Why is there a 4th gen?

You guys act like kpop is the only genre where we have generations when it's not true. In the other genres it's just not called "generation", it's called " wave" or in most causes it's used years like, "90s style/90s groups" etc for definitions

1th gen was the first "idol" groups such as h.o.t. and was heavily based on american and japanese artists

2nd gen was when it really took off and became one of the most profitable industries in the country, the "idol image" was created, tvxq and snsd

3rd gen started the globalization of kpop along with immense social medias - youtube, twitter, naver, etc. artists own reality and variety shows were made, choreography became a norm, music videos, merchandise, fan clubs/fan bases all became put more focus on

4th gen there's nothing that really confines this generation, it is the definition of kpop as a global industry. overseas promotions are common

I'd just be echoing Massive's opinion, 4th gen groups are being debuted with social media/western success in mind

its easier so some people can said

"my fav are leading this generation!! ur fav can never!!"

Every genre has its waves or generations. The only difference is, it's not very much emphasized, it at all, outside kpop. But kpoppies like to approach kpop as some kind of science, so everything has to be broken down to numbers: sales, charts, streams... Generation is just one more stat.

Now, I don't mind the generation debate. The Kpop audience has increased tremendously over a few years, the industry evolved alongside this growth... Generations are supposed to inform of the context which a group debuted/grew in.

Gen dividing is definitely a new stan thing,I don't recall these terms being used up until 4-5 years ago.

I don't find it to be complete nonsense,but there are people that are overly obsessed with organizing everything into these ''generation'' shelves.

A new generation isn't just a set time frame,it's also determined by each new popularity surge that k-pop as a whole receives.