Life after K-pop: from YouTube fame to solo careers, how do the stars cope when their glory days end?

Seven years is the longest single contract period between a management company and a singer. K-pop groups often disband after that to pursue their own interests

Many stars, including 4Minute’s Hyuna and 2NE1’s CL, pursue solo careers or turn to acting. Others switch to a business path or even become YouTube celebrities

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Many K-pop stars, including 4Minute’s Hyuna, pursue solo careers or turn to acting once their time in a group is over.

Published: 12:15am, 16 Oct 2020Updated: 7:33pm, 17 Oct 2020

By Dong Sun-hwa

Members of K-pop groups enjoy glory days when they are young. But after a group disbands, the stars – still in their 20s or 30s – are left to face the “real world” out of the spotlight.

This is the situation that almost all K-pop stars have to deal with after “careers” lasting just a few years. According to South Korea’s Fair Trade Commission, seven years is the longest single contract period between a management company and a singer. After that, the two sides have to renew it to maintain a business relationship but, more often than not, they choose not to.

The reasons vary. The groups may not be profitable enough or one of the members may want to pursue their personal dreams. Even some of the most popular girl groups of their times, such as Sistar, Girls’ Day and 2NE1, were not exceptions to the “seven-year curse”.

After K-pop groups disband, many stars, including 2NE1’s CL, pursue solo careers.

After the groups’ disbandment, many stars – including B.A.P’s Youngjae, 4Minute’s Hyuna, 2NE1’s CL and Sistar’s Hyolyn – pursue solo careers or turn to acting, such as Sistar’s Bora and Wonder Girls’ Sohee.