How has the K-pop landscape changed from since you first joined?

    I tripped into the K-pop rabbit hole in late 2018, right around IZ*ONE's debut and fortunately or unfortunately, I'm still very much stuck in the hole. Lots of people would agree with the statement that 2018 was 3rd Gen's general peak, churning out a number of would-be 3rd Gen classics that's been generously summarized in this video:

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    2019 marked the emergence of 4th Gen frontrunners such as TXT and ITZY (While typing this, I was reminded of the amazing times when debunking the Beomgyu-Ryujin ship with reasons being one's a twink and one's a hey mama being all there was in life). Unfortunately, you can also say that this year was also the 3rd Gen's general last hurrah with 2020 setting the rise of the 4th Gen in stone although the bigger acts have remained well-established to this day and you can see some of the older acts persisting such as in Brave Girls's Indian summer in 2021.

    I also noticed that in general I've been liking the newer trends that the 4th Gen brought be it in the musical quality or concepts. Back in 2018, comparing idol's skills was PEAKING with every viral K-tube videos hinting at the supremacy of an idol's popping skills to a rivaling idol's (unfortunately, this meant that novices were also taking a go at this trend which meant murky waters and the most horrid of fanwars) and even in this forum, there was always a "Wendy vs. Solar: BETTER VOCALIST?" waiting to be the witness of complete noobs regurgitating something a pRoFeSsIoNaL vocalist on YouTube said. Regardless, a part of me is glad that that tradition seems to have slid down the ranking of importance in K-pop fans.

    Another part of me, however, misses the more "friendly" feel that 3rd Gen K-pop at its best provided. Most of the current 4th Gen seems to be more industrial concept perfection than its predecessors and while my current self does prefer that, the 2018 me that I have since archived would gladly drop to the floor for a good round of What is Love - DTNA - Yes or Yes.

    Anyways, don't mind me, I'm just nostalgic at the feeling of pure elation when oh my mistake came on :peperain:

  • AllKill VIP
    Quote from cherrylipsoul

    Unfortunately, you can also say that this year was also the 3rd Gen's general last hurrah

    me who stanned a 3rd gen group in '19 seeing this : :pepestare:

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  • AllKill VIP

    many 4th gen grps debuting now


    saw some non big 3 grps get sidelined right in front of me


    bts keep rising and doing well


    i still dont see the perfection u talked about in 4th gen like the end of the year performances i watched were mostly meh except itzy(stage presence) , ateez (live singing)

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  • AllKill VIP

    I got into kpop in 2007.


    I miss the atmosphere of 2nd gen.


    In my opinion it was the perfect storm where kpop was global enough that international fans could participate. But still local enough with an engaged Korean public in such a way that the zeitgeist was clearly centered with Korea in the driver's seat.


    It had a much more niche feel and output than today. A quirky and differentiating charm that has largely been stamped out in pursuit of international integration and expansion.


    I miss it.

    I got into k-pop in 2011,which was when the 2nd gen reigned.Most of those groups are inactive now.


    The international market has become so much bigger,especially since BTS' US breakthrough.

    I'd say k-pop as a whole is a little more respected outside of its niche,back in the day breaking that western shell was a literal fever dream.

    when I first got into kpop was in 2019 when YT recommended me D4 right before KTL dropped so that interesting...


    now BP hasn't released anything in over a year so....at least there's stuff from my other favs lol

    Quote from tetetete

    me who stanned a 3rd gen group in '19 seeing this : :pepestare:

    Like you've said, I think that 2019 was the last year where 3rd gen groupies in general still held a stronghold on top. From late 2019 on, the 4th gen started to claw their way in and non-Big 3 groups got sidelined. Of course, the bigger acts would still persist and some would enjoy resurgences like Oh My Girl but most of the smaller to medium ones have been knocked off the edge by newer 4th gen groupies.


    Yeah, I admit that in terms of end of year performances, the 4th gen has impressed me less than the 2nd and 3rd Gen. I feel like with the 4th Gen there's been a leave-nothing-to-chance attitude generally while the 3rd gen had a less refined nonchalant attitude imo which leaves a bit of a perfected feel to most things that the 4th gen.

    Quote from timedisplace

    When I got into kpop, Gashina was all the rave, BTS released DNA, and Blackpink was an active group.


    oh how things have changed...

    This was everywhere in 2018 :pepe-life-support:

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    Quote from selfmate

    constant is the fact that they aren't releasing music together as OT4


    what's not constant and is actually increasing is the delay between music releases lol

    I stand corrected, just checked Wikipedia and for some reason, it has eluded me that LSG is not a 2021 release. A year without OT4 music, must be tough in Blinkland :peperain:

    When I got into K pop in 2011, second gen were dominating, now they're just a whisper (most either inactive or disbanded). A lot more westernised, sexualised than before. Fandoms a lot more toxic and more social media. Domination by BTS (not that I mind). A lot of things really, and my opinions have changed also.

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