In fact, YANG HYUN SUK’s Determination Has Always Been Right
[뉴스토마토=김재범 기자] We often describe someone who walks their own path with conviction, unaffected by those around them, as having determination. YG Entertainment’s executive producer, YANG HYUN SUK, has also followed a path of determination. On the 1st of next month, the epitome of YANG HYUN SUK’s determination, BABYMONSTER, returns with their first mini album. The pre-released music video for “Stuck in the Middle” has caused a sensation, surpassing 100 million views on YouTube as of 4PM on the 11th.
BABYMONSTER is a girl group that debuted through the survival program ‘Last Evaluation’ conducted in 2023. During the program, YANG’s talent for discovering new stars was highly praised. His eye for spotting gems was exceptional. People called BABYMONSTER the “younger sister of BLACKPINK,” expressing high expectations for them as the next generation IP. However, BABYMONSTER’s debut song “BATTER UP” released on November 27 last year surprised everyone. It wasn’t the easy-listening type of music that had been sweeping K-pop but rather emphasized YG’s unique girl crush with a hip-hop rhythm.
Fan reactions were mixed. Some left BABYMONSTER because they felt the group did not follow the trend. However, YANG pushed forward with the YG style with determination, and ultimately, his determination was proven right. The music video for “BATTER UP” surpassed 10 million views within 10 hours of its release and reached number one on the iTunes song charts in a total of 14 countries, firmly establishing itself at the top of worldwide music charts. It was the first K-pop debut song released last year to enter the top 50 on the US iTunes chart.
The pre-released “Stuck in The Middle”is also at the center of global attention, making the most unique dash among the fifth generation girl groups by surpassing 100 million views on its music video in just 38 days.
A music industry insider said, “BABYMONSTER is the first girl group of YG Entertainment that YANG HYUN SUK has been involved with from start to finish. BIGBANG and 2NE1 were also not in line with the domestic boy-girl group trends at the time of their debut, but now they remain as symbols of YG.”
YG DNA
Looking back, it has always been like this. Rather than quickly releasing albums to match the ‘trend’ of the moment, YANG has always waited to release musical works until they met his high standards of completion based on his belief.
A music industry insider mentioned, “Contrary to the prejudice that he might be dogmatic and coercive, YANG HYUN SUK is entirely an artist” and “he does not compromise on what he is convinced of, which sometimes causes trouble with others.” YANG gives the okay sign when an artist can perfectly assimilate the YG DNA into their music. The YG DNA refers to the dynamic hip-hop rhythm that has continued from the beginning of YG Entertainment with ‘JinuSean (M.F Planning, 1997)’ and ‘1TYM (Yang Goon Planning, 1998)’ to the present.
YANG strives to ensure that while artists retain YG’s unique color, they also highlight their own distinct colors. As seen with artists like BIGBANG, 2NE1, PSY, WINNER, and BLACKPINK, artists under YG Entertainment maintain a strong individual presence, even if they are part of a group, which is a differentiating factor from other groups where members are often unknown individually. This approach is infused with the experience of YANG’s activities with ‘Seo Taiji and Boys,’ where each member, including Seo Taiji, YANG HYUN SUK, and Lee Juno, had a distinct presence.
YANG’s determination to only release albums when they meet a certain level of completion is not always welcomed by fans due to longer album hiatuses compared to artists from other companies. However, thanks to this, artists who have gone through YANG’s hands stand tall on the world stage. This is why there are high expectations for BABYMONSTER.
Executive producer YANG HYUN SUK. Through ‘Seo Taiji and Boys,’ he changed the culture of South Korea and contributed to the global establishment of K-pop through the lineage from BIGBANG to BLACKPINK. The anticipation of what kind of brilliance BABYMONSTER will show with such experience is growing.
2024. 3. 12.
