| Major | GOT the beat, Kep1er, VIVIZ, Apink, STAYC, NMIXX, (G)I-DLE, Red Velvet, OH MY GIRL, IVE, LE SSERAFIM, fromis_9, aespa, ITZY, NewJeans, Girls’ Generation, KARA, TWICE, BLACKPINK |
| Debut | GOT the beat, Kep1er, H1-KEY, VIVIZ, NMIXX, ILY:1, LE SSERAFIM, CLASS:y, Lapillus, Girls’ world, early spring, IRRIS, first love, NewJeans, mimiirose, Queen’s Eye, LIMELIGHT, tripleS, We;Na, Eyreed |
| Member change | SECRET NUMBER, Gaby NJ, Apink, ARIAZ, OH MY GIRL, H1-KEY, Weeekly, ICHILLIN’, LE SSERAFIM, fromis_9, Black Swan, BOTOPASS PIXY, Bad Kids, LIGHTSUM, AOA, Purple kisses, girl of the month, NMIXX |
| Dismantle | APRIL, Hot Issue, Gracie, CLC, Luna Solar, We Girls, REDSQUARE, Bling bling, Girl Kind, DIA, BVNDIT, bugAboo |
Since 2022, the term “fourth generation girl group” has become common to the media and the public.Groups from large agencies such as NMIXX, NewJeans, and LESSERAFIM and groups from survival programs such as Kep1er and CLASS:y have debuted, making it a more abundant “girl group year” than ever.
The characteristics of the fourth-generation girl groups are often that they put forward the concept of “girl crush.” It is to abandon the girl group’s representative image of “purity” and put the image of “girl crush” centered on strong women and attractive women at the forefront.
In addition, Girls’ Generation and Kara, who were the representatives of the second-generation girl groups, appeared in front of fans as a whole.
The boy group is said to be not attractive to investors for various reasons, including the members’ military problems. Therefore, it is said that girl groups have the same purchasing power as boy groups in goods and album sales these days. Large agencies also have more than one representative girl group.
Monthly girl group activities in 2022
January
- Jan. 3 – Girls Planet 999: Kep1er, formed by Girls’ Generation, made its official debut with the release of their mini album FIRST IMPACT. SM Entertainment’s project unit group GOT the beat debuted.
- January 5 – H1-KEY made their official debut with the release of their debut single “ATHLETIC GIRL”. WJSN’s unit, WJSN’s CHOCOME, has released their second single, “Super Sure.”
- January 17 – fromis_9 released their fourth mini-album, “Midnight Guest.”
- January 24 – NATURE released their special album “RICA RICA”.
February
- Feb. 4 – CRAXY released its first mini album, “ZERO 2”.
- Feb. 9 – VIVIZ, consisting of Eunha, SinB, and Umji from GFRIEND, made their debut again with the release of their mini album “Beam Of Prism.”
- February 14 – Apink released their 10th anniversary special album “HORN”. Rocking doll has released their second single, “Heart Rider”.
- February 21st – STAYC’s 2nd mini album, YOUNG-LUV.It announced a COM.
- JYP Entertainment’s new girl group NMIXX, which launched a blind package under the name JYPn from Feb. 22 to July 2021, made its official debut by releasing its single album “AD MARE.”
- February 23 – Billie released her second mini album, “the collective soul and unconcerned: chapter one.”
- Feb. 28 – Rocket Punch released its fourth mini album, “YELLOW PUNCH.”
March
- March 1 – Billlie OST “the collective soul and unconscious: chapter one Original Soundtrack from ‘what is your B?'”
- March 2 – Cherry Bullet released their second mini album, “Cherry Wish.”
- March 7 – Weekly released their first single, “Play Game: AWAKE”.
- March 14 – (G)I-DLE released their first full-length album “I NEVER DIE” in a year after Su-jin left the group and became a five-member group. Brave Girls have released their sixth mini album “THANK YOU.” Pink Fantasy released their fifth digital single, “Luv Is True (Luv.i.t)”.
- March 21 – Red Velvet announced “ep The ReVe Festival 2022 – Feel My Rhythm”.
- March 28 – OH MY GIRL released their second full-length album, “Real Love.” MAJORS has released its fourth single, “The End of Chaos”.
- March 29 – Purple Kiss released its third mini album, “memeM.”
April
- April 4 – ILY:1 released their debut single, “Love In Bloom”.
- April 5 – IVE released its second single, “LOVE DIVE”.
- April 8 – Pink Fantasy released an improved version of their collaboration album, “Feedback Ver.”
- April 12 – Dreamcatcher released its second full-length album, “Apocalypse: Save us.”
- April 22 – The hot issue disbanded just six days before its first anniversary.
- April 27 – Busters released their first digital single “re: Born”.
May
- May 2 – Source Music’s new girl group LESSERAFIM made their official debut by releasing their debut mini-album “FEARLESS”.
- May 4 – ALICE released its second digital single, “The Universe Inside Me.”
- May 5th – CLASS:y, which consists of the final seven people who are excited after school for the MBC survival audition program, debuted.
