From the business perspective, if I'm the ceo of hybe, I will let GFriend and Nuest go too

I don't really care about who's in fault for those groups disbandment or who is in charge for that. Nuest and GFriend is a good group, nobody denied it. But what fans often forget that, Kpop is a business not charities that produced music to fans. So, if we trying to throw the sentiment towards the groups I think we all understand why both group get disbanded.

Nuest sales stuck at 200k after the acquisition, not really improve and they're already in their 10 years which I think why the company don't really bother to put an effort on them. They get their popularity after produce, and Pledis didn't using it well end up the group popularity stagnant and started to drop. Move to hybe, all their bg able to sells more than 900k and soon 1 million for each groups. And that's the standard for bg in hybe. Selling under 300k for bg may seems not good enough for them as that amount is good enough for other company.

GFriend sales never exceeded 100k. They also didn't show any significant improvement after the acquisition. And same goes to Nuest, their popularity stagnant and started to drop. As whole, Hybe probably didn't see them to improve and didn't want to keep investing in the group that will bring them no benefits. You can see the difference between GFriend and Fromis. Fromis on the other hand doing really well after move to hybe and their sales rose to 140k almost 50% from their last cb. To them, debuting new gg will giving them more benefits as those groups for sure will sells more than Gfriend. Especially they have Sakura and Chaewon that personally I think to save soumu and guarantee instant success with quick cash.

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For those who don't know how these two company actually in debt for better reference because I'm tired that people unable to understand this from the business perspective.

Quote from WBSBGos

Even tho from a business prospective you may be right, there's ways and ways to end a contract with an idol group who had still ongoing contracts, and expectations with their fans of different type of contents.

And also, it was a sudden decision in both cases, since we've seen how both groups had no clue this would happen even 1 month before hybe declared their disbanding.

So, hybe still acted in a shitty way, thinking how big the company is and how much better it could have handed both situations.

I agree that the way Gfriend disbanded was quite harsh for fans and I don't want to comment about that. And did nuest didn't know too because two members agree to renewed their contract, right. I just don't follow them close. Overall I don't touch about that, I just talk about business wise, why hybe didn't need both group, where fans often overlook it.

Quote from peachyjoon

i think the disbandment's were agreed upon from both sides. artist and companies. they were both at contract ends where it would be normal for their group to disband, 7 years for gg, and 10 years (7 year contract, 3 year extension) for bg.

Obviously, but we all know something wrong with gfriend sudden disbandment. The girls only know a month before they get disbanded.

Quote from QueenMaknae27

Good thing you were not

Well it still happen even I'm not, unfortunately.

Quote from Tenken101

Personally, for Gfriend I don't think the disbanding part was the biggest issue. That one still seems to me just an issue with two parties not coming to an agreement. Basically that one was all business, which is neither good nor bad. The problem though was that there was a number of ways that Source could have chosen to let go of Gfriend at least somewhat gracefully, and also provided some sort of closure to the fans. But they didn't. And just ended things in a way that just left everybody completely upset and distrustful. Which makes me question their business sense for willing to sacrifice their name brand so easily.

And really, at this point I still have no idea why HYBE is choosing to keep Source as a sub label instead of dissolving and stripping the assets to make a completely new and fresh sub label. Even the fans waiting for the Sakura/Chaewon group don't want them under Source lol. The whole thing is one big question mark.

Well, the way they let gfriend indeed weird but probably something happen behind the closed doors, the reasons I don't really want to talk much about that.

And why Hybe still choosing to keep Source, I think because that company still in debt with them. They have huge budget for gfriend cb but it does not translate well with the profit they received, one of the reasons I think why the choose quick disbandment. So, just dissolving them will give hybe nothing and to start new label need more money which double the losses they incur. Not to mention how much time needed for that. That's the reason they get Sakura and Chaewon, to restore the company name back. They know both girls have huge popularity even compare to GFriend and their fans will always back up the girls. Believe me, only time till new kpop fans will know source as Sakura and Chaewon's company and having know idea about gfriend at all especially if the group become really successful. That's what they trying to do now.

