Kpop is doing well, but idol groups are disbanding one after another... Why?

[Hairband]

I am not an expert about this and I would love to read good journal articles on K-pop as an industry. So feel free to suggest me some.

Here are some of my uneducated opinions on it:

K-pop is a highly competitive industry and market. I don't believe it is sustainable. Marketing people as products is a tricky business especially when those people give so much of their time and life constantly. And the target audience being generally a small portion of age groups wouldn't help either. Fame of K-pop grows globally and industry aligns its output according to demand. However, even if the whole world knows about K-pop, there are limits to its growth. I don't know how much more it will grow before it somehow collapses. Also, it seems like an example of modern slavery to me. But again, I am not an expert.

[Hairband]

9 hours ago, satoori said:

Glad you enjoyed the article! I was vibing with everything till the last part tho^^

1. This isn't the first time I've heard an ifan make this claim. For some ifans, it seems to root from a place of gradual dis-interest in Kpop and or find the industry problematic. However the Kpop indusrty fully collapsing seems unlikely. It's simply music. Specifically pop music from a foreign country. Unless Korea is wiped off the planet, their music isn't going anywhere. Koreans will continue to listen to their own music. Perhaps in the future will there be a decline mainstream in Kpop's popularity in the West and or non-Korean countries? Maybe. But I feel there will still be a popular niche. Similar to how other forms of foreign entertainment (Latin music, Bollywood, Anime, or etc.) has penetrated different countries. In general, as far as Korea itself is concern, rather then collapse, their music [pop] industry will continue to change and evolve. 

2. Debatable. While it's true things are far from perfect, I personally wouldn't call it modern day slavery. Nowadays conditions are a lot better then the past. Also each company and idol is different. So it's a case by case situation.

Yes you are right. I have my biases due to my disappointment with the industry and it may have forged me into a wishful thinking of the industry getting terminated. It is simply pop music of a country. Evolution of the systems is the key, nothing ever just disappears but evolves.  Thank you for your answer, it brought me my daily mind refreshment against tunnel vision resulting from disappointment. 

Edited January 18, 2021 by taeny2wenrene
Grammar