When it comes to deciding whether or not to continue as a group, no K-pop idol group is exempt from the "seven-year jinx," which is a source of fear for many. It was developed because groups frequently disband or lose a member after seven years, which is the longest period of time in which artists and agencies can sign a contract with one other.
Even for the members themselves, predicting whether or not they will make it through the infamous seven-year mark is nearly difficult, because the decision has an impact on the interests and situations of a large number of people involved in the show both on and off stage.
Some idol groups disband or put their careers on hiatus indefinitely, even during their peak years, but others decide to resurrect their careers at an early stage to set their fans' minds at ease.
In 2015, a large number of newcomers made their debuts on the K-pop scene. Seventeen and N. Flying are two of the companies that have already announced contract extensions. Here's a look at some of the organizations that are about to reach the end of their lifespan.
Twice (JYP Entertainment)
Twice, a nine-piece girl group from JYP Entertainment, made their debut on Oct. 20, 2015, through the survival show "Sixteen," and has been enjoying a long and successful career since then.
It was only last November that the group released their third studio album, "Formula of Love: O+T=3," which went platinum with pre-orders alone, surpassing sales of 700,000 units, an increase of more than 200,000 units over their previous album, "Taste of Love." The group's third studio album debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 album chart, marking the best position achieved on the chart in the group's career and also the greatest ranking achieved by any K-pop girl group.
In addition, they released their debut English song, "The Feels," in October, marking their official entry into the western music market. With the release of the song, the group made their Billboard Hot 100 debut at No. 83, becoming the first and only K-pop girl group to do so in 2021, according to the chart.
Twice has achieved unprecedented heights in the past year, and the future appears bright for the band. Member Jeongyeon has been absent from the group's schedules recently owing to health concerns, but the agency and the other members have remained strong as a nine-piece throughout this time.
Monsta X (Starship Entertainment)
Monsta X was also formed as a result of a survival program called "No Mercy," and they made their formal debut on May 14, 2015, under the banner of Starship Entertainment.
The group has achieved international acclaim both within and outside of the country, and each time they return, they reach a new career high.
Last year was particularly significant for the band, as they released their landmark tenth EP, "No Limit," in November and followed it up with the release of their second US LP, "The Dreaming." Monsta X was also selected to perform at iHeart Radio's Jingle Ball tour last year, making them the only Korean band other than BTS to perform at the annual performance in the United States.
Many popular boy bands have remained together during the military hiatus while concentrating on their individual careers during this time. While the group's leader Shownu is currently serving his mandatory military duty and the other members are scheduled to enlist in the coming years, many other popular boy bands have disbanded.
iKon (YG Entertainment)
On the other hand, YG Entertainment's boy band iKon was formed through a debut survival show, "Mix Match," and made their debut as a septet on September 15, 2015.
In 2018, the group, which was backed by K-pop behemoth YG Entertainment, made a big breakthrough on the K-pop industry and achieved tremendous success with their single "Love Scenario."
Before the band's frontman B., iKon appeared to be on the verge of becoming a worldwide sensation.
In 2019, I became embroiled in a drug scandal, and as a result, I was forced to resign from the group in June of that year.
Last year, it appeared as though the group was preparing for a fresh start, releasing its first new single in almost a year, "Why Why Why," and participating in Mnet's boy band survival show, "Kingdom." Since then, however, the group has not released any new material.
On top of that, member Bobby made a surprise announcement of his marriage and the pregnancy of his fiancee in August, making it doubtful that the group will make a full comeback in the foreseeable future.
Oh My Girl (WM Entertainment)
On April 21, 2015, the seven members of Oh My Girl made their official debut under the banner of WM Entertainment.
While not making a big splash right away, Oh My Girl gradually rose to prominence, earning its first television show victories with "Bungee" in 2020 and reaching the top of the charts with the smash hits "Nonstop" and "Dolphin" the following year, as well as "Dun Dun Dance" in 2021, before disbanding in 2022.
Members Seunghee, Arin, YooA, Yubin (formerly Binnie), and Hyojung were all reported to have renewed their contracts with WM through April 20, 2025, while Jiho and Mimi have yet to make a decision on their contracts.
Day6 (JYP Entertainment)
Day6 is the first of JYP Entertainment's K-pop groups to make a global splash with their band music, having debuted on September 7, 2015.
The group has had numerous hits, including "You Were Beautiful," "Time of Our Lives," and "Zombie." The group has a distinct sound, which is made possible by the diverse range of individuals who contributed to the majority of the songs they have recorded.
After reuniting as a five-piece for the first time in April 2021, the members have been concentrating their efforts on individual and group projects. Young K, Dowoon, and Wonpil, the group's three primary producers, released a new EP, "Right Through Me," in July, and Dowoon and Young K both went on to make solo debuts later in the year.
Day 6's contract renewal is still up in the air, especially in light of member Jae's unexpected exit on December 31, 2021. Three of the group's members, Sungjin, Young K, and Dowoon, are currently serving in the military.
April (DSP Media)
The six-member group April made their debut with DSP Media on August 24, 2015, and their contract with the company is about to expire.
April has been absent from the music industry since their relaunch in July 2020 with "Hello Summer," owing to a series of incidents including bullying issues among the members, as well as one involving member Lee Na-previous eun's school bullying.
On April 20, 2021, member Lee Hyun-joo alleged that she had been bullied by some of the other members and that the company had failed to notice the matter. Soon later, an anonymous accuser posted on an internet community claiming a girl group member, presumed to be Na-eun, had sexually abused her when she was in elementary school, prompting the group to disband.
DSP has announced that it will take legal action against Hyun-joo and the anonymous internet accuser, despite the fact that it denies all allegations. And on January 7, the firm revealed that the allegations of school bullying leveled against Na-eun had been proven incorrect, and that Na-eun had decided to abandon her charges against the accuser.
CLC (Cube Entertainment)
CLC is a five-member girl group that debuted on March 19, 2015, under the Cube Entertainment banner of success.
The single "Helicopter" from the band's most recent album was released in September 2020. Due to the proximity of the expiration date, it appears conceivable that CLC will cease to exist as a group. Apart from that, the group's Choi Yu-jin made his comeback as a participant in the project group Kep1er, which was founded as a result of the Mnet survival show "Girls' Planet 999."
