The Influence of YG EXECUTIVE PRODUCER YANG HYUN SUK: YG Rapidly Establishes System and Lineup in Just One Year
[더팩트=정병근 기자] Just two years ago, YG Entertainment (hereafter YG) faced significant uncertainties. Apart from BLACKPINK, whose contracts were nearing expiration, there were no other major artists to lead the company, and the debut of new artists was uncertain. However, the return of YG EXECUTIVE PRODUCER YANG HYUN SUK has swiftly brought change. YG is now finding stability, having developed a structured system and diversified its lineup.
On the 20th, YANG HYUN SUK revealed through a video on YG’s official social media, “BABYMONSTER will definitely release their full album around September or October. Before that, a new song will be pre-released in early July,” and “Though TREASURE is busy with their Asia tour, there’s a 2-3 week gap, and I’m glad we can introduce a new song. We will do our best for the new album this fall.”
While only the schedules of BABYMONSTER and TREASURE were mentioned, YG also has AKMU in its roster. On the same day YANG announced the plans for the latter half of the year for both teams, YG also shared news of AKMU’s comeback. AKMU will return on June 3 with the third story in their ‘EPISODE’ series, following TREASURE’s release of their new song ‘KING KONG’ on the 28th.
According to YANG, after AKMU’s comeback, BABYMONSTER’s new song will be pre-released, followed by TREASURE’s new album. This marks a tightly knit plan unseen in YG for years, a stark contrast to the past where the debut of signed artists was unpredictable. Centered around YANG, YG has started to operate more systematically, quickly filling the void of the “lost four years” marked by his absence.
YANG stepped down from all positions at YG in June 2019 amid various allegations and legal disputes. Since then, YG was primarily carried by BLACKPINK, who debuted ambitiously under YANG in 2016. TREASURE debuted in August 2020 but didn’t grow as expected.
Under the management of YG EXECUTIVE PRODUCER YANG HYUN SUK, TREASURE has made significant leaps, and AKMU has created another mega-hit song. BABYMONSTER (below left) has also made a successful debut, significantly solidifying YG’s lineup.
Three and a half years have passed, and finally, in January 2023, YANG HYUN SUK officially announced the launch of BABYMONSTER through a video on the official blog, marking his return to the frontline as an executive producer. While nothing seemed to change immediately, he gradually re-established the system, and now the results are beginning to pour out.
Unexpectedly, plans were disrupted after the final BABYMONSTER member was decided in May 2023, and their first single ‘BATTER UP’ was released in November, but member AHYEON had to leave due to health issues. BABYMONSTER did not promote even after releasing ‘Stuck In The Middle’ in February 2024. Ordinarily, it would be typical to quickly promote and envision AHYEON rejoining, but YANG did not do so. Although two songs were released, he waited for a full seven-member ensemble before staging performances. Despite limited activity, BABYMONSTER quickly reached global fans with their unique music.
This reflects the persistent stubbornness that YANG has maintained for a long time. Known for overturning completed albums if something is amiss, his unwavering commitment to quality and distinction in music has translated into trust in YG’s music, which also applies to BABYMONSTER.
Recently, some have criticized K-pop idols as being “factory-like,” but YG has been able to avoid this due to YANG’s steadfast leadership.
After a long wait, BABYMONSTER released their full debut album ‘BABYMONSTER 1st MINI ALBUM’ in April. The album set a new record for initial sales of a K-pop girl group debut album, selling about 400,000 copies in the first week. The title track ‘SHEESH’ also received widespread love both domestically and internationally, consistently ranking in the top 10 daily on Melon and top songs for three consecutive weeks on Spotify.
Despite TREASURE’s initially slow growth, they became the first million-seller debut after YANG’s return with their second full album ‘REBOOT’ in July 2023. That year, total sales reached about 1.65 million copies (according to Circle Chart), more than doubling the sales of their mini 1st album (about 800,000 copies). Especially, the decline seen in their mini 2nd album (about 480,000 copies) was swiftly reversed.
Ironically, there’s a noticeable difference in performance with AKMU’s releases during and after YANG’s time at YG. After the mega-hit ‘How can I love the heartbreak, you’re the one I love’, followed by relatively underperforming ‘HAPPENING’ and ‘NAKKA’ (with IU), ‘Love Lee’ hit big again after YANG’s return.
This naturally highlights YANG’s capabilities and presence. Especially since his return, he has more systematically planned for the artists under YG and consistently conveyed their future plans through blog videos, addressing and improving upon the frustrations fans had during periods of uncertainty.
With a unique blend of stubborn commitment to musical quality, systematic organization, and communication skills, YANG has advanced YG’s position significantly over the past year. As the gears of YG now begin to mesh more precisely, there is much anticipation for what lies ahead.
2024. 5. 25.
