BABYMONSTER’s Live Skills Overturn Public Opinion… “Yes, This is YG”
[일간스포츠=김지혜 기자] The firepower of the group BABYMONSTER is no joke. The newly debuted rookie group tore up the stage with a handheld mic, and their debut song “SHEESH” even reversed its trend on the music charts, climbing to the top ranks.
BABYMONSTER officially debuted on April 1st by releasing “SHEESH.” With a beat distinctly reminiscent of YG and a performance that immediately caught the eye, they were instantly noticed as BLACKPINK’s juniors. While some criticized them for lacking a clear identity, BABYMONSTER proved their skills on stage.
Their free-flowing group choreography, confident expressions, and clean formations naturally make you nod in agreement that they deserve to be called “BABYMONSTER.” Their entertaining performances consistently rack up over 5 million views just by appearing on music shows. Given the positive public response, YG Entertainment took an unprecedented step.
On April 25th and 28th, BABYMONSTER presented a newly arranged band version of “SHEESH” on Mnet’s “M Countdown” and SBS’s “Inkigayo.” The members confidently held their handheld mics and proved with their entire bodies, “We’re confident in our live skills.” They also released a band live performance on the YouTube channel “It’s Live” on the 11th, and as of the 8th, the video was nearing 10 million views.
Netizens responded with surprise, saying, “It’s the first time I’ve seen an idol whose live performance is much better than the recorded track.” BABYMONSTER’s online buzz translated to success on the music charts.
According to YG Entertainment, “SHEESH” first entered Melon’s real-time chart “Top 100” in the top 10 at 9 PM on the 28th. About a month after its release, it had jumped to 9th place in Melon’s “Top 100” as of 10 AM on the 8th. It’s a meaningful achievement since it’s a chart known for its high barriers to entry for rookies.
They even broke into Billboard. According to the latest charts released by Billboard USA on the 7th (local time), BABYMONSTER ranked 21st and 47th on the Billboard Global and Billboard Global 200 charts, respectively, with “SHEESH.” They made their debut on the main Billboard charts on April 9th and maintained their presence for five consecutive weeks, confirming their popularity.
BABYMONSTER’s success is likely doubly joyful for both YG and the members themselves, given the challenging path from pre-debut to official debut. Starting with the pre-debut song “DREAM” in May last year, they successively released “BATTER UP” in November and “Stuck In The Middle” early this year, totaling three songs.
Though “comeback” seemed more fitting than “debut,” YG defined AHYEON’s addition as their “official debut.” YG cherishes the all-around member AHYEON, and the poor performance of previously released songs may have also influenced this decision.
Despite unfavorable public opinion, “SHEESH” ambitiously made its debut but was initially criticized for being bland. However, BABYMONSTER overturned public perception solely with their “skills.” Their talent became their unique identity, and the somewhat childish group name gained weight.
Cultural critic Ha Jae-geun predicted that BABYMONSTER’s progress will be a significant turning point in the K-pop scene. Ha commented, “Recently, skills have become a major topic rather than visuals in the K-pop scene. In BABYMONSTER’s case, they didn’t receive much attention compared to YG’s brand value initially, but the public recognized them because of their exceptional skills.”
He further predicted, “Now, skills are naturally the top priority for idol groups, and the public expects it. In the future, songwriting, composing, and producing abilities will become essential requirements.”
2024. 5. 9.