Quote from WBSBGos

Yes, on that I can't completely disagree. Even tho I'm sure both groups could pull in money anyways, albums aren't the only way a group brings in money (probably it's not even groups main source of income, but thats another topic). And after all these years both groups were a known name in sk, so I'm sure they weren't a loss for their agencies.

And no, no one from the group knew the group would disband because in their last videos in December they talked about spending this year with their fans, so no no one knew that at the time.

The biggest source of income of the group is tour, but because of covid it is completely a loss. Yet, both group were not that strong in term of tour or even brand deals too especially compare to the other hybe's groups. And as I mentioned, both group unfortunately losing their popularity even in sk. They will have their reputation from their peak days but it is not bringing much profit anymore. We can see how viviz doing compare to the new debuted gg which make the statement of hybe seeing debuting new groups better than to keep groups with stagnant performance.

And for Nuest, I feel bad for them. And this just proved my point more that hybe didn't see them profitable enough to keep going. But I wonder, how 2 members can renew their contract then if they don't even know about the disbandment?

Quote from finana

not at u coming for Nuest. How many 10 years old groups sell 200k albuns? EXO, Suju(?)...

Exo sell more than million while suju who almost 20 years old group not even 10 years old sells above 400k. And they have Bts and Svt in hybe that coming from same generation as them sell more than 2 million. And not to mention all other hybe bg like I said all sell above 900k soon 1 million for each groups. I'm not coming at them, I already stated above their sells is good for other companies but unfortunately not hybe as the standard for the bg there is higher.

Quote from WBSBGos

You should stop considering the other groups. In the end bts is not part of their specific agency, so for their agencies they were still profitable groups.

What I meant is that they would still bring in money, but if source and pledis thought those 2 were not enough for their standards, the way they ended up disbanding gfriend and nuest was still the worst, ence considering the tempistic for both happenings, hybe must have had a role in all this.

About the 2 renewing, I think that happened after December. When they broke out the news to the members about not wanting everyone to renew. But they still kept the 2 who may bring in valuable income later on like the ex wannaone member with a hope of a future group reunion.

How many time I said this is not about how they ended the contract but the reasons. Obviously they did both groups dirty and should give them proper disbandment but this thread not about that. And again, you said stop considering other groups from other agency but you also claim hybe had role in their disbandment? See the title, it is all about hybe and all the company under hybe. It is how hybe see all the groups under them and the standard performance for all their groups. Do you actually understand or not that hybe didn't want them because both group didn't match their performance standard and profit.

Hybe giving both pledis and source money. You need to remember, because of this acquisition, the profit is not going to pledis or source only anymore. Example if hybe give them 200k for gfriend cb, and they only able to get 100k in return, it is deficit and they got nothing. Even source get nothing. This is way hybe want Sakura and Chaewon to cover back that loss.

Quote from catzi

Doesnt change the fact that they decided to disband them in the shittiest and disrespectful way possible, there's no excuses for that

When people actually understand that my thread has nothing to do with how they disbanded. Like, I know that and don't support that kind of treatment too. My thread just seeing this issue from the business perspective.

Quote from quarkie

So if you sell 750k at Hybe you're gonna be disbanded?

You know these sales aren't going to last forever right? The bubble will pop eventually.

At least for their bg above 500k, who knows but based on how they move it seems like that. Because sales aren't going to last they need groups that able to give them that when the groups still make huge profits. Kpop is a business after all. And tell me what Gfriend and nuest can offer other than sales that can give hybe more profits when they're still in hybe?

Quote from WBSBGos

Haven't you read that I already said you were right about them not reaching hybe standards ?

I only wanted to say that they must not have been in loss as you all keep thinking about. Album sales aren't everything a group can bring in.

And for source I'm not sure it was a good decision to end the only group they had. In fact the ngg still hasn't debuted and it's not like they had any profit until now since they lost gfriend.

Anyways, worst disbandments of the last few years.

Pledis obviously not in loss because of svt but source is indeed in loss. They are in debt with hybe and unable to pay back, and this is not a secret anymore. And again, what nuest and gfriend have other than album sales when I clearly said tours is artist biggest revenues but they were unable to do so because of covid. Both groups not even get booked by tons of cf and brand deals to cover up their expenditure. Their merch sales not that good too. So tell me how they gonna bring back that profits without solid sales and brand deals?

