Cracks Behind Global Success...Debate Over K-Pop’s “Creative Stagnation”

While K-Pop’s worldwide popularity reached its peak this year, internal issues of severe growth pains have been identified. The New York Times reported on the 25th that “in 2025, K-Pop fought against its own internal demons,” noting that “cracks are emerging behind its dazzling achievements.” Citing the exclusive contract dispute between NewJeans and ADOR (HYBE) as an example, the NYT described NewJeans as “the group that has shown the most innovative moves over the past few years.” It further stated that “K-Pop’s true strength and future direction are being determined in court,” adding that “the NewJeans situation poses a heavy challenge on both business and artistic fronts.” The NYT explained that “over the past 30 years, K-Pop has grown through a top-down structure controlled by a few large entertainment agencies,” and pointed out that “it is nearly impossible for groups with original identities to continue operating within such a system.” It expressed concern that while groups affiliated with these large agencies achieve commercial success, they fail to break away from conventional musical frameworks, suggesting K-Pop is in a “creative stagnation.” Although next year, when BTS returns after completing their military service, could mark a major turning point for the industry, it was predicted that this might only be a temporary solution. However, innovation outside this system is also evident. The NYT cited the Netflix animated series *KPop Demon Hunters*, which set a record for highest viewership ever, as a symbolic example of K-Pop’s popularization, stating that “the success of *KPop Demon Hunters* proves that K-Pop has taken root worldwide as a universal cultural style beyond being merely a music genre.” The provocative attempts by young Korean artists operating outside agencies, such as Effie and the Deep, were also regarded as positive signs. The global girl group *Katseye*, a collaboration between HYBE and the American label Geffen Records, as well as the success of BLACKPINK’s Rosé and Bruno Mars’ collaborative song “Apt.,” are also noteworthy. The NYT described these as “a natural phenomenon occurring as K-Pop establishes itself as a mainstream genre,” noting that “while the K-Pop industry endures internal fatigue and anxiety, it has created new sounds capable of overturning the status quo.” Domestic music critics have likewise pointed out K-Pop’s “crisis.” Music critic Kim Yoon-han argued that as K-Pop becomes more homogenized, there is less enjoyment in discovering diversity, while music critic Kim Do-heon mentioned that as the industry advances, it has become overly standardized and boring. Nevertheless, recent rookie girl groups such as ILLIT, Baby Monster, Hearts2Hearts, Miya, and IZNA exhibit differences in their songs, concepts, member compositions, and growth strategies, showing a pattern distinct from claims of uniformity. In contrast, boy groups have relatively better market defense. This year, only two girl groups—aespa and IVE—sold over one million copies in their initial releases, whereas boy groups like Stray Kids sold 3 million copies and SEVENTEEN sold 2.5 million copies. This contradicts critics’ discourse on a “crisis” and suggests that K-Pop’s “crisis” manifests in different ways depending on gender.