Somi's Fans Express Concern Over Limited Discography and Lengthy Hiatuses Under The Black Label
Her list of albums is very short.
Long breaks from music by K-Pop artists can be hard for fans to deal with, especially if they don't know it's for health or something else serious.
BLACKPINK, for example, usually takes more than a year between releases, and fans have recently been complaining about aespa's unusually long break between releases.
There are also a lot of other examples, some of which have clear reasons for their long breaks and some of which don't.
But it's not just bands that take long breaks without making it clear why. It's not unusual for K-pop soloists who have been around for a while to take long breaks between comebacks, but it's less common for soloists who are just starting out, like Somi.
Somi first came out as a solo artist on June 13, 2019, with the song "Birthday." Before that, she had been a member of the temporary girl group I.O.I because she had won Produce 101.
She was a trainee under JYP Entertainment before she became a solo artist.
She might have debuted as a member of ITZY if she hadn't left the label in 2018 and moved to YG Entertainment's subsidiary, The Black Label.
Somi only put out two singles in 2020 and early 2021. They were called "What You Waiting For" and "Dumb Dumb."
On October 14, 2021, she finally released a "full-length" studio album called XOXO. However, it only had eight tracks and four songs that had already been released.
Since then, it's been almost a year and a half since she came back.
YG Entertainment and its subsidiaries are known for putting their artists on long breaks, so many fans only blame that for Somi's small discography (just eight songs, not counting collaborations) in her nearly four years as a solo artist.
Others brought up how much has changed since her last comeback, which really puts things in perspective.
Some can't help but think that if she had stayed with JYP Entertainment, she might have had a much bigger discography and made more frequent comebacks, whether she was in ITZY or a solo artist.
It's hard to say for sure, but it's possible that she's just focusing on things other than music, like modeling and commercials.
Overall, though, it seems like Somi's fans are mostly worried that her talents are being wasted at a label like The Black Label, which is known for its artists' long breaks.
We hope that Somi can make a comeback soon, whether it's just a single or an entire album, if she wants to.
Kang Ye Won Breaks Down in Tears, Says She’s ‘Destined to Never Marry’—Joins Dating Show for Her 83-Year-Old Father
Actress Kang Ye Won got emotional as she opened up about why she took a break from broadcasting and why she’s finally giving love a chance.
On the March 3 episode of tvN STORY’s Can I Love Now?, Kang Ye Won made her debut as a new participant looking for romance.
During the broadcast, she revealed that negative online comments had deeply affected her. "I used to cry all the time reading comments. I get hurt easily. What might be a small wound for others feels like a huge blow to me," she shared, expressing the stress she faced from malicious remarks.
She also admitted that at one point, she wanted to leave everything behind. "I kept thinking, ‘How long do I have to keep working this hard?’ and it became overwhelming."
She added, "At one point, I thought, ‘I should just quit everything and move to the countryside,’ and that idea actually gave me peace," she confessed.
When it came to dating, Kang Ye Won shared that she had always been content watching others fall in love.
"It never worked out for me. I wasn’t the type to ask for introductions either. I just found comfort in living as an observer. Maybe it’s my fate. I’m fearful, and I lack courage. If I feel like someone might hurt me, I block them out from the start," she admitted.
However, the actress revealed that she ultimately joined Can I Love Now? for her father. "My dad was born in 1943. He had me late in life, and his health isn’t great."
She added, "I realized that if I continue living alone like this, I won’t be able to give my parents any hope until the moment they pass away," she said with tears in her eyes. "My perspective on life has changed. I no longer think just about myself, but about my parents."
Kang Ye Won’s heartfelt confession touched many viewers, leaving fans rooting for her to find happiness.
