Nearly 9 years into the industry, SEVENTEEN's first anthology ahead of their anniversary leaves us feeling nostalgic, proud, and a wave of emotions. Their album "17 Is Right Here" details the group's journey over the last few years and tops it off with four new tracks on the album, one group, and three sub-unit tracks. Each unit shined in its way for the tracks 'Spell', 'LALALI', and 'Cheer To Youth', showing off individualistic skills and raw talent. However, when the 13-member boy group combined for their title track, the synergistic effect reminded us why they're one of the top names in the K-Pop world. Their title track 'Maestro' garnered attention worldwide as it told the important message of "Who is the real MAESTRO?"

The reliance on technology is becoming increasingly popular, especially with the rise of AI and its uses. Social media has played a drastic role in the popularity and has seeped into the K-Pop world. It's unsettling how easily you can find a cover from your favorite idol but an AI machine completely sings it. The uncomfortable discussion of "Do we need artists anymore?" is debated among the census.

Many artists in the industry have spoken out about this phenomenon, but SEVENTEEN truly struck many of their fans with a powerful clapback at the use of AI. 'Maestro' details that the only true leaders are artists themselves. Set in a dystopian reality, with visuals of SEVENTEEN members battling machines, and leading others like a conductor, the boy group hit the mark on what it truly means to be the "maestro." Machines can not replicate true artistry, and SEVENTEEN's commanding title track is a reminder that technology can never replace them.

Apart from the title track, the group released three songs for their respective sub-units. Similar to its twin sister 'Fire', 'LALALI' by the hip-hop unit, consisting of S.Coups, MinGyu, Vernon, and WonWoo, was oozing with energy and pure entertainment. 'Spell' by the performance unit, consisting of Hoshi, Jun, THE8, and Dino, not only hypnotized us with its sultry sound but smooth, afro-inspired dance. Ending on a high note, the vocal unit song, consisting of WooZi, JeongHan, Joshua, SeungKwan, and DK, sings of encouragement and an anthem to the youth.

The new songs truly emulated a new side of SEVENTEEN but how could we forget the originals? The album feels like a walk down memory lane, invoking feelings of nostalgia as disc 2 of the album starts with their debut 'Adore U'. From the start with 'Adore U' to now 'Maestro' the two title tracks have stark differences in sound but mimic the essence of SEVENTEEN in every way.

HYBE Labels

Even though SEVENTEEN has been in the industry for quite some time now, this comeback feels like the mark of a new beginning for the group and the music they want to share with fans. The group plans to release another album towards the end of 2024 and have already completed their South Korea stops for their "FOLLOW AGAIN" tour recently. We're expecting much more from the group and look forward to what surprises they'll have for their "9th CARAT LAND" fanmeeting this year.

How did you feel about "17 Is Right Here?" Let us know on X!

There’s no doubt that a new K-Beauty product is always trending, especially when a K-Celeb is the face of said product. In recent news, we’ve seen big names like SEVENTEEN’s WonWoo named as the new model of Korean beauty brands like The Face Shop, ZEROBASEONE becoming the new faces of COLORGRAM, and RIIZE becoming the new models of ETUDE, and many more.

There is an abundance of K-Beauty brands with K-Celebs as the face/model/ambassador of the brand - and fans are dedicated to buying these products to support their favorite K-Pop idol or Korean actor. The Olive Young top product ranking (of Apr. 25, 2024) is a great example of this. Out of the 8 products shown, 4 of them have K-Celebs (namely MONSTA X's HyungWon, Go YounJung, 2AM's Jo Kwon, and ZEROBASEONE's Kim JiWoong) as the face of the product, which can increase the odds of consumers buying the product.

Olive Young Screenshot (25/04/2024)

If you've ever wondered why brands opt to add celebrities to their marketing campaigns, a look at the following data from 2021 by LaunchMetrics proves the impact that Korean celebrities (namely BLACKPINK's Jennie and JiSoo, and BIGBANG's G-Dragon) have had on international luxury brands for fashion and cosmetics (which has only grown stronger since then).

LaunchMetrics

If that is the impact that K-Celebs can have on international brands, then it goes without saying that they would have a similar impact on local K-Beauty brands, too.

However, recently fans have been raising the question wondering why K-Celebrities (especially veterans and big names) don't venture into creating their own cosmetics and beauty brands. If they did, surely they'd make a lucrative profit from their fans' support...

In the case of the Western world, artists like Beyoncé, Selena Gomez, and Rihanna have infiltrated the global beauty market with their respective brands. Beyoncé has recently gone viral for her content utilizing her hair care products Cécred, Selena Gomez has become a sensation on social media with her cosmetics brand Rare Beauty, and Rihanna has also created a cosmetics brand that is a staple on the dressing tables of many in the form of Fenty Beauty. So, why don't K-Celebrities leverage their fandoms and take the leap?

The K-Beauty Celebrity Cosmetics Landscape Is Not Non-Existent

If you're looking for K-Celebrity cosmetics, but feeling bleak because you can't find any, then don't despair. There is one brand that you can seek out!

That's not to say that K-Pop idols haven't ventured into creating their own cosmetics brands at all. Jeon SoMi is one of the first K-Pop idols to attempt her own cosmetics line.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by 글맆 GLYF (@glyfing)

She launched the makeup brand GLYF which she had been working on since 2023.

