K-POP's top two ”BTS” and ”BLACKPINK” are back... Outlook for the music industry in 2025

At last, "K-pop's most powerful" group is coming back. BTS and BLACKPINK, which have been taking down their group banners due to the members' military service and personal activities, are expected to resume their activities altogether. The music industry has already been shaken by the return of K-pop's top stars, who have risen to the top of the world's music scene. SEVENTEEN, NCT, Stray Kids, Tomorrow X Together, and ENHYPEN, which have all established themselves in the global music market, are expected to increase their world tours this year and continue the K-pop boom. SM Entertainment, which has produced many stars and laid the foundation for K-pop, will celebrate its 30th anniversary.

The most anticipated artist of the new year is BTS. In June, five members of BTS (RM, V, JIMIN, JUNG KOOK, and SUGA) were released from military service and are expected to make a full comeback as early as the second half of this year. During the past two years of military service, the members of BTS have developed their solo activities and nurtured the power of their personal brands. When they make their comeback as a full-fledged group, the ripple effect is expected to be tremendous. This is the first good news in a long time for HYBE, which has had a difficult year due to friction with former ADOR head Min Hee-jin and a dispute over the exclusive contract of the group "NewJeans. Along with this, "SEVENTEEN" and "TOMORROW X TOGETHER" are embarking on a world tour, and the activities of "ILLIT," "TWS," "BOYNEXTDOOR," and "KATSEYE," which have grown into the next generation of K-pop runners, are also drawing attention. HYBE and BTS have attracted a lot of attention.

If HYBE has BTS, YG Entertainment has "BLACKPINK. BLACKPINK" will release a new album this year and will go on a world tour. The four members, JENNIE, JISOO, ROSE, and LISA, have solidified their positions through their solo activities last year. In particular, ROSE created a global syndrome with their collaboration song "APT." with pop star Bruno Mars. Industry insiders believe that the power of BLACKPINK, which is once again united as a complete unit, will be powerful.

For SM Entertainment, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary, it is expected to be a year of taking a new leap forward. Established in February 1995, SM has discovered and nurtured numerous popular idols, starting with the five-member group "H.O.T." in 1996 and continuing with "S.E.S.," "SHINHWA," BoA, "Dong Bang Shinki," "Girls Generation," "Super Junior," and "EXO. Recently, it has successfully accomplished a generational shift by placing "aespa," "RIIZE," and "NCT WISH" at the top of its class.

SM will celebrate its 30th anniversary on January 11th~12th by holding "SMTOWNLIVE2025" with all its singers. Thereafter, SM will release a variety of contents such as SMTOWN album and 30th anniversary brand film to solidify its title of "K-POP's House of Masterpieces. In the first quarter, it is expected to launch a new girl group for the first time in five years since "aespa" to secure a new growth engine for the next 30 years.

JYP Entertainment is expected to further expand its global influence. Led by "TWICE" and "Stray Kids," who are currently on a stadium-class (attracting more than 50,000 people) world tour, "NiziU" and "NEXZ" (Japan), "VCHA" (US), "BOY STORY," "Project C" (China), and other localized groups are expected to be active.

Lee Hwan-wook, a researcher at Yuanta Securities, commented, "The comeback of K-pop artists BTS and BLACKPINK, the representative artists of K-pop, the expansion of customers through global tours, and the successful landing of localized groups in the market will provide new momentum," and stressed, "We also expect improved results in line with the recovery of Korea-China relations.The performance is also expected to improve with the recovery of relations between Korea and China," he emphasized.