K-pop is more of a catchall name for South Korean pop music in general. No of the genre, it is frequently used to refer to any Korean musician. The first K-pop group to perform on TV was Seo Taiji and Boys. They were the first group to try out many genres and even introduced rap into K-pop.
SM Entertainment, JYP Entertainment, and YG Entertainment were all founded as a result of the success of K-pop bands, respectively, in 1995, 1997, and 1998. The majority of well-known K-pop bands are represented by these agencies.
List of Kpop groups and bands who broke up
While numerous bands have expressed interest in joining the expanding industry, many bands have also broken up over time. Here is a closer look at a few of the well-known bands that have recently split up.
2NE1
Despite being a group that was created back in 2009, 2NE1 had a significant impact on K-pop. The band was arguably among the most well-known and influential bands of its era. They established avant-garde musical genres and brought original clothing to the scene.
The first K-pop album by a Korean artist to enter the top 100 of the US Billboard 200 was their album Crush. In 2016, they made their breakup public. A source claims that the group disbanded because YG Entertainment struggled to maintain control over one of its members.
They may have split up because of other controversies as well. Following a major scandal in which she received a parcel containing more than 80 amphetamine tablets, Bom took an indefinite break from acting in 2014. The tablets’ intended function as a medication was later made clear. The people, however, did not accept it.
Bom appeared with the band for just one concert in 2015 before leaving the group. Additionally, Minzy disbanded the crew.
Later that year, YG Entertainment made the announcement that the group was breaking up and the two remaining members intended to pursue solo careers.
Over the years, a number of bands have formed and broken up in K-Pop. A band may decide not to renew their contract or even cancel it early for a variety of reasons. While some choose to work alone, others don’t perform well enough for the agency to make it lucrative to keep them together. Conflict among the band’s members is another possibility.
The most upsetting aspect is that many bands claim they were treated unfairly by their agencies and did not receive a fair amount of the revenue they generated. Some members also claimed maltreatment in some situations, and they later sued their agencies. Some bands were forced to break up as a result of issues with particular members or even the agency they were contracted to.
The sad truth that their favourite band had to disband had to be accepted by the fans in the end. Agencies have reviewed their contracts and how they handle talent over time in an effort to strengthen their bond. Although many more bands split up, these were among the top handful that did so abruptly and left their fans inconsolable.
4Minute
2009 saw the formation of the edgy dance-pop trio 4Minute. When it was revealed that the girls’ group will be breaking up in 2016, it shocked fans.
According to a top management company in South Korea, the popular group’s unplanned breakup was caused by them being “unprofitable.” One of the group’s singers, Hyuna, continues to collaborate with the agency as a solo performer. The group’s other members, however, felt abandoned.
B.A.P
TS Entertainment created B.A.P in 2012. Compared to other boybands at the time, including Exo, the boyband was perhaps more well-known. As both bands fought for the top place, their songs used to dominate the charts.
B.A.P. had the most No. 1 albums on the World Albums Chart of any artist. They announced their breakup in 2019, which shocked their followers after 7 years of dating.
A news source reported that B.A.P sued TS Entertainment, alleging unfair treatment and seeking to end the contract. After three years of phenomenal success, the group’s members reportedly earned about $16,000 each, while their agency made more than $9 million.
GFriend
The Source Music label created the girl group in 2015. It had six people in it. On the list of the top 10 Most Viewed Videos Globally in January 2015, their music video for Glass Bead came in at number nine.
The band’s popularity and fan base rose steadily. They abruptly split up in 2021 as they were about to release new songs.
This unexpected announcement left the supporters baffled and incensed. A prosperous career was abruptly ended, and neither their agent nor the band provided an explanation.
The South Korean music business is claimed to have suffered as a result of their abrupt split. Following the incident, the agencies started treating their staff better.
Got7
The first K-pop group to break up last year was Got7. The seven men’s group was active between 2014 and 2021. They then formally terminated their agreement with JYP Entertainment. Girls, Girls, Girls, by the band, was their first song.
Being the first K-pop group to ever enter the Billboard Top 100 chart, the band created history. When they broke up, their sizable fan base was devastated.
Many fans, however, were relieved that the band did not extend their contract with JYP Entertainment since they thought the company abused the lads.
In order to fulfil their promise to their fans regarding their return, the band staged a comeback with the release of the mini album Got7 this year.
Hotshot
Another well-liked boy group gathered in 2014 was this one. For the first several years after coming together, the six members of the group experienced rising fame and success.
When Ha Sung Woon and Roh Tae Hyun took part in the musical reality show Produce Ocean 2, their fame grew even more.
They parted ways with their management company Star Crew Entertainment in 2021 and split formally. By March 30, 2021, the organisation “agreed to end team activity.”
IZ*ONE
There were 12 girls in the band IZ*ONE. It was created by the female contestants of Produce 48’s 2018 audition competition. From their album, La Vie En Rose MV served as the lead single.
With their first extended play Color*Iz selling over 225,000 units and reaching number 2 on the South Korean Gaon Album list, the band found rapid success.
However, they split up on April 19, 2021, after their 2.5-year contract came to an end.
A campaign to keep the band from breaking up was initiated by the group’s fan base, however it was unsuccessful. After the group disbanded, three of the members returned to Japan.
Seven O’Clock
The group’s first performance was on March 16, 2017. With their little album Butterfly Effect, they made their debut. The guys underwent numerous adjustments, including member changes.
They were able to stay together for around 4 years before ultimately splitting up and breaking up in 2021.
SISTAR
In 2010, SISTAR made its debut under Starship Entertainment. The term “the summer queens of k-pop” was given to them because of their lively and upbeat music. A year after their debut, they became well-known because to their song So Cool.
The fourth title track from their album, So Cool, debuted at the top of the Billboards Korea K-Pop Hot 100 charts becoming the first tune to reach that position. By the end of the year, it had received more than 18,703,636 streams.
Their dissolution in 2017 completely caught their supporters off guard. It was the band’s unanimous decision, according to a statement from Starship Entertainment, to pursue separate careers.
But according to a report, while other band members preferred to remain in the group, Hyorin preferred to pursue a solo career. They ultimately chose to respect Hyorin’s desires and decided to part ways.
Wanna One
On the second season of Produce 101, CJ E & M created the boy band Wanna One. Over 11 males made up the gang. They first appeared in August of last year. They were selected as the Best K-Pop Artist of 2017 in the same year.
Up until 2018, the group did reasonably well for themselves. They came to the decision not to renew their agreement with their agency and broke up.
X1
11 competitors from the reality competition Produce X 101 came together to form the group. The group was established in 2019, and its debut record went on to become one of the best-selling albums of the year.
Up until the band became involved in a controversy, everything was going smoothly. It is suspected that the creators of the competition show rigged the outcomes to favour some candidates over others.
The band went on a protracted hiatus as a result of the news. It was revealed that the band would break up in January. Because the band members had not broken any laws, fans feel that it was unfair to them. The band has not yet been reformed despite the efforts of the supporters.
