BABYMONSTER Continues YG’s Girl Group Legacy with Monstrous Growth
[시사저널=하재근] YG Entertainment’s rookie girl group BABYMONSTER has officially marked their first debut anniversary this April. While their formal debut began with AHYEON rejoining the group through the single “SHEESH,” it’s fair to say they’ve now been active for a full year. Although their pre-release track “BATTER UP” came earlier, AHYEON was absent at the time, making full-fledged promotions difficult. Even when counting from “BATTER UP,” their active period is just slightly over a year.
Their first mini album *BABYMONS7ER*, released after AHYEON’s return, sold over 400,000 copies, setting a new record for the highest first-week sales of a debut album by a K-pop girl group. Their recently released first full-length album “DRIP” has continued gaining traction, showing steady sales beyond the typical surge seen during an album’s release period. It’s now expected to surpass the 1 million sales mark. On Spotify, the world’s largest music streaming platform, their debut track “SHEESH” recorded the highest entry among K-pop girl group songs in 2024. Their cumulative track streams have exceeded 1.1 billion plays.
Five Songs in YouTube’s Top 10 Most-Viewed K-pop Videos Last Year
BABYMONSTER’s presence is most clearly felt on YouTube, a key barometer of K-pop buzz. The numbers are staggering. “SHEESH” hit 100 million views just 10 days after release, the fastest ever for a K-pop girl group debut track. It later reached 200 million in 33 days and 300 million in 186 days, setting additional records. The fact that the debut track reached 100 million views in only 10 days is proof of the explosive interest.
Interestingly, “SHEESH” wasn’t a major hit domestically. Its immense view count implies that the group enjoys massive popularity overseas. Even its performance video alone reached 300 million views, a remarkable feat, considering performance videos usually garner far fewer views than official MVs. BABYMONSTER breaks that mold.
The performance videos for “DRIP” and “LIKE THAT” also surpassed 100 million views. Meanwhile, “BATTER UP” recorded 300 million, “DRIP” 200 million, and “CLIK CLAK” 100 million views. “FOREVER” and “Stuck In The Middle” have each also surpassed 100 million views. Within about a year of their debut, they now have nine videos with over 100 million views.
The performance video for “BILLIONAIRE” is also on the verge of hitting 100 million. For context, even two such videos in a debut year is considered a “smash hit.” BABYMONSTER has far exceeded expectations. Their YouTube channel boasts 8.94 million subscribers and 4.2 billion cumulative views.
Looking at annual YouTube views for K-pop girl group MVs, 2NE1 placed two tracks in the top 10 when they exploded onto the scene in 2009. In 2010, their peak year, they had three. That same year, Girls’ Generation also placed three. In 2015, TWICE had one when they became a rookie phenomenon, and in 2017, during their heyday, they had four. IVE, who debuted with bold flair in 2022, had two. Even top-tier groups in 2023 mostly managed two to three.
But BABYMONSTER had five songs in the top 10 in 2024 alone. Notably, “SHEESH” ranked No. 1 for the entire year. Even “BATTER UP,” released in late 2023, placed second for that year. Considering they were rookies, the view counts are jaw-dropping.
A Tearful Journey That Won Over Global Fans
While “SHEESH” didn’t make a major impact in Korea, the same can be said for most of their tracks. Overseas, however, they’ve been met with overwhelming enthusiasm. The Korean market often reflects Western cultural influence, Psy’s “Gangnam Style” became a phenomenon in Korea only after blowing up in the U.S. The same happened with BTS and BLACKPINK: they weren’t immediate dominant forces in Korea, but exploded once they gained traction in the West. BABYMONSTER is now seeing similar momentum not just in Asia, but in the U.S. too, suggesting their status in Korea may rise as well.
Their initial international attention stemmed from the YG legacy, the “halo effect” of BIGBANG, 2NE1, and BLACKPINK. YG has long been known for its talent-first approach and musical prowess, often praised for its Western-style production. When YG announced a new girl group after seven years since BLACKPINK, global K-pop fans were quick to take notice.
YG first released individual member introduction videos and a pre-debut evaluation series. That move proved genius. Those videos effectively conveyed each member’s skills and personal charm. Fans around the world became deeply invested in their journey, watching the girls grow, struggle, and ultimately rise to become YG artists. Many were moved to tears. Despite being pre-debut YouTube videos, view counts reached between 10 million and 18 million.
To those who connected with these videos, BABYMONSTER no longer felt like strangers. They became “our BABYMONSTER,” someone fans felt driven to support. Fans demanded that none of the seven trainees in the final evaluation be eliminated, and so, BABYMONSTER debuted as a 7-member group. With an international fandom already in place, they became global stars the moment they debuted.
At the time of their debut, the domestic response wasn’t as favorable. The songs weren’t particularly mainstream, and their style didn’t align with what Korean audiences typically favored in girl groups. BABYMONSTER was produced under the full direction of YG EXECUTIVE PRODUCER YANG HYUN SUK, following the departure of longtime producer Teddy, who had led YG’s sound for years. This led to speculation in Korea that BABYMONSTER lacked competitiveness due to Teddy’s absence.
However, perceptions began to shift after a series of live performances and solo concerts. Once fans witnessed the group’s live talent, which seemed to embody YG’s DNA, their reputation soared. In some performances, the live versions sounded even better than the recordings. They’ve since released more accessible tracks like “FOREVER” and “DRIP.”
BABYMONSTER held their first fan meeting as a global tour. They’re now on their first solo international concert tour, with additional dates added in North America due to sellouts. They’ve also appeared on media platforms like NBC’s “The Kelly Clarkson Show” in the U.S. and “Music Station” on Japan’s TV Asahi, proving their skills to international audiences.
Billboard previously named BABYMONSTER “2024’s Most Promising K-pop Rookie.” They’ve fully lived up to that title. If they release a more mainstream single in their next album, they’re poised to reach even greater heights.
2025. 4. 12.
