BTS is back but it's not easy to 'reign' when K-pop is in crisis

After a two-year hiatus due to military service, 'global boy band' BTS is preparing for an explosive comeback. However, this may not be easy because the K-pop market has now changed.

BTS's comeback is considered as "the kings return" - Photo: Big Hit Music

On June 21, Suga - the last member of BTS - officially discharged from the military, marking the full reunion of all 7 members. The group's future comeback is predicted to stir up the world.

However, according to Korea JoongAng Daily , the K-pop landscape that the group is about to re-enter is no longer the same. It is not easy for a group - no matter how great - to maintain the "throne" they once dominated.

K-pop changes drastically without BTS

According to Korea JoongAng Daily , from late 2022 to early 2025, the period when BTS temporarily stopped group activities due to military service, the K-pop industry experienced both boom and stagnation.

Physical album sales - a vital source of revenue - reached a record high, then suddenly dropped, marking the first decline in a decade. This decline has the public gradually starting to worry that K-pop is gradually losing its appeal.

K-pop album sales drop without BTS - Photo: Big Hit Music

In 2023, physical album sales of the top 400 albums jumped 50.1% year-over-year, surpassing the 100 million mark for the first time in history.

But the surge didn't last. Circle Charts shows that figure fell 19.4% last year to 93.3 million, marking the first time physical album sales have fallen since 2014.

The downward trend continued from January to May this year.

Total album sales of the top 400 products reached 35.9 million copies, down about 4.26 million copies, or 10%, compared to the same period last year.

Korea JoongAng Daily assessed that the decline in album sales is not a "misstep" of K-pop but a reasonable adjustment, especially in the context of the absence of extremely large groups like BTS and BlackPink.

Nowadays, the trend of watching concerts and buying goods makes albums more ostracized - Photo: Big Hit Music

In addition, experts also believe that COVID-19 is also the reason for the sharp increase and decrease in album sales.

When the pandemic first ended, excess cash and restrictions on gatherings led fans to spend money on albums. But now, audiences are spending money on other things, like concert tickets or idol merchandise.

Lee Hwa Jeong from NH Investment & Securities predicts that revenue from online platforms and concerts will gradually replace the central role of physical albums in the K-pop business model. Over the next five years, this will be the driving force for K-pop's growth.

Riize is gradually rising to become one of the leading groups of gen 5 - Photo: SM Entertainment

In addition, the rising wave of rookies is also a bright spot. After the period of girl groups dominating from 2022 to 2023, 5th generation boy groups (debuting from 2023 onwards) are gradually asserting their position.

Rookies from big companies like NCT Wish, Riize, BOYNEXDOOR or ZeroBaseOne all achieved million-copy sales - a rare achievement for a new group. This shows that gen 5 is starting to have a certain position and is entering the stage of proving its strength and will soon usurp the throne of gen 4 groups.

Is BTS's comeback an opportunity for K-pop?

In addition to the album sales issue, the K-pop industry faces many challenges from artist psychological crisis, contract disputes and internal conflicts like the case of NewJeans. Although there are many successful boy groups, no group is considered the "successor" to BTS.

Some experts compare the current situation to the "collapse of Hong Kong culture in the 1990s".

Critic Park Hee Ah commented: "When BTS stopped group activities, K-pop fell into a period of crisis. Sales decreased, ethical issues were raised, these were problems that already existed and were now exposed. Therefore, to continue to lead, BTS needed a new direction."

K-pop needs to change to have new opportunities - Photo: Big Hit Music

Critic Kim Young Dae warns that K-pop needs a more sustainable system. According to him, BTS's comeback is an opportunity for the industry to reflect and prepare for the next phase.

However, according to BBC Korea , this comeback is not about the "next hit" but about the new identity that BTS will show. On the day of his discharge, member Jimin made a commitment: "We will continue the picture we have drawn."

Ahead of the reunion, on June 23, BTS continued to affirm their global appeal by setting a new milestone when receiving Platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) thanks to 4 hits Run, Blood Sweat & Tears, Fake Love, DNA.

This achievement helps the group hold the record as the K-pop artist with the most Platinum certifications in the US.

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Source: https://tuoitre.vn/bts-tro-lai-nhung-khong-de-xung-vuong-khi-k-pop-dang-khung-hoang-20250624133648368.htm