YG Teases New Girl Group “Next Monster,” Questioning If It Will Break the 2NE1-BLACKPINK Mold
YG Entertainment is gearing up to launch a fresh new girl group named Next Monster, stirring buzz among K-pop fans worldwide. Coming from the label behind giants like BLACKPINK, 2NE1, and BABYMONSTER, this latest group has everyone watching closely to see if they can live up to the high bar their company set.
The first member introduced was Evelli, a 15-year-old Australian trainee who has spent two years training with YG. Yang Hyun Suk, the founder of YG, confirmed that she will lead the group, sparking a lot of conversation about the youth of idols these days.
Following Evelli’s reveal came Chanya, a 14-year-old from Thailand, who trained almost three years—exactly two years and eight months—under YG. Along with being a vocalist, she’s multilingual in Thai, English, and Korean, adding versatility to the group. Fans have taken note of her emotional cover of Olivia Rodrigo’s “the grudge.” It’s become a bit of a trend for YG to include Thai members in their girl groups, with Chanya joining the ranks following Lisa, Chiquita, and Pharita.
The two reveals have only stoked further curiosity, but fans are split. While many are hyped to see what Next Monster will bring, some voices have raised caution. There’s a sizable group of netizens recommending YG to slow down on debuting new groups, especially since existing artists like BLACKPINK, TREASURE, and BABYMONSTER are still waiting for more consistent activities and comebacks. The feeling is that the company should put more energy into managing and promoting these active talents instead of rushing out more rookies.
TRENDINGAnother point of focus is the concept Next Monster is marking territory with—a girl-crush style that’s a signature for YG ever since the 2NE1 days. But some fans and critics wonder if this concept is losing its freshness. BLACKPINK and BABYMONSTER already push powerful, bold images, so there’s a question about whether Next Monster will bring something new or just follow the existing formula.
Given the fierce competition in the K-pop world and the many groups debuting all the time, standing out is no easy feat. The pressure on Next Monster to show a unique identity couldn’t be higher, especially with only two members revealed so far. Fans are eagerly waiting to see the rest of the lineup and curious about what kind of flavor the group will offer.
Whether Next Monster will rise to the occasion or struggle under the weight of comparison and expectations remains to be seen. One thing is clear: whenever YG Entertainment rolls out something new, the K-pop scene sits up and takes notice.