Because they need better producers
Those hit songs most of the time are their best ones hence they could break out. Unlike groups from big agencies whose songs are carried by fanbase, nugu groups rely completely on gp. So series of hit songs need to be produced for the group to gain sizeable fanbase to keep them afloat.
Big company stans will stream anything the groups put out 24/7. So yeah big company backing is very important.
Also big companies control everything in the industry. From retailers to producers and tv shows to radio stations.
If some group from smaller company will become a threat to big company groups then those big companies will do everything behind the scenes to eliminate the competitor using loopholes and connections.
People focus too much on the "Big 4" and overlook smaller groups that consistently deliver incredible music. Even with a hit song, if their company isn’t keeping them in the spotlight—through lives, busking, or relentless promotion—they often go unnoticed. Take Ateez as an example: they work tirelessly, doing what they love, regardless of general public opinion. Fans need to dig deeper than new releases from big companies and explore the discographies of smaller groups.
For instance, Nomad is self-produced under their own company, creating banger after banger. One Pact has members like Tag heavily involved in choreography and production, resulting in a flawless discography. ASC2NT, featuring three former DGNA/The Boss members and two new ones, put out incredible tracks, like Sweet Devil, which deserved to go viral. Without strong company support, however, many groups struggle and eventually disband. It’s heartbreaking because the talent is there, but the effort from companies isn’t. Most of the groups I stan aren’t from the Big 4, and I can confidently recommend a variety of amazing music that people are missing out on (BG's that is).
Are you referring to one hit wonder (momoland, crayon pop) or those groups that made a breakout but eventually flopped (EXID, Girls Day, AOA)?
On the first case, most groups that suddenly shot to fame with one hit song, their companies have difficulty to sustain the fame and momentum. People basically only paid attention to the song but not the group performing the song. Song popularity did not translate into group popularity
In contrast, the 2nd case, those groups actually continued their momentum for at least few comebacks. But eventually, once Big4 groups debut, the attention shifted to them and these groups from smaller companies will suffer. StayC falls in this category too
their companies don't manage them well
also i feel like people are just less interested in members from a nugu group. usually they might not have as much star factor as members in a big four group. i do think momoland had members with great star factor, like nancy and joe, so the whole situation was really unfortunate for them. they couldve done great
There is definitely something secretly happening behind the scenes’n because why do all these nugu groups (usually girl groups) that hit big, always end up flopping?
The company your from really does matter, because it’s crazy
Momoland/fifty fifty/pristin and like a ton of other groups that ended up in similar situations where they had massive potential/had a hit and would end up just completely flopping
What was Pristin hit that compares to Momoland or Fifty fifty?
Just a few 'Nugus' that had a good career after their big hit.
Baby V.O.X
Girls Day
T-ara
Sistar (Starship was nugu back then)
4 Minute (Cube group, so not really Nugu)
Kep1er (In Japan)
Some groups had a good year or two after their breakout hit
Fromis_9 (did ok after moving to Hybe)
Not Really Nugus, so they had some hype
my faves could be famous by now, they have 2 MV with more than 18 million views, however people gave no fucks and than they enlisted all together and now people are less caring than before or even be mad on them. I mean A.C.E went viral twice after their 2 year hiatus but both in a bad way. One time cause people hated their 61 remixes for Supernatural and the other time people claimed they would be the cause for entire KPop flopping and getting bad, just cause they released Pinata 
Display MoreJust a few 'Nugus' that had a good career after their big hit.
Baby V.O.X
Girls Day
T-ara
Sistar (Starship was nugu back then)
4 Minute (Cube group, so not really Nugu)
Kep1er (In Japan)
I would not call groups like T-ara "Nugus", I would say that is for groups that have had 2-3 singles without any fame. Many of the groups on this list was pretty famous after 2-3 singles. I mean a group that get's a top 10 single on their first or second singles must be counted as "well known". But maybe we can call their companies "Nugus".
As other's have also said, it's probably a lot about resources. Bigger companies have more resources to get good songs to their groups and promote them.
And also, the quality of the group members when it comes to both skills and visuals probably in general are better in groups from the bigger companies, becauce the competion to join those groups are more fierce so they can pick from the best. Not always a luxuray other companies have.
I would not call groups like T-ara "Nugus", I would say that is for groups that have had 2-3 singles without any fame. Many of the groups on this list was pretty famous after 2-3 singles. I mean a group that get's a top 10 single on their first or second singles must be counted as "well known". But maybe we can call their companies "Nugus".
MBK (or what ever they were called back then) was not a large company, more like a medium size company, similar to Cube with 4 Minute.
It is true in other industries as well. Steve Jobs called it "Second Product Syndrome"
Often when a product becomes a hit, the agency don't figure the reason for it, fumble in their next or subsequent products, starts failing.
If at all, it is even more challenging to figure out in matters of cultural products like music. Where most people will not be able to express why they like a particular song, beyond platitudes and generics.
Because they don’t capitalize on the initial hit fast enough.
Twice, Red Velvet and BlackPink all could follow up hit after hit three times a year (and provide bsides) that people PAID ATTENTION to because they never let you lose their attention.
Groups like Pristin take too long between comebacks and the public moves on. Its the same with any other industry that is engagement based
I don't know why Fifty Fifty belongs in this conversation. Their last EP with the new line-up is actually their best selling album when they were impacted by the scandal and some Kpop fans decided to boycott them. They still have great music so I think that they will keep building a fanbase in the future and they might even have a new hit.
Cupid is also not your traditional Kpop hit song, it was an international hit that came from nowhere , a rare event in the Kpop industry. It's just too early to consider them as a one-hit group or a failure.
Display MoreBecause they need better producers
Those hit songs most of the time are their best ones hence they could break out. Unlike groups from big agencies whose songs are carried by fanbase, nugu groups rely completely on gp. So series of hit songs need to be produced for the group to gain sizeable fanbase to keep them afloat.
Big company stans will stream anything the groups put out 24/7. So yeah big company backing is very important.
Also big companies control everything in the industry. From retailers to producers and tv shows to radio stations.
If some group from smaller company will become a threat to big company groups then those big companies will do everything behind the scenes to eliminate the competitor using loopholes and connections.
It's more complex than that. Crayon Pop had potential hit songs and quite frankly way better songs than Bar Bar Bar but they went viral for being the weird viral helmet group and it leads them to their failure. Bar Bar Bar went viral out of luck but then their different goofy vibe put them on the sidelines.
wasn't the biggest kpop group of all time a nugu at one point? aka BTS?
firstly - define nugu
secondly - one of the benefits of being in the big 3/4 is that the GP will likely give your music a listen because of the company behind it and nugu groups don't have that luxury. If I told you group ABC is debuting from company XYZ the GP is very unlikely to either know about the group or listen their song since they aren't going to care. But if one said that group was from Hybe then there will be more people at least willing to give the song a chance
Thirdly - if a tree falls in a forest and nobody is around does it make a sound?
If a nugu group releases a great song but nobody listens to it - is it still a good song?
True, you all ignored these nugus, but the song was still a bop.
StelloMomoDay Is that true about Bboom Bboom (was it really plagiarized)?
because they're nugus
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