And for source, again I'm tired to keep saying this. That's the reason Sakura and Chaewon get scouted to get instant cash. They not even debuted yet but people already see them sells more than 300k and Sakura already get cf and brand deals even before properly debut. You see, that's actually what hybe want, profits. If they keep gfriend equals to they need provide more cash for the girls activities and hybe didn't see how it is profitable to them.

Quote from aclassyteaparty

im so confused about this whole "they disrespected the fans by...disbanding them!" narrative lol. like, nuest is literally getting a final cb. gfriend's disbandment was sudden but like... if the contract fell through the contract fell through. like the op said these companies are not a charity. the gfriend girls had an individual opportunity to say goodbye to their fans and are still active in the industry so... source definitely had more issue than we are privy to.

Tbh, I don't understand about nuest too because they get proper goodbye yet I'm so done to arguing as it is not my main topic here. I do understand people mad about GFriend, but again, my main topic not about how they get disbanded yet some fail to see it.

Quote from quarkie

The members of Nu'est are popular in Korea. There have been PDs who have said they've tried to book Nu'est and received nothing in response.

Having a solid and loyal fanbase is a great quality which is what Nu'est had.

They're not that popular anymore even in Korea. Their popularity after produce getting stagnant and drop as I said above because pledis don't know how to manage them that well post produce. They don't even on the top 50 for this march brand reputation while inactive group like wanna one still on top 15. And having solid and loyal fanbase is not enough. Having solid and a LOT of loyal fanbase is the deals. After all, most bg tends to have loyal fanbase, it is not even an spectacular offer that hybe will take. And about the pd, I'm so sorry it's not even solid argument as even nugu can get contacted by any pd, tbh.

Quote from WBSBGos

What instant cash if it's been 1 year almost that source doesn't have an income. And the 2 signed with source only recently.

Gfriend would have still bought in money in the meanwhile until the new gg debuted.

Besides the fact that I find it difficult to think that source m was in a loss with gfriend. Maybe they weren't earning much but the income was still there.

And besides, it's the company's fault for not providing to gfriend brand deals and other things since gfriend are no nugus at all in sk. And besides touring there's been many groups who had concerts and fanmeetings too even with covid, and I'm sure that gfriend wouldn't have had an empty venue if they had given the chance to.

So it's not all about tours and album sales.

Tbh I'm not really a fan of any of them so I don't care too much but you are way too focused on things that are not the most important in situations like these 2

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God, do you actually understand what acquisition means? It is tiring to explain things to someone that have no idea how business work and cannot understand the same repeated things. They borrowed a lot of many from hybe during gfriend last cb but didn't get the profit back and cannot pay to hybe back. This is not even a secret. Understand this first, gosh. That's all you need to know. Fan meeting? It is not tours, and not even give that much revenue. They don't even have thay much cf and brand deals even before source get to hybe. They're well known but does not have any members with big brand power. And what concert when Korea just allowed them this year. And how to confident you are that the seat will all sold out? Again, if GFriend stay, hybe is the one who pay for them. It is just like giving out free money to Source twice without getting anything.

Sakura and Chaewon being called as instant cash because as soon as they debut, they secure huge amount of album sales as I said everyone predicting they will sells around 300k-500k. They also secure tons of cf and brand deals, and Izone pretty much still popular especially in Japan and both members they get really popular there. Idk if you actually able to understand this.

Quote from jooniebug

Shhhh no no the other side of the coin and the other reality of what happened behind the scenes should never get brought up because HYBE acquired Source just to disband Gfriend. This is the only narrative that matters.

Oh and they got rid of Gfriend just for Sakura group because you know, they can't possibly afford to have more than 1 group in Source. Like I get the anger and all the theories because the way it was handled was terrible but at some point I read some things and i'm like make it make sense pls.... The way people are speaking so factually about things as well like their version of events is definitely what happened is just amazing to me.

They can have more than one group in source but gfriend is not that profitable enough. I mean seeing how they move with nuest also says a lot they really care about how much their groups make and want only profitable groups under them. Some may said it is cruel, but business wise they're just doing what business people do. Maximize the profit.