[Blog] The Collapse Of YG Entertainment

It figures that after Thanksgiving, we have to get snapped back into reality. YG Entertainment would suffer damage to two groups: Taehyun would be leaving Winner, while 2NE1 would officially disband. The surprise factor of either news is debatable, but one thing is for sure: YG is hurting right now. They no longer have their flagship girl group, and (according to fans) an integral part of a boy group that had potential.

I made the latter comment about Winner because I'm not invested in them. "Empty" was delightful and I enjoyed "Color Ring" for the most part. But outside of Mino being a spectacular young rapper, nothing about them interested me. They were also horrifically inactive - as per YG tradition, really - so the amount of material on them is scarce, limiting my chances to check out their music. As their sibling group iKON watches from the sidelines, they're praying they don't suffer similar internal problems, though they've (almost ironically) had more activity and exposure.

2NE1 is finished. Most if not all of us saw it coming. There was no way with Bom's drug scandal and all the inactivity that this charade could go on forever. CL and Dara understandably resigned, because they continue to do work for both themselves and the company. Dara will likely continue to make a name for herself on variety and other shows, while CL marches onward to the American market. I'm really hoping that Minzy and Bom make solo comebacks, even though the latter will find it more difficult than the former. 2NE1 will be remembered as a girl group titan during the Golden Age of Kpop. It's just a damn shame all these disbandments are never pretty.

Big Bang is left as the main attraction in YG, but what else is new? The problem is with enlistment looming over all their heads, they too will go through a time of stasis. Leaving the YG name to a broken Winner, iKON, and Black Pink. None of these groups have had the chance to make themselves more than just junior groups to Big Bang or 2NE1, but Black Pink has the most promising future. If these young groups can be consistently active - music and variety - they're certainly capable of "holding down the fort" until Big Bang returns. It's a huge blow to YG, even though they should still manage. Of course, "collapse" is too extreme a word for the recent turn of events, but "The Minor Stumblings Of YG Entertainment" just doesn't have the same ring to it, does it?