Posted this in different thread but I thought some of you might want to join discussion.
There isn't something like Big3 anymore...
it can't be when HYBE has outgrown industry.
It's more leaning currently towards 'expansion' of this big/top whatever group...
I've already pointed this in one thread it's something like in football (soccer) Premier League in England.
When league was created in 1992 after first few years there was big two - Manchester United and Arsenal,
then the teams known as big ones number has expanded thanks to great results of Chelsea and Liverpool.
Then people re-evaluated everything and term 'Big Six" was common with Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal, and Tottenham being a part of it.
But then in 2016 Leicester won a league, and in last two seasons they've finished at 5th place, with some other teams outside of big 6 also entering top 6 rank in the end of one or another season.
So now people ain't so sure how it looks, and some fans are suggesting that those teams which managed to stay in the very top for all time should be treated as NEW Big Four.
So comparing this to kpop once again whole industry is on a grow, many labels grow up for example RBW (Mamamoo) which even managed to acquire WM (Oh My Girl). So kpop is on a rise, just like Premier League was when there was Big Six.
And also market is still in transition for example Stone Music which was company under which were IZ*ONE (now disbanded), fromis_9 (now in Pledis), Heize (now in P Nation) is no more.
Pledis is under HYBE now as well.
Companies like Woollim, FNC, even CUBE ain't doing that well.
Mentioned earlier RBW is doing really well, so much that not only they've acquired WM but also bought new building in may 2020.
Starship will also rise, they only need to launch new gg with Wonyoung and Yujin.
So because old big 3 had ups & downs and was outpaced by HYBE we are in kind of transition which in my opinion rather than making it big 4 will expand the top companies even further just like it was in Premier League so we will have this 5-6 top companies and then big gap.
It's not all about 'money' only, it's also about the popularity of artists, and their charting as well. For example PSY has Hyuna, Jessi, and Heize. If he himself would make a comeback then he will bank CF's, charting, and even sales because he is likeable.
RBW has Mamamoo, and Oh My Girl, both groups have many members which appear in tv/radio programs or even are hosting them.
Kakao is also doing a merger of their music companies like Play M, and Creker.
So we don't know how it will all play out, but big 3, the one that we all know for years is "no more" for sure.
