Yang Hyun-seok vs. Teddy, the beginning of a bloody war of pride... Producing competency judgement board

The producing capabilities of Yang Hyun-seok, general producer of YG Entertainment (hereinafter referred to as YG), and Teddy, head of The Black Label (hereinafter referred to as The Black), will be judged. Yang Hyun-suk and Teddy engage in a bloody battle of pride. This is through Baby Monster, a group from YG's jewel box, and a new girl group that Teddy has been planning for a long time.

Baby Monster already debuted with the debut single 'BATTER UP' on November 27 last year, and made a comeback with 'Stuck In The Middle' on the 1st. 'Better Up' attempted to inherit YG's existing colors, but received disappointing reviews for lacking Baby Monster's unique differentiation. 'Stuck in the Middle' exudes a fairy beauty in a feminine atmosphere and shows an unexpected charm compared to 'Batter Up', but it is receiving a dull response as it somehow does not fit together well.

The rebound point for Baby Monster, which has been receiving below-expected ratings, is the addition of member Ahyeon, scheduled for April. Previously, Ahyun withdrew from her debut activities due to health reasons, but has recently recovered and is preparing to join.

Attention is being paid to whether the addition of Ahyeon, who is known as the center and has captivated many fans since the survival show, will be able to revitalize Baby Monster. Above all, the concept and identity of Baby Monster's first mini album, scheduled for release in April, are key. It is very important to create songs, stages, and music videos that capture Baby Monster's unique strengths and characteristics.

In the case of YG's flagship girl groups 2NE1 and Blackpink, both producers had some involvement, but the production was carried out under Teddy's leadership. Therefore, it is difficult to say that 2NE1 and Blackpink are entirely the works of both producers. Baby Monster can be seen as a group created under the leadership of Yang Hyun-suk. Accordingly, Baby Monster's first mini album, scheduled to be released in April, is expected to be a watershed moment in which Yang Hyun-suk's producing ability is evaluated.

In addition, The Black Label's Teddy announced that he will be launching a new girl group in the first half of this year, signaling a big match that K-pop fans will pay attention to. The Black Label said in an official statement on the 6th, "The girl group produced by The Black Label is preparing to debut in the first half of this year."

There is not much information about the so-called 'Teddy Girl Group', but on the 4th, a photo of the trainees was released through an Internet community and attracted the attention of K-pop fans. In the photo, actress and model Ella Gross, who belongs to The Black Label, and Moon, known as the maternal granddaughter of Shinsegae Group Chairman Lee Myung-hee, were captured.

Ella Gross signed an exclusive contract with The Black Label in 2018, and has been preparing for her debut along with her activities in the entertainment industry since then. Ella Gross is already a potential star with more than 4 million followers, and is well known by the nickname 'Little Jenny', which Jenny also acknowledged. It is known that he has a considerable level of vocal and performance skills as he has already been a trainee for quite a long time.

Additionally, Moon, the granddaughter of Shinsegae Chairman Myung-hee Lee and the niece of Vice Chairman Yong-jin Jeong, is on the list of candidates for the debut member of the 'Teddy Girl Group'. It is said that Mr. Moon is so interested in dance and performance that he produced a dance video as a college entrance exam portfolio. Through this connection, Mr. Moon has close relationships with several artists under YG.

Although their debut has not been confirmed, it is expected that the impact will be significant if Ella Gross, who already has more than 4 million followers, and Moon, a third-generation chaebol, debut as part of the Teddy girl group.

Teddy, who is new to producing a girl group, has been preparing to launch a girl group for a long time. As they have proven their sense by making 2NE1 and Blackpink's songs mega-hits, the industry predicts that if proper member discovery and training is conducted first, a girl group better than Blackpink will be born. Their producing capabilities will also be evaluated through the new girl group that will be unveiled in the first half of this year.

Choi Ji-ye, Ten Asia Reporter wisdomart@tenasia.co.kr