Actress (or musical) syndrome - a blessing or a curse?
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GG don't last because the majority of them (and obviously I don't have the numbers but I would bet the majority of BG as well) aren't profitable and at the end of the day $$$ is king
In the entire history of kpop only six GG have renewed with the same members who started with the same company - SNSD, RV, Dreamcatcher, Twice, Mamamoo, BP
and therefore for individual female idols - even if they reach post first contract renewal status it means that they have to decide on what they want to do in the future whether it continual to be an idol or otherwise...
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GG don't last because the majority of them (and obviously I don't have the numbers but I would bet the majority of BG as well) aren't profitable and at the end of the day $$$ is king
In the entire history of kpop only six GG have renewed with the same members who started with the same company - SNSD, RV, Dreamcatcher, Twice, Mamamoo, BP
and therefore for individual female idols - even if they reach post first contract renewal status it means that they have to decide on what they want to do in the future whether it continual to be an idol or otherwise...
Neither RV nor SNSD belong on that list. Jessica, Tiffany, Sooyoung, Seohyun, Wendy and Yeri never renewed. SM contracts come with a 3 year extention built in. The earliest opportunity to leave is after 10 years. Unless SM themselves decide to kick you out like Jessica.
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Even the EXO members that sued SM to be able to leave in 2014/2015 were still with SM until 2022. SNSD would have to have had a bizarrely short contract, unique among all SM artists for this to be true. And very conveniently, still didn't have voluntary departures until the 10 year mark, the first chance to leave for any SM artist that isn't SNSD. I really doubt that. I don't think that article's source was given the full picture. We'll see NCT have their first voluntary departures next year too. Ten said he has 5 years to go back in 2021.
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Even the EXO members that sued SM to be able to leave in 2014/2015 were still with SM until 2022. SNSD would have to have had a bizarrely short contract, unique among all SM artists for this to be true. And very conveniently, still didn't have voluntary departures until the 10 year mark, the first chance to leave for any SM artist that isn't SNSD. I really doubt that. I don't think that article's source was given the full picture. We'll see NCT have their first voluntary departures next year too. Ten said he has 5 years to go back in 2021.
I'm not sure about BG under SM
and with regards to SNSD I initially didn't have them on the "GG to all renew list" until someone here pointed it out to me lol
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GG don't last because the majority of them (and obviously I don't have the numbers but I would bet the majority of BG as well) aren't profitable and at the end of the day $$$ is king
In the entire history of kpop only six GG have renewed with the same members who started with the same company - SNSD, RV, Dreamcatcher, Twice, Mamamoo, BP
and therefore for individual female idols - even if they reach post first contract renewal status it means that they have to decide on what they want to do in the future whether it continual to be an idol or otherwise...
you forgot Idle
JokingI agree that the financing doesn't make sense to go long-term. It makes me wonder why they don't budget groups better. For example, reading about the finances for Everglow didn't make any sense why a company would risk that much and expect a return. I guess companies don't operate responsibly because it just takes one group to have success and it can move you up the ladder.
For a recent example, look at Stayc where the success of the group allowed the company to invest in another girl group. There's many examples similar to that, but I guess the possibility of a group becoming household name is why companies take the risk.
As for idols, it makes sense for them to look for stuff outside of idol life. The idol industry is very volatile and you can be hot one day and not so hot tomorrow. So, it makes sense for idols to look into acting, theatre, variety, influencer, etc. It's not that easy to just jump into something outside of idol career, so it's better to have stuff set in motion while you can.
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you forgot Idle
JokingI agree that the financing doesn't make sense to go long-term. It makes me wonder why they don't budget groups better. For example, reading about the finances for Everglow didn't make any sense why a company would risk that much and expect a return. I guess companies don't operate responsibly because it just takes one group to have success and it can move you up the ladder.
For a recent example, look at Stayc where the success of the group allowed the company to invest in another girl group. There's many examples similar to that, but I guess the possibility of a group becoming household name is why companies take the risk.
As for idols, it makes sense for them to look for stuff outside of idol life. The idol industry is very volatile and you can be hot one day and not so hot tomorrow. So, it makes sense for idols to look into acting, theatre, variety, influencer, etc. It's not that easy to just jump into something outside of idol career, so it's better to have stuff set in motion while you can.
*cough soojin cough* lol
I guess that's the tough decisions for kpop execs to make - how much do you invest in a group? like you mentioned you have groups like EG from yuehua and loona from BBC who had lots of initial investments (if the companies are to be believed) and couldn't make a return
but like you also said some groups do hit it big unexpectantly - and even big groups like your BTS, Twice, BP, NJZ, EXO etc etc one would argue that their companies didn't and couldn't have expected the levels of success those groups had.
If I recall BTS and Hit Big were basically nugus
Big Bang lived in cockroach infested dorms...
all the big 3 started as nugus and (DSP I think were one of the big ones until they weren't lol)
but yeah like you said the risk is there for the taking.
I completely agree with your last paragraph
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Why is it a curse, when at the end of the day, there's an expiry date on girl groups and it's all about your individual careers.
Ultimately, it's better to be able to expand out to a wider audience and secure your place in the industry one way or another, whether it be through music activities or other things like acting or musicals.
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In the entire history of kpop only six GG have renewed with the same members who started with the same company - SNSD, RV, Dreamcatcher, Twice, Mamamoo, BP
You forgot Oh My Girl
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It's the other way around. They became ggs members to translate to actresses later. Idol is one of an effective way to build fame for actress career.
Group like SNSD and T-ara even took this mentality to 11. They are more like colabs of actresses, musical actresses, TV entertainers releasing songs to promote each other's name than typical music groups.
and therefore for individual female idols - even if they reach post first contract renewal status it means that they have to decide on what they want to do in the future whether it continual to be an idol or otherwise...
For SNSD, 3/4 of the actress line decided it before day 0, they were actresses even before debuted as idols. SeoHyun decided in the year the groups blown up, as she applied to the Theater major at Dongguk University.
Idols were never their goals after all.
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You forgot Oh My Girl
all members who initially started with the group though?
I'm not that familiar with oh my girl so I could be wrong but didn't they start with 8 members and at no time did all 8 renew with the same company????
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I wasn't aware of that but noted
but it does sorta prove my point that for a lot of people idol life is merely a stepping stone to something else
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