YG Entertainment recently announced that its new Kpop girl group, BABYMONSTER, will debut with only 6 members. The potential ace and center of the group, BABYMONSTER Ahyeon, must undergo an unexpected hiatus for health reasons, and YG claimed she would join the 6 members later. Still, was it really a fact or media play from the company? That is because a recent rumor revealed that Ahyeon was leaving BABYMONSTER and YG, creating more controversy for the monster rookie and the company. Check out the following report for more details.
BABYMONSTER Debut with 6 Members: Where’s Ahyeon?
YG’s monster rookie, BABYMONSTER, has created a new controversy in the Kpop music industry after the company announced the group’s upcoming debut with only 6 members.
Over the last couple of years, BABYMONSTER has triggered curiosity among Kpop fans due to its repeated debut delays. Even after the recent evaluation process, YG kept postponing the group’s debut date for various reasons, igniting a loss of trust from the public.
Therefore, when the company recently revealed that BABYMONSTER would only debut with 6 members, it created another viral issue: where’s Ahyeon?
Ahyeon was one of BABYMONSTER original members who would reportedly become the center and ace of the group. She excelled in almost every aspect, including singing, rapping, dancing, visuals, and stage presence, surpassing her fellow trainees. She has also mastered controlling her idol aura, creating the duality between cute and elegant demeanor. It was closely similar to Jennie during her debut days.
And most importantly, during the recent evaluation, Ahyeon also showed impressive leadership skills, inspiring the remaining members to improve further.
With these uniquely rare talents, YG CEO Yang Hyun Suk even called her a warrior with many unique weapons.
“Ahyeon is just a warrior with numerous impressive ‘weapons.’
Whenever you see her, you’ll know that it’s hard to find anyone like her.”
Yang Hyun Suk, YG’s CEO.
Fans have placed high expectations on Ahyeon as the center and ace of BABYMONSTER. That is why when she was missing from the BABYMONSTER lineup members for the upcoming debut, everyone wondered: where’s Ahyeon?
Is Ahyeon REALLY Leaving BABYMONSTER and YG?
Following the announcement that BABYMONSTER would debut with 6 members, the public speculated that Ahyeon was leaving YG. After all, rumors have been spreading on online communities that BABYMONSTER delayed debut was because of Ahyeon leaving the company after her recent racial slur controversy.
However, YG then clarified to Sports DongA that Ahyeon’s withdrawal was not true. According to YG, she only took a break due to health issues.
YG also stated that BABYMONSTER’s formation remained intact with 7 members, and Ahyeon would join the group later on.
Still, after the recent statement from YG, more rumors emerged on the internet and social media that everything was YG’s media play. Ahyeon was reportedly leaving BABYMONSTER and the company altogether.
On November 16, Top Star News revealed speculations from music industry insiders that Ahyeon was leaving BABYMONSTER due to the recent controversy. Not only that, but the report also stated that YG had removed her name from BABYMONSTER’s profile on the portal’s site.
Ahyeon has been rumored to leave BABYMONSTER and YG for several months. Numerous posts in the Kpop communities revealed that Ahyeon had even paid the penalty for her contract violation and moved to another company.
“Ahyeon departed from YG and joined a different company. She has also resolved the penalty fee and received an advanced payment for her transfer. She is reportedly set to debut next year.”
Top Star News.
YG’s Rumored Media Play After BABYMONSTER 6 Members Debut and BLACKPINK Contract Controversy
While this new speculation has yet been confirmed, especially after YG delivered a contradicting statement, it created new controversy surrounding BABYMONSTER debut members.
Previously, YG has been famous for delivering similar statements with its previous groups, TREASURE and WINNER.
At the time, the company made the same statements that members of TREASURE and WINNER would be taking a break due to health issues, only to reveal that these members eventually left without a clear explanation.
The public is suspicious that YG is performing its media play because Ahyeon is the most popular ace among BABYMONSTER members. Therefore, if they reveal that Ahyeon is leaving BABYMONSTER today, the group would suffer from massive controversy. And eventually, BABYMONSTER would lose all its hype.
This is something YG cannot afford right now, especially with all the issues surrounding the company. With the CEO found guilty of blackmailing, the uncertainty of BLACKPINK’s contract, and the controversy surrounding BLACKPINK Lisa and BABYMONSTER Ahyeon, YG’s stock price has been plunging hard.
Will The Group Survive Amid This Massive Controversy?
Finally, will BABYMONSTER eventually survive with only 6 members?
Ahyeon missing from BABYMONSTER debut lineup reportedly leaves YG no choice but to take risks. Losing the ace of the group resulted in YG creating such vague statements to save the group’s hype. That is especially when BABYMONSTER is reportedly losing its defining debut moment: too many delays after the latest hype in the evaluation.
While YG clearly stated that Ahyeon’s withdrawal from BABYMONSTER was not true, the public believes that her return remains a low possibility.
Today, with Ahyeon leaving the debut lineup members, BABYMONSTER faces more issues. That is because only 2 Korean members remain in the group. Haram and Rora are the only Korean members of BABYMONSTER. Ruka and Asa are from Japan, while Pharita and Chiquita are from Thailand. This fact has made Korean fans restless, as Koreans have become a minority in the new girl group.
With this controversy and issues, the Kpop music industry is wondering whether BABYMONSTER will be able to continue BLACKPINK’s legacy as YG’s monster rookie.
So, what do you think? Will BABYMOSTER lose its hype or still thrive even without Ahyeon? Please share your thoughts in the comments.
Source: News1, Top Star News, JTBC, MoneyS.
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