This is the one post I had never imagined that I would write, even in my wildest K-Pop dreams (or nightmares for that matter).
Yeojachingu is GONE.
Although I have had time to process it, a big part of me still can't believe that its all over..
Its so f*cking unfair..
As I had said before in a previous post, I had only began stanning them in earnest last year before the Apple promotions. Although I had regrets at the time for coming late to the BUDDY party, this was one group that I was not worried at all about longevity.
SBS MTV The Show - November 17, 2020
MBC Show Champion - November 18, 2020
Despite the fact that the girls were in their 6th year of promoting as idols, they still had a very strong and vocal fanbase, and they were still churning out comeback after comeback that were garnering regular wins on music shows, most recently for the masterpiece that is MAGO (see above photos). Far from being irrelevant, they had began adopting a more mature style as they clearly shifted away from the innocent concepts they were once known for, and have transitioned to more age-appropriate themes.
The biggest thing that threw me off was their label's (Source Music) recent acquisition by emerging industry giant BigHit Entertainment (Now known as HYBE) of BTS fame, which pretty much would have meant that the girls now have a whole lot more assets for marketing, promotions, and performances at their disposal. On the surface, everything seemed set for the girls in the coming years, despite the fact that fans knew that contract negotiations would be coming soon. In fact, a media outlet had earlier reported that GFRIEND was up for contract by August, so fans (myself included) were pretty confident that the girls would continue as a unit, and that we would be hearing about the contract extensions as it unfolded over the coming months, most likely after a scheduled and highly anticipated comeback that was slated for June or July of this year.. and that is what made the news all the more shocking..
A beloved group's disbandment is one of the most painful things a true K-pop fan can ever experience, with the emotional trauma akin to breaking up with someone you love. However, most disbandments can be seen from a mile away. Teams usually disband due to poor popularity or sales (nope), the company closing down (I don't think so), scandals that have hounded the team for quite some time (nada), or irreconcilable discord among the members (unlikely, and more on this later). GFRIEND had none of these factors. They were actually peaking again after the release of Apple and Mago. The aforementioned acquisition of SoMu would undoubtedly secured the future of the company, and there have been no big scandals that have hounded the group's members.
*Speaking of "scandals", if anyone brings up the trumped-up controversy about Sowon unfortunately and unknowingly posing with a mannequin in a Nazi uniform, just get the fuck out. You are just clearly making mountains out of molehills, and we don't deal with people like you here. I'm not going to even attempt to explain things to you because you are not worth even a second of my time. Just leave.
Ok, now what was I saying?..
With the lack of any clear warning signs, this sudden news of disbandment rocked not only the fandom, but the korean entertainment industry as well. The girls seemed to be doing well, with their regularly scheduled weekly YT uploads posted on the schedule, and the members attending to various other activities like Yerin's participation in a beauty show, as well as Yuju's quest to become the Halli Galli queen. Heck, Umji even posted a vlive a few hours before the news came out.. However, on further review, some Buddies are saying that she was lowkey crying at certain parts, and was just putting on a brave face.. π
From what I have gleaned from the way the K-Pop industry works, the contract deadlines of popular groups like GFRIEND are often well publicized and fans know well in advance to anticipate the decision of the idols that they love, and thus I feel that this was a unilateral termination of the contract that was forced down the girls' throats by higher management. I have no idea whether the blame would fall squarely on SoMu's shoulders, or the bigger fish (HYBE) is to blame. All I know is that this was too sudden and leaves so many unanswered questions from the fans that I'm sure SoMu and HYBE would not be thrilled to handle.. This situation thus begs the big question.. WHY?
Some people argued that it could be a case where the girls just didn't want to do it anymore, so one day they just decided to pack up an leave, so the company had no choice but to accept that they were not going to renew contracts anymore.. But going back to the main point, I don't think that this is a question of renewal. I am more inclined to believe that the contract was cut short. Another thing is that this is so out of character for ALL the girls to just leave, with nary a proper farewell to their fandom that has stuck with them through thick and thin. You have to remember that these girls were the ones that brought Source Music out from the depths of obscurity to becoming a known player in the K-Pop landscape. Since they did not have the promotions and marketing infrastructure that groups from established companies enjoy from the get-go, the girls needed their fandom to grow and make things happen to save them from obscurity. So I don't think the girls would just hang out their loyal fans to dry just like that.
The outpouring of love from people who have worked with them before is heartbreaking and wonderful at the same time. Various staff members like dance teachers, choreographers, MV directors, designers, stylists, hairdressers, have all come out and posted wonderful messages of support, and also some heartfelt messages of regret since everything was so sudden. Heck, even broadcast programs like SBS Hanbam has prepared hour-long compilations of their greatest stage performances in honor of the group. I have massive respect for the program now. Go check out their channel via the link above. π
Sigh.. I will miss the crazy content that they would regularly churn out.. These girls are funny on their own, but together they are just HILARIOUS! I would also miss their music, and it pains me that I will never be able to attend a GFRIEND concert ever (I didn't have the resources before, and I wont have the opportunity now..). I am hoping against hope that fate would find them together one again under another (hopefully more responsible) label that would allow them to both perform as a team, and let them have their own individual avenues for growth. I hope Yuju can go back to posting her singing on her YT channel. I hope Eunha and Yerin are able to start the mukbang channel they disucussed before. I hope that Sowon would be able to open her beauty channel soon. I wish that Umji would be able to get her "Walking around with Yewon" channel off the ground, and I hope SinB is able to open her own channel doing various dances, after she gets the much-needed operation for her recurrently dislocating shoulder.
I guess that's it.. I'm all tapped out.. I still feel a bit disappointed, but putting up this tribute post helped me somewhat.. Creating posts like this and giving comforting comments to sad Buddies on weverse has really been therapeutic.. It also made me realize after I had gotten through the initial shock that GFRIEND wasn't going anywhere in the real sense. While it is true that we are saying goodbye to the beloved group name that we call the girls, their collective identity in our hearts so to speak, the girls themselves are still there in Korea, living their lives and grieving like the rest of us. This closes a chapter on one of the greatest brands that K-Pop has ever seen, but it is not the end for the wonderful people named Kim Sojung, Jung Yerin, Jung Eunbi, Choi Yuna, Hwang Eunbi, and Kim Yewon. This end, sad as it may seem, is also a new beginning for them. Consider that for the first time in so many years, they are no longer bound to the rules of a particular company. They are finally free to do what they want to do or try. They are free to go on trips with their family or friends, they can eat what they want and sleep when they want. The younger Eunbi now has time to rest and make sure that bad shoulder is taken cared of. Let us remember that as veteran performers, they carry much clout in the entertainment industry, and I'm sure more than a few companies would be willing to come to the table with them and discuss contracts that would surely be more beneficial to the parties involved. So yes, we must close the chapter on GFRIEND, but to my fellow BUDDIES, our identity will remain the same. The girls have made it clear that we will still be their BUDDY even if they are no longer GFRIEND.
- B. Oppa #BUDDYForever
