YG's Finely Crafted BABYMONSTER: Will They Debut as 5 or 7 Members? A New Generation Shift in K-pop Girl Groups?
YG Entertainment's new girl group, BABYMONSTER, is finally unveiling the members of their debut lineup.
BabyMonster members will be revealed tonight at midnight (0:00 on May 12, KST). The final selected members, who have competed against thousands of talented trainees, are attracting the attention of global K-pop fans.
One of the biggest mysteries is the number of members in Baby Monster. YG girl groups have traditionally consisted of four members, as seen with 2NE1 and BLACKPINK. However, BabyMonster was initially planned as a five-member group. Yet, true to YG's unpredictable nature, there is also the possibility of a seven-member lineup.
Currently, girl groups in the industry have a diverse range of member compositions, from over ten members to four-member groups. Since the number of members greatly influences a group's style and color, there is considerable interest in BabyMonster's debut lineup.
YG's executive producer, Yang Hyun-suk, previously stated, "BabyMonster was initially planned as a five-member group." This suggests a strong possibility of a five-member debut. However, specific details about the member composition are still under wraps, leading fans to speculate and engage in heated discussions.
Recently, YG group WINNER's Lee Seung-hoon mentioned BabyMonster during his appearance on Mnet's 'Girls Night Out,' further fueling curiosity about whether the group will consist of five or seven members.
He praised his junior group Baby Monster, saying, "Have we ever had a group like this? They're incredibly talented." When asked by the MCs to point out the charms of Baby Monster, he explained, "First of all, they are extremely fluent in foreign languages, which increases their potential as global stars. They speak English, Thai, Japanese, and Chinese very well. They've been finely crafted." Baby Monster candidate members, mostly teenagers, are of diverse nationalities, including Korea (Ahyeon, Haram, Rora), Thailand (Parita, Chiquita), and Japan (Ruka, Asa).
He also openly supported a seven-member debut, saying, "I don't know if it's a five-member or seven-member group, but I support all seven of them debuting." This has led to many fans speculating that Baby Monster will be a seven-member group.
YG stated, "We've prioritized not only individual skills but also the harmony of the team and carefully evaluated them through internal reviews. Above all, under the principle that fans are the most important presence for an artist, we have listened to the voices of everyone who has watched the growth of the seven friends. We have formed the best team by comprehensively evaluating all of these factors, so please look forward to it."
BabyMonster, YG's first girl group in nearly seven years since BLACKPINK, is already starting with a considerable global fandom. Their official YouTube channel has surpassed 2 million subscribers, the fastest among Korean girl groups, and their combined video views have reached a monumental 400 million in just 127 days. Major foreign media outlets such as Billboard and NME have given significant coverage to Baby Monster. In particular, Billboard selected them as "K-pop Artists to Watch," expressing high expectations that they "will create a new wave in the K-pop genre."
The emergence of BabyMonster is seen as the beginning of the 4.5 or 5th generation of girl groups, signaling a shift in the so-called "girl group landscape." It remains to be seen whether YG's finely crafted Baby Monster will breathe new life into the current diverse girl group scene.
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