Solo artists dominate the charts, is the era of K-pop groups over?

No longer dominating the music charts, K-pop groups have taken a back seat, giving way to solo artists, ushering in a new trend in Korean music.

Aespa is the only girl group in the top 10 of the Melon chart as of June 16 - Photo: SM Entertainment

According to the Korea Times , in 2025, the Korean music market witnessed a remarkable transformation as solo artists increasingly ranked high on digital charts, a position that used to belong to K-pop groups.

The latest report from Circle Chart - Korea's official digital music data collection and publication organization - shows that solo artists have held the top spot on music charts for eight consecutive weeks, from March to May 2025.

While the first months of the year are often considered a slow time for K-pop, this is a marked difference from previous years. In spring 2023, groups like NewJeans, IVE, Le Sserafim and Aespa were still regularly topping the charts.

Changing tastes, K-pop groups in trouble

On Korea’s largest online music platform, Melon, this trend has become even more evident. After IVE’s Rebel Heart reached No. 5 in March, the top 5 spots have been continuously occupied by solo artists.

As of June 16, the group's highest-ranking song is Whiplash (Aespa), ranked 8th, and is the only group to appear in the top 10. Meanwhile, the top ranks belong to To Reach You (10cm), Drowning (WOODZ), Never Ending Story (IU)...

Even though it's just a remake, Never Ending Story still holds the top spot for many weeks in a row - Photo: EDAM

Although many famous groups such as NCT Wish, Le Sserafim, TWS, Zerobaseone, Boynexdoor... continuously release new products, the effect on the charts is not as expected.

Even new generation girl groups like Hearts2Hearts and KiiiKiii, despite heavy investment, have yet to have an explosive hit.

Music critic Lim Hee Yun commented: "Currently, idol groups are facing many challenges as they don't have many new songs that really captivate the public.

Meanwhile, solo artists are increasingly warmly welcomed thanks to profound ballads or songs with personal musical styles.

Debuting under the "big guy" SM, Hearts2Hearts has not exploded as expected - Photo: SM Entertainment

According to the Korea Herald , the reason partly stems from the musical characteristics of idol groups. Group songs are often composed to serve the stage performance with strong choreography and vibrant rap.

However, when listening on online platforms, these elements sometimes make the listening experience fragmented, making it difficult to feel the emotions throughout the song. In contrast, solo artist songs often focus on a single voice with a consistent emotional range, making it easier for listeners to immerse themselves.

Social networks - the new "weapon" of solo artists

In particular, K-pop fan behavior has also changed significantly. Today's younger generation of fans not only rely on traditional platforms but also spread their attention across multiple social networks, fandom apps, and exclusive content.

This makes the fandom's strength not as even as before, reducing the influence of the groups on the charts.

The "Drowning fever" will last from 2024 to mid-2025 thanks only to social networks - Photo: Naver

It is undeniable that the explosion of social networks has created conditions for many solo songs, even those released long ago, to be "revived" and even climb to the top of the charts spectacularly.

For example, WOODZ's Drowning , although it was released two years ago, after a special performance on KBS2's Immortal Songs in 2024, the song quickly gained public attention again even though the male singer was in the middle of his military service.

Similarly, 10cm's To Reach You is a cover of a 15-year-old Japanese anime theme song that became popular again after artist Joo Woo Jae used it in a video challenge. Lesser-known artists like Hwang Garam and Zo Zazz have also maintained steady popularity thanks to organic spread on social media platforms.

To Reach You is currently dominating the top 1 of the Melon chart - Photo: Naver

Expert Kim Jin Woo believes that this change not only reflects the evolving tastes of listeners but also shows the diversity in the domestic music scene.

"The success of ballads and the rise of Japanese songs, even breaking out of the top 200, shows the growing demand for different genres. As ballads, dance, hip hop and rock all find their own audiences, the Korean digital music market is becoming richer and healthier," he said.

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Source: https://tuoitre.vn/nghe-si-solo-thong-tri-cac-bang-xep-hang-thoi-cua-nhom-nhac-k-pop-da-qua-20250616110920859.htm