(Photo courtesy of YG ENTERTAINMENT)

[Hanteo News = Reporter JUNG JUNHWA] YG ENTERTAINMENT has announced plans for two new groups at once. What is missing, however, is the “when.”

 

On the 14th, executive producer YANG HYUNSUK announced through official social media that the company is preparing to debut a five-member boy group and a four-member girl group as its next generation of artists.

 

He explained that the two teams are extremely important artists who will lead YG’s future alongside TREASURE and BABYMONSTER, and that he is personally doing his utmost to prepare them. However, the information most people had been waiting for, the debut dates, was ultimately left out of the announcement. All that was revealed was that the two groups would continue recording the demos they have been preparing through the end of the year, with specific schedules to be determined once their title tracks are finalized.

 

He added, “I will be back with another ‘YG Announcement’ video at the end of the year.”

 

Starting with the boy group, the length of the gap stands out. It has been six years since YG last debuted a boy group with TREASURE in 2020. During that time, HYBE, SM, and JYP have each debuted multiple boy groups, and several rookie boy groups have entered the market this year alone.

 

The lineup is also different. Unlike TREASURE, which debuted with 12 members, the new group will have five. The girl group will be YG’s third, following BLACKPINK and BABYMONSTER. Under the tentative name “NEXT MONSTER,” EVELLI and CHANYA were revealed first, followed by a third member, CASEY, in April this year. The company is moving from BABYMONSTER’s original seven-member lineup back to a four-member format. In a market where large-member lineups have effectively become the norm, YG has chosen to move in the opposite direction.

 

What deserves even closer attention in this announcement is how the timeline has shifted. In an official video released in March, YG announced that it was preparing a new boy group with a target debut in fall 2026. In late April, YANG HYUNSUK personally said he planned to introduce the new boy group in September and that it would consist of five members. Now, in mid-October, the debut schedule has once again become undecided. More than half of fall has already passed. Although the company has never officially announced a cancellation or postponement, it is clear that the timeline, which had narrowed from “fall” to “September” over the past six months, has become uncertain again.

 

Opinions differ on how to interpret this. On one side, some see it as YG’s characteristic commitment to prioritizing quality. Saying that the schedule will be set only after the title track is decided also means that the company will not rush an artist out to meet a deadline before the music is ready. Both BLACKPINK and BABYMONSTER underwent lengthy preparation periods before debut, and some believe the resulting work proved successful in the market.

 

On the other side, critics point to the costs. The longer the announcements continue, the more time passes for the trainees, while repeated schedule changes wear down the expectations fans have built up. Similar criticism emerged during BABYMONSTER’s debut preparations, when the gap between the group’s initial reveal and actual debut grew longer. Whether that waiting time translates into quality is ultimately something that must be proven through the results.

 

The decision to reduce the number of members can also be interpreted in two ways. A smaller, carefully selected lineup makes it easier to secure individual spotlight and storylines for each member, while also offering greater efficiency in managing activities and distributing revenue. After all, YG is the company behind the successful four-member group BLACKPINK. On the other hand, it means giving up some of the advantages of larger lineups, including greater flexibility in operating units, stronger initial album sales driven by fandoms, and the ability to target local markets through multinational membership.

 

Compared with the trend of generally expanding group sizes among teams that debuted in recent years, the move is almost a reversal. Yet it actually aligns with the approach YG has maintained over the years. Rather than relying on sheer numbers, the company has traditionally favored smaller groups with distinct identities.

 

The market environment is not entirely favorable, either. This year’s K-POP rookie market is already approaching saturation. Major agencies have introduced new artists one after another, and rookies backed by large agencies have continued to make their debut stages this month. Late entrants must compete for attention in an increasingly crowded field, but they also gain the opportunity to observe the successes and failures of earlier groups and adjust their strategies accordingly.

 

In particular, this year’s rookie results have already provided plenty of reference points for deciding where to place the emphasis between initial chodong sales driven by physical albums and staying power on digital music charts. YG’s decision to continue building up demos through the end of the year may also be part of that adjustment process.

 

Ultimately, this announcement confirmed the outline of the lineup rather than signaling the start. What is now certain is the size and existence of the two groups, along with the promise of another announcement at the end of the year. The next turning point will be whether the “YG Announcement” video promised by YANG HYUNSUK includes actual debut dates or simply offers another update on preparations.

 

For the boy group fans have waited six years for, and YG’s third girl group, one question remains: When?
 

joonamana@hanteo.com