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.
Lee Kyung Gyu secretly helped Hong Jin Kyung debut on TV and she didn’t even know for years
Lee Kyung Gyu's star-making influence goes beyond Kang Ho Dong, as Hong Jin Kyung shares how he helped her kickstart her career.
On the April 24 episode of KBS 2TV’s Problem Child in House, legendary comedian Lee Kyung Gyu appeared as a guest—and a touching story from the past was revealed.
Hong Jin Kyung surprised everyone when she said, “He’s the teacher for all of us. Personally, he’s the one who helped me debut.” She even pinned a carnation flower on his chest to show her gratitude.
Lee Kyung Gyu smiled and said, “I still remember when Hong Jin Kyung walked up the stairs onto the stage for the first time.”
Hong Jin Kyung then shared her journey to becoming a star. “I joined a supermodel contest, but only the top 3 winners were noticed in broadcasting. I got a special prize, so I had no chance to be on TV."
She continued, "At first, I was just a backup for a show. But somehow, I became a regular the next week. I never knew why."
She added, "I thought the PD gave me a shot. But then one day, I randomly met Kyung Gyu sunbae, and he told me it was actually him who recommended me.”
Kim Sook asked with a smile, “So Kyung Gyu sunbae said nice things about you to the PD?”
Lee Kyung Gyu playfully replied, “Don’t say it in such a childish way,” making everyone laugh.
He then explained more seriously, “The show was Scoop TV Entertainment, and I was pretty much the main MC. When Jin Kyung showed up, I saw her determination and passion."
He added, "While others didn’t seem serious, she really stood out. I told the PD, ‘She seems unique. Why not keep her on the show?’”
Kim Jong Kook chimed in, “So if the main MC said that, doesn’t that mean you basically got her in?”
That made Lee Kyung Gyu happy. He grinned and replied, “Exactly! You speak well. Be like him!”
He added, “After that, Jin Kyung’s career took off. She started doing shows with Lee Young Ja and just kept going.”
Fans are now calling Lee Kyung Gyu not only a top MC, but also a quiet star-maker behind the scenes!
