Fans and netizens are reacting to YG’s announcement of a new 4-member girl group.
As reported, Yang Hyun Suk revealed yesterday that he has finalized the lineup for a new girl group under YG Entertainment. Alongside ongoing promotional plans for their existing artists, it appears that rookie training and debut activities are also on the agenda for YG this year and next.
On an online forum, netizens are responding to the news with a mix of criticism and curiosity—some focusing on Yang Hyun Suk himself due to the lingering issues surrounding his Burning Sun charges among other controversies, and others speculating that BELIFT LAB’s former trainee Youngseo might be part of the new group.
Youngseo is a former pre-debut confirmed member of ILLIT, who left the lineup just before their official debut. She finished in second place on the survival show ‘R U Next?’, gaining attention for her unique “feline” visuals and popularity among both the public and fandom.
According to fans, Youngseo was recently spotted filming in public with a dog, which was believed to be part of High Up Entertainment’s rookie girl group production. However, a new photo that was taken allegedly by international fans asserted that she was also seen entering YG’s building recently.
Due to this second photo, many are now speculating that Youngseo has joined the new YG debut lineup, which comes as a surprise considering her sudden departure from ILLIT and rumors related to High Up Entertainment. However, some are expressing doubt, saying that the girl in the second photo “doesn’t look like Youngseo” and that Youngseo should be taller than the person in the photo.
Overall, netizens have voiced concerns about BABYMONSTER’s lack of group development, suggesting that launching another girl group now could spread promotional efforts too thin. Still, many are showing support for Youngseo if she is indeed part of the new team. Others argue that YG and Yang Hyun Suk’s “glory days are over,” and that neither BABYMONSTER nor the new group is likely to generate much excitement, especially among domestic fandoms unless they play their cards right.
Some have also commented that the “4-member girl group image” seems like a clear attempt to replicate BLACKPINK, but if this new team offers the vibes of NewJeans or show powerful individuality of 2NE1 with good visuals, they could make a major impact.
YG’s new girl group members are said to be revealed one by one starting May 28.
Reactions include:
“Didn’t BABYMONSTER just debut at YG recently? Just to get ahead of things—he said he wants to focus on them until they grow more next year. He just feels that the best combination of four members has come together, and he wants to clearly announce their debut because he’s eager to show them as soon as possible.”
“They might as well name the group PINKBLACK”
“Why does Yang Hyun Suk keep showing up in the media? He’s a criminal…? Didn’t he say he was retiring during the Burning Sun scandal?”
“Wow this is insane. Leaving ILLIT and debuting under YG? That’s wild. I hope it works out—she’s always had a uniquely pretty look and real talent, so even if she’d debuted with a smaller company, she probably would’ve become famous on her own. But she really suits the YG image. Wow.”
“But why is that old guy [Yang Hyun Suk] acting up again?”
“To be honest, YG is a fading star now… No matter how pretty or talented the trainees are, if the results are underwhelming, the public will lose interest. Just look at BABYMONSTER—they flopped domestically.”
“This is really unexpected… Isn’t YG the company with the longest gaps between group debuts? I thought the next one would come out at least five years after Babymonster. Are they just saying this now, and the actual debut will be much later? Seems like they’ll be fighting over limited resources… And when’s BLACKPINK coming back again? lol sigh”
“BLACKPINK copy and paste…”
“Feels like it’ll blow up with a NewJeans kind of vibe”
“I hope this time it’s a small group of strong visuals with real talent, unique like 2NE1 but with the star power of BLACKPINK.”
“Ahyeon is such a loss. If she had debuted in that four-member group, the smaller lineup might’ve let her shine more and show her skills.”
“They should’ve pulled Ahyeon out and debuted her in that group.”
“But wait, Youngseo was picked through a survival show and still left, right? If she left because another company cast her, isn’t that seriously messed up? She already took one of the six spots, meaning another trainee didn’t make it because of her. If she left for a different company and not for other reasons, HYBE must be furious.”
“Huh? Youngseo didn’t go to High Up but to YG?”
“Doesn’t seem like Youngseo…”
“It’s Youngseo… thank god ㅠㅠㅠㅠ I was worried something had happened”
“To prevent trainees from running away right before debut, please outsource the songwriting this time”
“I always wondered why Youngseo didn’t debut—if it was because she moved to YG, then that actually makes sense, seriously”
“They’re showing a new girl group—so when are they actually going to debut them? lol probably not until the second half of the year at the earliest lol”
“No way, Youngseo really left HYBE and joined YG? lol”
“What are BABYMONSTER fans going to do…”
“Wait, is that really Youngseo? In the photo below?”
“So Youngseo went there… I’m rooting for her”
“Sounds like they’re going to focus on BABYMONSTER this year and next, then toss them aside once they’ve milked them dry”
“Did BABYMONSTER get abandoned…?”
“Youngseo!!!!! I was so curious about what happened to her and now she’s at YG?! That’s amazing ㅠㅠ I hope she debuts soon ㅠㅠ”
“That’s not her, is it? She’s short—Youngseo is around 165cm”
What are your thoughts?
SEE ALSO: