What’s The Kraze: Generation Resurgence
This week’s topic is the return of older/disbanded artists! Between G-DRAGON, 2NE1, GFRIEND, or even post-enlistment popularity surges like DAY6, 2024 has been a great year for older artists. What are your thoughts on the renaissance that seems to be happening in K-Pop currently? What do you think contributes to it? Who would you like to see make a comeback? Who do you hope gets their flowers this time around?
Robyn (Social Content Manager): For me, I am personally super excited to see a lot of the groups I adored in both 2nd gen and 3rd gen making their rounds and having comebacks. Before, this was something I never even thought about happening but I started having more hope when KARA made their comeback with "When I Move." I think a lot of companies are slowly starting to realize that the K-Pop industry is changing (Both for the good and the bad) and us "older" fans just want our old groups back. I'm super excited to see GOT7 finally have a comeback in January and the fact that I live in Korea means that I can hopefully try to go to at least one of their events. Wish me luck!
Kelly (Co-Editor-in-Chief): Oh yeah, KARA and GOT7 are some BIG ones. I think a lot of people will be intrigued to see how 2025 treats GOT7 especially. Definitely a highly anticipated comeback!
Roxy (Chief Marketing Officer): It makes me feel nostalgic to have all the 2nd and 3rd gen groups come back. Us old heads have seen all the crap they've had to go through so I think there's also a note of optimism to see them be able to revive their careers despite the ickier sides of the K-Pop industry and the obsession with younger age. I think fundamentally we want to see them succeed or beat odds against them and that's why we get so excited to see them return. Of course, I'm excited about GOT7 returning, but I’d love to see a full Block B comeback, more from EXID, and a full group MONSTA X comeback.
Roxy: On this topic too, has anyone else seen Tao and Luhan going on live together on Douyin? That genuinely feels like the world is healing.
Cidney (Writer): I am super excited to see that GOT7 and GFRIEND are coming back. Just like Kelly said, I am very interested to see how the upcoming year is going to be for GOT7. I feel like with the recent excitement from fans of all generations watching groups from 2nd gen and early 3rd gen come back, it’s showing how much love we have for these groups no matter how many years pass.
Cidney: An EXID and MONSTA X comeback would make me feel like I am levitating. I’m already on cloud 9 with the news of GOT7 and GFRIEND. Also, I did see clips of Tao and Luhan and I couldn’t stop smiling.
Roxy: I don’t know, it somehow feels like maybe the K-Pop community was a little less divisive during those generations so we're all so hyped to see them back? I know fandom wars were still an issue but it felt less widespread so it's almost like having these groups back reminds us of how we were more of a community during those generations.
Kelly: I feel it’s a double edged sword with social media. The fan wars are worse in general since the K-Pop community has moved almost entirely online (in ways much more extreme than the past—re: the shift to short form content and TikTok with short viral songs and dance challenges).
Kelly: But at the same time, with how widespread K-Pop has become as a result of social media, it allows these groups to pursue longevity whereas they might not have been able to in the past. Artists and companies know fans are still there as they’re more easily able to see engagement online. And other music industries don’t move as fast as K-Pop, and in a similar vein foreign fans probably don’t move as fast from group to group either. Seeing groups like TWICE shift to an international approach are proof of that. They may not be at the forefront of the domestic market like in their heyday but they’re still gaining popularity worldwide.
Jacob (Writer): I'm looking forward to GFRIEND's reunion the most. I watched their Dingo Music Killing Voice video yesterday, and it really struck me how many things have happened since their disbandment. Granted, I know three years isn't that much in comparison to other groups' inactivity periods but I'll never forget how I felt learning my favorite girl group was disbanding.
Jacob: I think groups coming back relies on a lot of factors. Groups can see what fans are posting on social media, members can post about mini reunions (i.e. groups meeting up and posting the photos on Instagram), and members can spearhead the efforts themselves. Look at FIESTAR's return this year, which was funded solely by Cao Lu.