A viral post recently sparked a conversation among K-pop fans, questioning the current popularity of TREASURE, a boy group under YG Entertainment, one of the industry’s “Big 4” agencies.
It debuts in 2020 with 12 members through the survival show YG treasure boxTREASURE caused a sensation from the beginning. That year Twitter even named them the fastest growing K-pop group in the world and they ranked among the top 10 most tweeted about K-pop groups globally.
However, a post on X (formerly Twitter) recently went viral, highlighting a significant drop in views on the group’s TikTok videos. Clips from three or four years ago boast millions of views, while more recent posts seem to struggle in comparison.
This sparked a flurry of discussion among fans online. Many attributed the change to YG Entertainment’s alleged lack of promotion and inconsistent programming, especially after members Mashiho and Bang Yedam left in 2022. Despite these losses, TREASURE still found success with their song “Bona Bona.”
When examining other indicators of popularity, such as digital chart performance, the group’s recent releases have underperformed. On the Circle Digital Chart, their tracks failed to reach the top 100 or ranked lower than expected.
But not all signs point to a decline. TREASURE’s album Love Pulse recorded its highest first-day and first-week sales, quickly reaching one million copies sold. Their upcoming Japanese tour was also sold out, proving that the group still has a strong international fan base.
However, the viral post reflects a larger sentiment: Many fans feel that TREASURE hasn’t reached its full potential not because of a lack of talent, but rather because of mismanagement by their agency.
The debate continues, as some defend the group’s growth in album sales and global reach, while others point to digital stagnation and fading buzz as warning signs.
Sources: Koreaboo
