Former YG Entertainment Stars 2NE1, G-Dragon, and Rosé Shine in New Golden Era
Stars from YG Entertainment are enjoying a resurgence in popularity, reaching new heights that rival their initial prime. The girl group 2NE1 (CL, Park Bom, Sandara Park, Minzy) has reunited in full after nearly a decade apart. Celebrating their 15th debut anniversary, they held the “2024 2NE1 Concert Welcome Back in Seoul,” proving once again their status as a defining girl group of the second K-pop generation.


Originally planned as a one-day event, the concert held from October 4 to 6 was extended to three days due to high demand. Tickets, including restricted-view seats, sold out immediately, reflecting fans' long-awaited anticipation. Debuting in 2009 with hits like "Fire," "I Don’t Care," "I Am the Best," and "Clap Your Hands," 2NE1 saw huge popularity but disbanded suddenly in 2016. In 2022, they thrilled fans with a surprise reunion at the Coachella music festival in the U.S., but further group activities remained unannounced until now. The group’s recent Seoul concert was an exciting and nostalgic event, and they plan to continue with a world tour.


Starting in Seoul, 2NE1 will tour Manila, Jakarta, Kobe, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Singapore, Bangkok, and Taipei, performing a total of 15 concerts until February next year. They are also set to hold an encore concert in Seoul after the tour.


Meanwhile, BLACKPINK’s Rosé has been making waves on the charts with a duet alongside global pop star Bruno Mars. Released on October 18, their track "APT." reached 200 million views on YouTube within just 11 days, setting a record for the fastest view count for a K-pop female solo artist.


BIGBANG’s G-Dragon also marked his solo return, debuting with the digital single "POWER" on October 31, his first solo release since the 2017 mini-album "Kwon Ji Yong." The song’s catchy beat, combined with G-Dragon’s intense rap, carries a message that, while media may hold significant influence, his true power lies in his music. Lyrics like “I got the power, the power, power, flying 88” showcase his undiminished strength as an artist.


"POWER" quickly topped major Korean music charts, including Melon, Genie, Bugs, and Vibe, and its music video amassed over 10 million views on YouTube within a day. On Melon alone, the song surpassed 820,000 streams on its first day, demonstrating G-Dragon’s impressive popularity despite a seven-year hiatus.


Written by Heo Ji Hyeong
Translated by Lee So Yun