Multiple New Groups Debut from JYP, SM, and YG as K-Pop Enters a New Era

A new generation of idols is entering the K-Pop market in 2025. New girl groups are debuting one after another under the three major entertainment companies—JYP, SM, and YG—bringing fresh energy to the K-Pop industry. KickFlip, a new boy group from JYP Entertainment, is at the forefront of this wave. Debuted on January 20, KickFlip is a seven-member group formed from the four original members of SBS’s audition program “LOUD” in 2021—Gye-hun, Amaru, Keyju, and Donghyun—along with former trainees Dong-hwa, Ju-wang, and Min-je. With an average age of 18.3 years at debut, they represent JYP’s first new boy group in seven years since Stray Kids. The group name refers to “the technique of spinning a skateboard 360 degrees,” aiming to project an image of energetic and bold youth. SM Entertainment will unveil the eight-member girl group Hearts2Hearts on February 24. This new girl group marks the first debut under SM’s “SM 3.0” system following the departure of founder Lee Soo-man, and it is also the first new girl group in five years since aespa. The group consists of Ji-u and Yu-ha, who were trainees at SM since elementary school, along with Korean citizens Ju-eun, Euna, Ian, and Ye-on, as well as dual-Korean-Canadian citizen Stella and Indonesian Carmen. Carmen is the first Indonesian member to debut under a major entertainment company, drawing significant attention in her home country. The debut teaser showcased a delicate and pure image, with fans reacting that it evokes a “modern-style Girls’ Generation vibe,” a stark contrast to the intense performance teasers aespa used at its debut. YG Entertainment has also joined the competition for new groups. YG’s chief producer, Yang Hyun-suk, mentioned in a recent YouTube video that there are many trainees waiting to debut, adding that a group tentatively named “Next Monster” is currently in preparation. If a new boy group is launched this year, it will be the first in five years since TREASURE. The reason major companies are rushing to introduce new groups is that existing groups, now in their fourth or fifth years of activity, have entered a stable phase of performance. Additionally, as K-Pop’s global influence grows, there is an increasing need for new domestic groups to expand into overseas markets. New idols can gain a certain level of popularity in these overseas markets where interest in K-Pop idols has already formed, and there is potential for them to become teams capable of dominating the world music scene like BTS. These new groups plan to pursue marketing strategies that target both domestic audiences and international markets through social media from the very beginning. There is also a trend of adapting South Korea’s idol training system abroad; the British boy band Dear Alice, produced by SM and Kakao Entertainment’s North America joint venture along with British entertainment company MOONBAG, debuted on February 21 as well.