The Magic of YANG HYUN SUK….BABYMONSTER’s Meteoric Rise in Just One Year
[일간스포츠=박세연 기자] Yang Hyun Suk, the YG Entertainment executive producer, has once again proven his “Yang Hyun Suk Magic” by elevating the group BABYMONSTER to ‘monster-class’ status within just a year of their debut.
After releasing pre-debut tracks, BABYMONSTER officially debuted on April 1 last year. Despite being less than a year since their debut, their major releases have been long-running hits on various music charts, and they’ve successfully embarked on a massive world tour, securing their place as the leading fifth-generation girl group. Their distinctive trajectory, quite unlike their contemporaries from the same era, has captured attention both domestically and globally. The discerning judgment and bold initiative of Yang, the head of their agency, have played significant roles in this success.
Cultural critic Jung Deok-hyun commented on March 6, “YG’s expertise in world tours, built through groups like BLACKPINK, BIGBANG, and 2NE1, is unmatched by any other agency. BABYMONSTER’s expansion on the global stage is ultimately due to Yang Hyun Suk’s effective choices.”
◇ The Mastery of a Mastermind, Proven by BABYMONSTER’s Success in Year One
Yang has been a seminal figure since the 90s, discovering acts like Jinusean and 1TYM. As the idol era began in earnest in the 2000s, his experience and expertise have fully come to fruition. Since debuting BIGBANG in 2006, followed by 2NE1 in 2009, WINNER in 2014, iKON in 2015, BLACKPINK in 2016, TREASURE in 2020, and BABYMONSTER in 2024, he has led each to success. Describing him as having the ‘Midas touch’ is no exaggeration. Having briefly left the scene, he returned as a producer in 2023 and continues to lead passionately in the industry, proving that his expertise remains intact by also leading BABYMONSTER to success.
Even before their debut, BABYMONSTER received early attention for their outstanding talents and charm. Under YG’s systematic framework, each member’s strengths have been maximized, leading to rapid growth. As a result, just nine months after debuting, they kicked off their first world tour ‘Hello Monster’ at the KSPO Dome in January, earning acclaim for their monstrous live performances.
Recently, they performed in North America, meeting fans at the Prudential Center in Newark on February 28 and at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles on March 2. BABYMONSTER’s entry into arena-sized venues capable of accommodating over 10,000 people each show was swift, and their powerful performances and stable live presence electrified the packed crowds, quickly leading to announcements of a second North American tour this summer.
BABYMONSTER is set to continue their performances starting March 14 in Japan, followed by Singapore, Hong Kong, Ho Chi Minh City, Bangkok, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Taipei, and more, including added dates in Toronto, Rosemont, Atlanta, Fort Worth, Oakland, and Seattle, completing a plan for their first world tour that spans 20 cities and 29 shows—an unprecedented scale for a rookie group.
◇ BABYMONSTER’s Rapid Growth… It’s All About Talent
BABYMONSTER’s strong global fanbase has enabled their quick world tour schedule, making them potential successors to BLACKPINK as the next ‘YouTube Queens’. According to the ‘2024 K-pop World Map’ recently released by ‘K-pop Radar,’ which deeply analyzes global K-pop trends, BABYMONSTER ranked fourth in growth among all K-pop artists last year.
Their exceptional live performance skills are a given. BABYMONSTER has been making headlines with their performances at each stage and has also left a strong impression on local TV programs abroad. They appeared consecutively on NBC’s ‘The Kelly Clarkson Show’ and FOX5’s ‘Good Day New York’, where they performed ‘Drip’, one of the double title tracks from their first full album, captivating the audience with their commanding presence, dynamic choreography, and whirlwind vocals and rapping. ‘Good Day New York’ praised them as a “global sensation.”
Critic Jung notes, “Expanding the K-pop base overseas is no longer as challenging as it once was. YG’s reputation and know-how, built through groups like BIGBANG, 2NE1, and BLACKPINK, are clear, and with BABYMONSTER’s capabilities, it’s no wonder they could embark on a world tour so early in their career.”
An industry insider familiar with the situation abroad shared, “The demand for BABYMONSTER overseas is clear. There’s a positive perception of YG’s performance quality, and even non-fans flock to their shows, often becoming fans through the experience.”
2025. 3. 7.
