First of all, the most anticipated events are the returns of BTS and BLACKPINK. Five BTS members who are still serving in the military will be discharged by June. Therefore, the focus is on the new music they will release after the tough military training. However, since it is impossible to predict how long it will take the members to produce an album after military discharge, there is a possibility that their return will be postponed until next year. Furthermore, the unpleasant problem Suga recently had will become a variable in the group’s activities.
It was also reported that BLACKPINK will launch a world tour this year. In July last year, YG executive producer Yang Hyun-suk said: “In 2025, many YG artists will do activities,” adding “BLACKPINK will return and start a world tour.” As Jennie, Jisoo, Rosé and Lisa have achieved great success with their solo promotions, fans are eagerly awaiting their new stage as a whole group.
In addition to BTS and BLACKPINK, Stray Kids and Seventeen will also continue their world stadium tour in 2025, while IVE will release their fourth mini album next month. BIG 3 agencies SM, JYP and YG are also preparing to introduce rookie groups this year.
Furthermore, the popularity of virtual idols and indie bands is expected to continue this year. After the success of PLAVE, many other virtual groups also debuted. The same goes for the virality of indie bands. On January 1, pop music critic Lim Hee-yoon shared: “As the fandom and consumption of non-human idols grows, the demands for virtual idols are also expected to grow even more. This year there may be a competition between virtual idols and human idols. Continuing last year’s momentum, the popularity of indie bands is expected to continue this year as interest in the bands has increased not only among adults but also among teenagers and children.”
Meanwhile, many issues in the music industry still remain unresolved. The most significant event is the dispute between HYBE and former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin and the termination of the contract with NewJeans. These two issues are expected to make headlines again in the K-pop industry as they involve agencies, producers and artists.
Music critic Lim commented: “In the past, agencies controlled everything from production systems to idol appearances on programs, making K-pop’s structure solid. However, the situation has changed since K-pop became famous globally. There is a possibility that the production and management system of idols will change due to the demand for collaboration abroad. The NewJeans controversy is evidence of the changes underway in the K-pop industry.”
