2024: A Year of Shock for K-POP Industry Amid Controversies, Disputes, and Scandals

2024 was a year that delivered a significant shock to South Korea’s K-POP industry. Despite the abundance of musical diversity, various incidents such as conflicts within major agencies, legal issues involving idols, and contract disputes shook the industry. The biggest issue that dominated K-POP this year was the conflict between HYBE, the country’s largest agency, and Minhee Jin, the former CEO of its subsidiary label ADOR. In April, HYBE launched an audit, claiming that Minhee Jin attempted to seize control of ADOR, while Minhee Jin held a press conference denying this, calling it a retaliatory audit. During this period, her passionate statements became memes. NewJeans, the group that had supported Minhee Jin, held a press conference on the 28th of last month and announced the termination of their exclusive contract with ADOR. In response, ADOR filed a lawsuit in the Seoul Central District Court to confirm the validity of their exclusive contract, turning the matter into a legal dispute. An official from a major agency said, “The HYBE–Minhee Jin incident shows the dark side of the K-POP industry, which has been on an upward trajectory. The outcome of this lawsuit could determine the future not only for NewJeans but also for the entire entertainment industry.” Individual celebrities also faced various issues. In August, SUGA of BTS was caught by police driving an electric scooter while under the influence of alcohol. His blood alcohol concentration at the time was 0.2227%, far exceeding the legal limit of 0.08% that would result in license suspension. The Seoul Western District Court issued a summary judgment ordering SUGA to pay a fine of 15 million won in September. TAIL of NCT was accused of sexual assault, and it later turned out the incident involved a minor. SEUNGHAN of RIIZE announced his departure from the group just one day after returning due to negative reactions from fans. ROSÉ of BLACKPINK faced controversy over indoor smoking at a fashion event in Italy but quickly apologized. In contrast, she generated positive attention with her collaboration song “APT.”” with Bruno Mars. Musically, it was a year of great diversity, marked by the resurgence of band music and the emergence of intense “metallic” sound styles. Band groups like DAY6 led the “K-band boom,” while aespa achieved 15 consecutive weeks at number one on the Melon chart with powerful tracks such as “Supernova.” On the global stage as well, K-POP stars continued to make progress, exemplified by the success of ROSÉ’s “APT.”