With the intense number of K-pop groups debuting, having comebacks, and releasing content, fans can choose who they want to support and invest time and energy into. Ask any K-pop supporter and they can probably tell you the story of when they discovered an artist and decided to stan.
However, as more and more artists come into the scene, not everyone gets the spotlight, album releases don't always go well, or some groups encounter issues with their management. Eventually, we hear news of K-pop groups disbanding and members parting ways to pursue different career paths.
Here's a rundown of some K-pop groups that disbanded this year:
1. JinJin & Rocky (ASTRO sub-unit)
Disbandment date: February 28, 2023
Who are they: JinJin & Rocky is a sub-unit of the K-pop boy group Astro named after the main dancer and main rapper of the group, Rocky and JinJin. The duo released their EP, "Restore," with its lead single, "Just Breathe," on January 17, 2022. Since then, fans have been anticipating the sub-unit's comeback. However, Rocky's contract with Fantagio expired and he decided not to renew. This meant that he is leaving ASTRO and the sub-unit, JinJin & Rocky, is effectively disbanded.
Watch the official MV of "Just Breathe" here:
2. D1CE
Disbandment date: January 20, 2023
Who are they: D1CE is a boy group which debuted on August 1, 2019, with their EP, "Wake Up: Roll the World." The group is composed of members Yonggeun, Hyunsoo, Yoojun, Woodam, and Jinyoung who all participated in different K-pop survival shows specifically Produce 101, MIXNINE, and Boys24. They eventually released another EP in 2020 called "Draw You: Remember Me" and their final single, "You're My Destiny" in 2021 before the members started enlisting in the military. After their contracts expired this year, the members decided to pursue new dreams individually.
Check out their debut title track, "Wake Up," here:
3. Brave Girls
Disbandment date: February 16, 2023
Who are they: Brave Girls is a four-member girl group that underwent several lineup changes since their debut in 2011. In 2021, Minyoung, Yujeong, Eunji, and Yuna shot to fame when a compilation performance video of their 2017 song, "Rollin'" became viral on YouTube. This gave new momentum to the group, causing the song to rise to the top of the music charts. Because of this, Brave Girls resumed promotions of the song and won their first-ever music show win after 1,854 days of debut. The group went on to release more songs and do more group activities including joining Queendom 2. However, in February 2023, Brave Girls announced the release of their final single, "Goodbye," with confirmation from Brave Entertainment of the group's official disbandment following the members' contract expiration.
Watch Brave Girls' viral video with 27 million views here:
4. MOMOLAND
Disbandment date: February 14, 2023
Who are they: MOMOLAND was a girl group formed through a reality show in 2016 called Finding MOMOLAND where the winners became the original member lineup with some changes throughout their careers. MOMOLAND was best known for catchy and fun songs like "Boom Boom" which became viral and is one of the group's most popular songs. They became so popular in the Philippines that MLD Entertainment even signed a co-management agreement with ABS-CBN. After several EPs and singles released, the members departed the group following their contract expiration.
Check out the official music video of "Boom Boom" here:
5. LOONA Odd Eye Circle (LOONA sub-unit)
Disbandment date: January 13, 2023
Who are they: LOONA Odd Eye Circle is a sub-unit of the girl group LOONA composed of members Kim Lip, JinSoul, and Choerry. This sub-unit is quite unique as they debuted in 2017 before the official debut of the main group in 2018. They released their first EP, "Mix & Match," with the title track "Girl Front." In November 2022, most of the members of LOONA filed a provisional injunction to suspend their contracts with Blockberry Creative. And in January 2023, some of the members including LOONA Odd Eye Circle won their lawsuits and terminated their contracts. This effectively disbands the LOONA Odd Eye Circle sub-unit. But there's good news for fans! In March 2023, LOONA members Heejin, Kim Lip, Choerry, and Jinsoul signed exclusive contracts with Modhaus, opening possibilities of some members reuniting in the future.
Watch LOONA Odd Eye Circle's comeback stage for "Sweet Crazy Love" here:
While it's sad to see these well-loved K-pop groups disbanding due to different reasons, we sincerely wish each of them success as they pursue new paths in their respective careers.
