Topic: Will Girls’ Generation disband in 2017?
(NOTE: This is just my opinion and is pure speculation. I also do not hate any member of Girls’ Generation, even if I’m not a major Soshi anymore)
After the dust has settled over the surprise removal of Jessica from GG just a few sort months after all 9 girls renewed their contract with SM to keep the group “intact” until 2017, their new (and in my opinion lackluster) comeback of “Catch Me if You Can” seems to spell the beginning of the end for the group.
Part I: The Writing on the Wall
1) “Catch Me if You Can” was initially a Japan only single, but was later decided to be a Korean single as well. That just seems lazy on SM’s part. Girls’ Generation is not EXO.
2) Why would Jessica start planning for her future (with BLANC & ECLAIRE) so soon after renewing her contract with SM if the group wasn’t secretly slated to disband once the new contract expired? SM’s statement about Jessica wanting to leave the group on her own volition before their most recent comeback rings false, because why would she re-sign up with GG only to come back soon after and be like “just kidding, I want out.” No way.
3) The group has become more brand ambassadors than musicians. The group is plastered on every billboard endorsing every new product but ever since Tokyo Dome, the group just seems to be phoning in their performances. It doesn’t even look like their hearts are in it anymore.
4) The group’s music output hasn’t really been all that great since the “I Got A Boy” era, even the “Mr.Mr.” comeback was lackluster. “Catch Me if You Can” - the first single without Sica - is also mediocre. Also, most of their promotions have been taking place in Japan recently (see #1), with TTS covering the Korean market.
5) Connected with that, SM has been putting more of their resources in TTS than GG, especially in Korea. This guarantees that Taeyeon, Tiffany, and Seohyun will have jobs once GG disbands, as I don’t think they could make it as solo artists (vocally, yes. Stage presence, no).
6) SM has been pushing Red Velvet much more recently and giving them great, fresh, and edgy concepts, and if rumors are true, will have the numbers to rival GG. SM knows the clock is ticking on GG’s presence as a group, which is no wonder why they debuted RV during the Sica/SM drama.
And what if the group does in fact disband in 2017? Where does that leave the members? Is Jessica’s removal from the group as blessing in disguise? Here’s how I think the members’ long term success will range post-GG (from shortest to longest).
9) Hyoyeon: The “dancing queen” of the group, Hyoyeon is the only member to not have done anything outside of GG since the group debuted. No acting, no solo debut, no solo modeling, nothing. The fact she gets minimal voice time and dance time in the group doesn’t help her case either. Most likely, she’ll run her own dancing studio or work with trainees at SM. She’s the one most likely to not be in the spotlight post-GG.
8) Sunny: The one who does “aegyo”, Sunny’s biggest problem is that there’s nothing to separate her from the other girls. She can sing, but someone can do it better. She can dance, but someone can do it better. Doing aegyo is fine when you’re young, but Sunny can’t be trying to that when she’s in her 30s. Her best bet is most likely doing voiceover work, running a radio show, or doing more musicals. Sunny’s going to have to work hard to stay in the spotlight once the group disbands.
7) Yuri: The “Black Pearl”, Yuri has the same problem Sunny has of not standing out in GG, although having a bigger presence in the acting world helps boost her profile. However, from what I’ve seen, her acting still needs some work. Yuri needs to hone her craft if she wants to continue acting post-GG, as she won’t be able to use the GG brand to help her get roles. She’ll most likely make it as a television actress if she continues working on bettering her craft. I don’t see her doing music once the group disbands.
6) Sooyoung: Sooyoung has the advantage of being the tallest member in the group (so she immediately stands out), but again gets lost in the shuffle in GG. However, her image has risen recently due to her recent acting endeavors. Her acting has improved a lot since the early days (see My Spring Days) and I think she’ll have a future in acting. Not quite sure if she can make the leap to film, but I can imagine her having a long career as a television actress. Again, as with Yuri, I don’t see her working on music once GG disbands.
5,4,3) Tiffany, Taeyeon, Seohyun: As mentioned earlier, with the amount of push SM has given TTS since its inception, Tiffany, Taeyeon, and Seohyun will have no problem finding a new job once GG disbands. They’ll just move on to promoting as TTS full time. The only reason I don’t see them branching off to do solo projects is because they don’t have the stage presence. Taeyeon has even admitted that she likes being a group more than a solo artist, Seohyun (who admittedly gives it her all) still looks slightly awkward performing even after all these years, and Tiffany, while having a lovely voice, seems like she’s trying too hard to be noticed. However, they function very well as TTS and I don’t see them breaking up for a while.
2) Jessica - Queen Sica, who got the boot from SM. The fact that SM handled the situation so terribly endeared her to international fans (though it seems like the majority of Koreans still need to warm up to her again) and the fact that her successful launch of BLANC & ECLAIRE has expanded from online to real shops in China less than six months since its inception says a lot to how many fans have Sica’s back. The fact that no one really knows the truth of what went down between her and SM has kept her in the press’ eye, which helps boost her profile in the media. Although I see her doing the occasional mini-album, I think that her future will lie in her fashion brand. I can see her going far.
1) Yoona: The reason Yoona gets a slight boost over Jessica is because she’s the “classic ideal beauty“ that Koreans love. The fact that Love Rain did successful overseas, she worked with a renowned creator and director, and her acting was highly praised, helps boost her image in the acting world. The fact that she’s branching off into Chinese dramas also helps her. I can definitely see her making the leap to feature films, and can see her win the Korean Academy Award one day. I think in terms of long-term success in the entertainment industry, Yoona will survive the longest.
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