Why does everyone want to debut solo this year?

TBH, I think you're right and we see that a lot. A lot of idols -- I'd even venture most -- are better as a group than individually. No shame in that, some of the best groups are groups where the whole is more than the sum of the parts (e.g. Spice Girls).

But I think for a lot of idols that left groups, there's not really a path to entering another group and being successful again. So their paths really are: retirement from entertainment, go into some other related entertainment field, or try your hand at being a soloist. For the lucky few that manage to be successful at that, it works out in the end (e.g. more control over their music/schedule). So it probably feels worth trying all the same.

And from the companies' perspective, I wonder if they're, at any point, anticipating the potential oversaturation of the bg/gg market. So having a diversity of acts is just good business planning.

Quote from zuzuhhaa

anyway, anticipate my solo debut

Untalented, lazy, cancelled

Quote from centen

But I think for a lot of idols that left groups, there's not really a path to entering another group and being successful again.

I think some idols also don't go into groups again, not cause "I might lose my fame if I go to a unknown company", because look, Hyuna for example left JYP and Wonder Girls before they hit it big and later on as she re-debuted with 4MINUTE she became one of the most successfull musicians in Korea. But many people just don't re-debut cause they maybe feel hurt if they for example had to leave their company on specific reasons (wich are often unknown to the public). I mean just as example an idol was bullied inside their agency and had to leave or the idol secretly bullied their member and had to leave or the idol expressed just feeling not right with their group or had some other issues and than leaves, maybe even with just a stupid excuse for the fans so people wonder "Why did he/she leave?" than many people would feel very confused if the idol re-debut in a new group and the idol maybe even feels bad if they do so since who knows, maybe the idol left their group cause of mental health problems and would feel bad for their mental health if they had to go back to a group.

A lot of the time I figured out that if a idol leaves a group they re-debut as soloists because the chance to finally earn money is higher because from what I heard in videos of some ex-idols the bigger a group, the less income you make. So let's look at it. A group makes for example 20.000$ and the company said in the contract that to pay the rent of the building, paying a manager, paying the producer,... takes 80% of their income and thr group has 10 member. That means the group gets 4.000$. Now split it by the number of members and you get 400$ per person. The next thing is that their agency says that since they trained the group for 2 years before debut and cause of the apartment-rent the member have to give let's say 350$ a month till the time the company makes enough money off of the group so they don't have to give that money to their company anymore. This means each member will be left with 50$ at the end of the month. If you debut solo under similiar terms you get the whole 4.000$ and if you have to pay your company till they make enough money from you, let's say they also just want 350$ a month, you end up better than if you would have to split the money with someone else

I think some idols also go solo for their own image. I mean if the company, some other idols or maybe an illness or a scandal kicked them in the butt and fans might also get trust issues than some idols maybe go solo to show everyone that they can do better without them and don't need them. In cases like for example Wonho, I think it was pretty clear that he re-debuted as soloist to show everyone that it was dumb to kick him out of MONSTA X and that he can if he wants survive without them. B.I. after getting kicked out of iKON needed 2 years to come back, but he clearly shows a sign of strengt with it, that he is now ready to go back into the public without hiding himself. Many idols who leave their company and never return as a musician probably don't have the courage that it takes to go back on stage if they just didn't left for valid reasons like going back to school, taking another job, ... etc.

Quote from zuzuhhaa

stay pressed, everyone knows im an all-rounder with the charisma you can only wish your faves had

But do you serve visual though?