NCT’s Ten Tied To New Production Company

On May 5, a Bangkok-based music and concert production company quietly launched on social media called Tenth Sound. Within hours, international media outlets received wind and began touting the production house as NCT member Ten’s first business venture since leaving SM Entertainment in April. While there has been no official statement from the artist himself, there is good reason to believe this is the start of a new hand-on approach for Ten as an artist.

In the production company’s first post across X, Instagram, and Facebook, the caption stated: “Ten years in the making. Tenth Sound begins now.” The post also included a simple black photo with “Tenth Sound” written across the top and bottom, adding to the allure and mystery behind the account. Considering the number ten is a recurring theme — and the fact that the company is based in the Thai singer’s birthplace — it seems likely that NCT’s Ten either founded this label, or at the very least, is one of its core artistic partners. A later post also included a photo of Ten through a negative lens, seemingly confirming suspicions.

If this is Ten’s label and something he has ownership in, the endeavor serves as yet another indication of a larger industry shift — one where K-pop idols formerly tied to large agencies are going independent. With Ten’s prolific artistry through music, dance, and fashion, Tenth Sound might be just what the singer needs to create without contractual limitations.

YG To Double Launch New Boy and Girl Groups

After debuting boy group TREASURE in 2020 and girl group BABYMONSTER in 2023, YG Entertainment is already revving up to debut another set of groups within the same year. On April 30, the company confirmed plans to debut its newest five-member boy group this September. While this is to be expected considering it’s already been six years since TREASURE’s debut, the more interesting piece of the puzzle is that YG is also planning on debuting its newest girl group simultaneously — a strategy that’s rarely ever seen in the K-pop world.

The girl group, tentatively known as “Next Monster,” is so far composed of members Chanya, Evelli, and Kayci. According to The Korea Times, Kayci, in particular, is described to be “an all-rounder capable of both rapping and singing,” with the term “all-rounder” becoming quite the buzzword a coveted asset in K-pop over the last few years. However, given that it’s only been three years since BABYMONSTER debuted, many are wondering if this “dual debut” is YG’s way of maintaining global presence and momentum amid an industry that’s becoming more and more competitive by the day.

Looking at this from a historical viewpoint, it's like they’re intentionally trying to position these new groups as the new BIGBANG and 2NE1 dynamic and level of stardom. Although the second-gen groups debuted three years apart, they were still considered each other’s counterparts in both fame and relevancy, dominating K-pop concurrently. However, as YG’s track record of mismanaged groups after a certain point continues to persist, this “usually aggressive” strategy — as industry experts call it — could only end up highlighting internal issues many have already been privy to for some time now.

HYBE x Geffen To Finalize Lineup For Next Multinational Group

Despite KATSEYE just having debuted in 2024, HYBE x Geffen Records is already in the process of locking down the lineup for its next multinational girl group.

The companies' latest survival program, World Scout: The Final Piece, has narrowed down its final two contestants ahead of the show’s finale on May 12. So far, the confirmed members of this new girl group will be Emily, Lexie, and Samara, all of whom span across the globe from the US, Sweden, and Brazil, respectively. Additionally, all three members were previously contestants on The Debut: Dream Academy, which helped launch KATSEYE.

Similar to YG Entertainment and its latest strategy to debut a new girl group soon after BABYMONSTER, it seems even more premature for HYBE x Geffen to debut another female-led act while KATSEYE is still in its prime. With the rapid growth of K-pop-adjacent acts and its alluring appeal, HxG saw KATSEYE as a test — one to answer the questions of whether or not a multinational girl group could take the K-pop method, apply it to a Westernized market, and succeed. The strategy paid off, and within two years, KATSEYE has become one of the most visible and discussed girl groups of the 2020s. However, does that necessarily mean it’s time for another?

If they can't fully manage what they already have, the question of whether a second group is premature answers itself. It's not a problem unique to HYBE x Geffen – major K-pop agencies have a long history of rushing the next debut before the last one has found its footing. Whether this new group inherits KATSEYE's momentum or its complications will depend entirely on whether HxG has learned anything in the two years since.