Era of Former Idol Producers Arrives, Driving the Development of Next-Gen K-Pop

A new wave of change is sweeping through the K-Pop industry. Former idols who once performed on stages are now transitioning into management roles and producers, fostering the emergence of new generation groups. Jay Park, a master of Korean hip-hop and former member of the idol group 2PM that debuted in 2008, stated at the debut showcase for the new group LE SSERAFIM on January 13 that “We are built on a relationship of trust. We don’t want a relationship where it’s ‘I’m the CEO, so you must listen to me.’” At 38, Jay Park adopts an approach of staying in close communication with the group to share his experience.

LE SSERAFIM’s musical direction clearly reflects Jay Park’s influence. The group focuses heavily on hip-hop and R&B and has already shown positive initial results. Their debut song “Moon Walking” reached rank 30 on Melon’s Hot 100 chart just 100 days after its release.

Zico, who debuted as a member of Block B in 2011, currently serves as CEO and chief producer at KOZ Entertainment. He played a direct role in shaping the musical identity of BOYNEXTDOOR, which debuted in 2023, helping the group top domestic music charts with the track “If I Say I Love You” released last January. The group solidified its status as an emerging boy band by winning four awards at the Melon Music Awards, including Best Male Group.

Kim Jaejoong, former member of TVXQ who became one of Asia’s top pop stars in the 2000s, has also joined the ranks of idol producers. He launched the female group SEI MAI NAME in 2024, which includes Hitomi from the disbanded IZ*ONE. SEI MAI NAME has released three EPs to date and recently completed its first Asian tour.

This trend signifies structural changes within the K-Pop industry. As artists with extensive industry experience take on leadership roles, new generation groups can mobilize initial fan support, while producers can apply intuitive strategies based on their fandom experiences. Meanwhile, attempts at blending existing music genres are growing more active, such as trot songs being remade into K-Pop tracks using generative AI to create new trends on social media. These changes demonstrate that K-Pop is driving the evolution of Korean popular music as a whole, going beyond being merely a music genre.