- May 9 – OH MY GIRL’s Jiho has left WM Entertainment without renewing her contract.
- May 11 – DIA announced the release of its last album as a full group around September through the media.
- May 24 – LIGHTSUM released its first mini album, “Into The Light.”
- May 25 – BVNDIT has released its third mini-album “Re-Original” in two years.
June
- June 13 – Apink’s first official unit, Early Spring, was formed. BugAboo has released his second single, “POP”.
- June 14 – H1-KEY’s new member Wheeseo is released.
- June 15 – PIXY released its third mini album “REBORN”.
- June 20 – Kep1er released its second mini album, “DOUBLAST.” LOONA has released their summer special mini-album “Flip That.” MLD Entertainment’s new girl group Lapillus made its official debut by releasing “HIT YA!” Leeds Entertainment’s new girl group Girls’ World made their official debut with their debut single “RAPUNZEL.”
- June 24 – TWICE member Nayeon released “IM NAYEON” containing the title track “POP!” as TWICE’s first solo activity. The album entered No. 7 on the Billboard 200 chart, achieving the highest record in the history of K-POP solo artists.
- June 27 – fromis_9 released their fifth mini album, “from our Mémento Box.” Beautybox has released its first full-length album “B-STEP.”
July
- July 5 – WJSN released their special single, “Sequence.”
- July 6 – IRRIS released its debut mini-album “WANNA KNOW”. H1-KEY released the Maxi single “RUN”. VIVIZ has released its second mini album, “Summer Vibe.”
- July 8 – Aespa released its second mini album, “Girls.” The album sold 1.12 million copies during the initial week, breaking the record for the first time ever for a girl group album.
- July 11 – Busters released their second digital single, “Summer.”
- July 14 – Billie released her project album “track by YEON: Patbingsu”.
- July 15 – Sohee left ICHILLIN’.
- July 19 – STAYC released their third single, “WE NEED LOVE”. ILY:1 has released its second single, “Que Sera Sera”.
- July 22 – ADOR’s new girl group NewJeans made their official debut by presenting a music video for “Attention” from their debut mini album New Jeans title track.
- July 25 – Purple Kiss released its fourth mini album, “Geekyland.”
- July 27 – Pop Music’s new girl group first love officially debuted with a showcase for their debut mini-album “Sequence: 7272.”
- July 28 – First Love released their debut mini-album “Sequence: 7272”.
- July 31 – NMIXX released its second single, “Kiss,” a remake of Rainbow’s track “Kiss.”
August
- August 1 – New Jeans released live YouTube and online music for their debut mini album “New Jeans.”
- August 5 – Girls’ Generation released their seventh full-length album “FOREVER 1”.
- August 9 – Tri-Vi released her third single, “LEVIOSA”.
- August 16 – CRAXY released its second mini album, “WHO AM I.”
- August 19 – BLACKPINK released their second full-length album “Pink Venom”.
- Aug. 22 – IVE released its third single, “After Like.”
- August 26 – TWICE released their 11th mini album “BETWEEN 1&2”.
- Aug. 29 – Rocket Punch released their second single, “FLASH.”
- August 31 – Billie released her third mini album, “the Billage of perception: Chapter two”.
September
- Sept. 1 – ONO Entertainment’s girl group A-lead debuted.
- September 5 – We;Na released their debut digital single “Psychorado Good”.
- Sept. 6 – Busters released its third digital single, “Broken Clock.”
- September 8 – TWICE’s Japanese members, MISAMO, a three-member unit consisting of Momo, Sana and Mina, were registered, implying their unit debut.
- September 16 – BLACKPINK released their second full-length album “BORN PINK”. Yes I.M. Entertainment’s first girl group, miiirose, debuted with the release of their first single album “AWESOME.”
- September 19 – NMIXX released their second single, “ENTWURF”. Makamaka has released its third digital single, “I AM.”
- September 22 – Lapillus released their first mini-album “GIRL’S ROUND PART. 1”.
- Sept. 29 – 143 Entertainment’s first girl group LIMELIGHT made their pre-debut debut with digital mini “Starlight.” EXID has released its 10th anniversary single “X.”
October
- October 5 – Rocket Punch released their first full-length Japanese album, “キトキトLOVE.”
- October 10 – Busters released their fourth single and K-STAGE concert collaboration album, “HIGH TEEN ROMANCE (KSTAGE X Busters).”
- October 11 – MAMAMOO released their 12th mini album “MICON”. Dreamcatcher has released its seventh mini album, “Apocalypse: Follow us.”
- Oct. 17 – LESSERAFIM released their first comeback album “ANTIFRAGILE” in about five months since their debut. (G)I-DLE made a comeback with “I love” in about seven months.
- October 24 – Queen’s Eye released their first single, “QUEENZ TABLE”. Pink Fantasy has released their third single, “Bizarre Story”.
- October 26 – CLASS:y made a comeback with their second mini album, “Day & Night.”
- October 27 – VIVIZ made a comeback with their first single album, “Rum Pum Pum”. ALICE made a comeback with their first single “DANCE ON”.
