The group of K-Pop Purple Kiss girls will officially conclude its activities in November, RBW announced on August 4, marking the end of the four-year race of the deed of six members from the debut in 2021.
The agency said that after “long and sincere discussions”, both the company and the group members agreed to separate to support the individual dreams of each artist. Despite the dissolution, Purple Kiss will perform all the programmed promotions, including an release of albums in English at the end of August, Japanese promotions, a North American tour and a final concert in Korea.
From their debut with the EP Purple In March 2021, Purple Kiss built a reputation For self -produced music and experimental concepts presented in individuals such as “zombie” and “nerdy”. Their sudden decision to melt a few weeks after publishing the single album I miss my … On July 16, he underlined the uncertainty that faces groups on average level labels.
The ending of the early contract have become increasingly common among the smallest agencies, exposing the gap of expansion between the main entertainment houses and their counterparts less resources. This is something that more and more fans are starting to see throughout the K-Pop sector.
At the beginning of this year, the women’s group of Ist Entertainment Weekly concluded Exclusive contracts after five years, while Yuehua Entertainment of Everglow interrupted the activities in June, a shy year with the usual seven -year contractual stone. Rocket Punch and Cherry Bullet also melted despite the constant fan bases and regular returns, illustrating that the constant output does not guarantee longevity outside the “Big Four”.
The music critic Lim Hee-Yoon has noticed the hyper-compliant panorama in Korea, where “dozens of new groups debut every year” and domestic listeners often attach themselves to family names or traces recommended by algorithm, making visibility a constant struggle for emerging acts without support for the march. As production and promotion costs increase, the smallest agencies can find unsustainable to continue funding that cannot generate sufficient returns.
For Purple Kiss’s Fandom, Plory, the announcement offers sweet and sour consolation: One last series of shows and releases to celebrate the group’s artistic growth. However, their premature dissolution highlights a broader trend of the sector: in an increasingly saturated K-pop market, only the most financed acts can guarantee the necessary resources to survive beyond the first years of their career.
