I feel like the gap in quality between the most popular groups and nugu groups in Kpop has never been more pronounced. Don’t get me wrong, the disparity between big and small labels has always been there, but it wasn’t like how it is now. To me, 2nd Gen of Kpop was a renaissance. It was a time when the scene was more diverse and the spotlight wasn’t completely monopolized by the industry giants.
Lately, I’ve been checking out a lot of nugu groups, and it’s hard to ignore that many of them seem to lack originality. It baffles me. If you don’t have an infinite budget like the Big 4, shouldn’t you at least try to do something different to stand out? Most of them end up recycling cookie cutter concepts and sounds that we’ve all heard from major groups, but they just end up looking and sounding worse. Why would fans consume your product when it’s just an inferior version of what’s already out in the market? But then again, it’s probably tough to be unique when so many concepts in Kpop have already been introduced over the years.
Do they at least have the talent? From what I’ve seen, their vocals don’t stand out compared to those from big labels, and their dancing isn’t exactly impressive. A lot of their music is poorly mixed and produced, missing that depth and complexity, and their MVs simply don’t measure up (which isn’t really their fault, since high quality MVs are expensive).
What I’m trying to say is that the bar for quality in Kpop has risen so high that it’s becoming nearly impossible for small groups to break through. I personally can’t enjoy their music because I’m always subconsciously comparing it to the major groups I’ve grown accustomed to. Without the budget to secure top tier trainees with talent and visuals, professional training staff, leading producers/AR team, and capable creative/marketing personnel, these groups simply can’t compete.
I think we’ll see fewer groups debut in Kpop as smaller labels step away from the idol game, and pretty soon, the industry could be completely dominated by just a handful of major labels. If I’m being honest, it already feels that way. Anyone else having a hard time giving nugu groups a chance because of their lackluster output?
submitted by /u/Organic-Cranberry955
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