- October 28 – TripleS unit Acid Angel from Asia released their debut mini-album “ACCESS”.
November
- November 6 – NATURE released its third mini album, “NATURE WORLD: CODE W”.
- November 10 – CRAXY released their third single, “Poison Rose”.
- November 16 – woo!ah! released their fourth single, “Pit-a-Pat.” Dreamcatcher announced the renewal of all seven members, continuing its activities.
- November 17 – First Love released their first single album, “Sequence: 17&”.
- Nov. 22 – Beautybox released its special album “Higher Up.”
- November 24 – IRRIS released its first single, “Stay W!th Me”.
- November 29 – Kara released their 15th anniversary album “MOVE AGAIN”. The first performance was unveiled at the 2022 Mama Awards in Japan.
- Nov. 30 – ITZY released their sixth mini album “CHESHIRE”
December
- December 19 – New Jeans pre-released “Ditto” from their first single OMG as a free single.
- December 30 – A teaser was released to introduce YG Entertainment’s next girl group, BABYMONSTER.
In 2022, girl groups disbanded, left, and changed
- January 28 – APRIL officially disbanded.
- February 1 – Dennis of SECRET NUMBER officially withdrew from his agency after his contract with the agency ended.
- Around March, GavinJ’s Seorin, Gunji and Jenny terminated their contracts with Goodfellas Entertainment.
- April 8 – Son Na-eun has withdrawn from Apink.
- April 10 – ARIAZ’s Yoon Ji, Hyo Kyung, and Yeori withdrew with the termination of their contract.
- April 11 – ELRIS changed the group’s name to ALICE and Bella and Hyesung changed their names to Doa and Yeonje.
- May 20 – Cube Entertainment officially announced the dissolution of CLC. The official decommissioning date is June 6, the end date of operation of CLC U CUBE.
- May 22 – J Planet Entertainment announced the end of Luna Solar’s contract. After disbanding, the second digital single “Do you wanna get down” was released on May 23.
- May 25 – Thai member Sithala of H1-KEY has withdrawn.
- May 31 – Gracie disbanded.
- June 1 – Shin Ji-yoon has withdrawn from Weekly for health reasons.
- June 4 – WeGirls disbanded.
- June 10 – REDSQUARE changed its team name to IRRIS when it moved to Melow Entertainment. Since June 14, four members, one by one, have been released, and Green, Ari, and Chae-ah have changed their names to I.L., Yoon Seul, and Liv, respectively, and new member Nina has joined. The existing members, Rina and Bo Min, left.
- July 9 – Guest members of Pink Fantasy are promoted to full membership.
- July 12 – TWICE continues its full-length activities with the success of renewing all nine members.
- July 15 – Sohee left ICHILLIN’.
- July 20 – Kim Ga-ram, who was suspended due to school violence controversy, terminated his contract with HYBE and withdrew from LESSERAFIM.
- July 26 – Bling bling ended his contract with Major 9 with the team breaking up. Among the members, Choi Ji-eun and Kim Yu-bin will remain in the major nine.
- July 31 – Jang Gyuri withdrew from fromis_9. Black Swan’s Young Heun and Judy have withdrawn. Then Sriya and Gabi were recruited.
- August 13 – Girlkind disbanded.
- August 25 – Seo Yoon, Jiwon, and Choi Sang of BOTOPASS have terminated their contracts with their agencies and left.
- August 27 – Ella and Saebyeol have terminated their contracts with their agencies with their withdrawal from PIXY.
- September 14 – DIA released their last album as a whole, “Rooting For You”. The Bad Kids have announced their resumption. Semi left, Yushi was re-incorporated, and Eun-yu changed the name of her activity back to Somin again.
- September 17 – DIA officially terminated its activities.
- September 23 – Laboum terminated its contract with its agency.
- September 27 – Lindsey joins PIXY as a new member.
- October 20 – Seol-hyun has left AOA.
- October 25 – The group was reorganized into a six-member group, with Hwi-yeon and Jian leaving LIGHTSUM. Girls Planet 999: Jung Ji-yoon, a former member of the Girls’ Competition, joined as an additional member of ICHILLIN’.
- October 31 – BVNDIT disbanded.
- Nov. 18 – Park Ji-eun of the Purple Kiss has withdrawn due to persistent poor conditions and anxiety.
- November 25 – Blockberry Creative announced that it has expelled Chew from Girl of the Month.
- December 8 – BugAboo disbanded.
- December 9 – Genie of NMIXX has withdrawn.
conclusion
Looking at the K-POP market in 2022, the strength of girl groups is expected to continue for the time being. Black Pink is one of the most popular girl groups in the world. BLACKPINK showed off its robustness by making consecutive hits of “Pink Venom” and “Shutdown” in 2022.
BLACKPINK has been making their debut for six years. (Korea standard) If they signed a seven-year contract like other girl groups, they will either renew their contracts with YG in 2024 or go their separate ways. Just as TWICE renewed their contracts with JYP, I hope BLACKPINK gets good results. (Of course, it doesn’t mean that we have to renew our contract with YG unconditionally. I wish I could at least continue as BLACKPINK)