. Blackpink's debut was postponed for close to 5 years on end. Instead, I would expect BabyMonster to hit the stage around early/mid 2023, once Blackpink has hit their 7 year mark.

(aespa. L to R: Giselle, Winter, Karina, NingNing. Credits to SM Entertainment)