Negative Reactions To A K-Celebrity Makeup Line

However, the product launch was met with some pushback from netizens as they questioned her intention/sincerity and the pricing of the product.

Some argued that Jeon SoMi's first product, the ILLUÉTTE Highlighter Palette (four colors) at 43,000 Korean won (about 31.39 USD), is too expensive.

Whilst this sentiment spread across communities, to be objective, similar celebrity brands in the West charge similarly or even more. The Fenty Beauty Killawatt Freestyle Highlighter (one or two colors) retails for 74,100 Korean won (about 54.02 USD) and the Rare Beauty Positive Light Silky Touch Highlighter (one color) retails for 25 USD (about 34,274 Korean won).

On the other hand, if you compare a similar highlighter palette (with 4 colors) from the Korean brand IPKN called the IPKN Flap One Face Palette, it retails for 32,000 Korean won (about 23.23 USD).

Note: all prices and conversions are as of Apr. 24, 2024.

GLYF Official / Fenty Beauty Official / Rare Beauty Official / Olive Young

Taking these brands into consideration, Jeon SoMi's product is slightly on the pricey side but not entirely out of reach. It is up to consumers to buy a product in their comfortable price range.

The Likeliness Of More K-Celebs Opening Brands In Future

Whilst K-Pop idols are at a career and popularity advantage to launch products in the form of beauty and fashion brands, there might be some hesitance on their part due to potential backlash from fans. Jeon SoMi is one case study, but so is former Girls' Generation member Jessica Jung, who faced backlash from her agency when trying to launch her current fashion brand BLANC & ECLARE.

Some fans perceive pursuing businesses like this as a distraction and a lack of dedication to being an idol. Even in the West, Rihanna has received a lot of backlash for not releasing music and focusing solely on her beauty brand, for example.

As K-Pop fandom prioritizes a relationship with the K-Pop idol, for instance, whilst there might be an outpouring of support for the idol's brand - fans might not like the change in focus.

There is also the issue of K-Pop idols losing out on much-needed brand deals essential to marketing their groups or themselves. This is because beauty brand models are usually tied to only promoting that specific brand due to exclusivity clauses in the contract.

Lastly, and naturally, creating a brand in a saturated market is also a huge risk that K-Celebs may not have the time or energy to take on. Especially in South Korea, where K-Beauty giants such as Olive Young rule the day, it might be difficult to navigate the brands under that umbrella and other competitors. Even a brand (distributor) as huge as Sephora (selling international brands) has had to close down operations in South Korea due to being unable to beat the local K-Beauty market.

If competition can be this fierce between distributors, then it will undoubtedly be just as fierce amongst actual brand competitors.

However, there is still hope that more K-Celebs will take the leap to create products that can help fans feel closer to or like them.

What do you think? Should more K-Celebs be starting beauty brands? Do you reckon that being the face of another K-Beauty brand and not starting their own is the best way for K-Celebs to be part of the K-Beauty industry?

The 5th generation of K-Pop is all the rage right now and dominating this generation as one of the top rising groups is none other than RIIZE. With talented members, gorgeous visuals, and addictive music, RIIZE is steadily making their mark on the industry. Their latest comeback with the prologue single 'Impossible' was a house track that featured outstanding choreography, and the member who caught fans' attention the most with his unmatched dancing skills was Shotaro.

Thoroughly impressed by Shotaro's flawless talent, we were left wanting more. So, it got us thinking about a dream variety show where Shotaro could collaborate with fellow K-Pop idols who were also known for their incredible skills.

So, here are the top 5 idol dancers we would love to see collab with RIIZE's Shotaro!

1. Shotaro x SHINee's TaeMin

RIIZE on X / TaeMin's Instagram

The person who wants this collaboration even more than us is probably Shotaro himself. TaeMin is Shotaro's role model and as we all know, TaeMin is one of the best, if not THE best dancer in K-Pop. A collaboration between the reigning King and a rising Prince would be fantastic, to say the least. Both dancers have their own unique groove and style that, we believe, would complement each other wonderfully.

2. Shotaro x SEVENTEEN's Hoshi

RIIZE on X / Hoshi's Instagram

Another dancing machine whose talent knows no bounds, Hoshi would be perfect for a dance collaboration with Shotaro. With both Hoshi and Shotaro being sunshine personified, this collab would break the internet for being the coolest and the cutest at the same time. We can already imagine the two idols getting along well together and we would love to see them come up with an original choreography.

3. Shotaro x EXO's Lay Zhang

RIIZE on X / Lay's Instagram

If we're talking about the best of the best when it comes to dance, we cannot possibly forget Lay Zhang. The idol recently made his comeback on Korean music shows with his latest song 'Psychic'. With the man, the myth, and the legend back, we would love to see him dance with SM's rising star, Shotaro. From one dance prodigy to another, this could be a collaboration that's truly one of a kind.

4. Shotaro x KISS OF LIFE's Natty

RIIZE on X / Natty's Instagram

Widely recognized as one of the it-girls of K-Pop right now, Natty is an outstanding dancer, to say the least. A collaboration between the two 5th-generation dance icons - Natty and Shotaro, would make the headlines for days. Both artists have a knack for a variety of dance styles and are known for their high-energy, precise performances. We'd love to see a fusion of different dance styles from them.

5. Shotaro x New:ID's Wilson

RIIZE on X / New:ID's Instagram

Currently a trainee under MLD Entertainment, New:ID's Wilson is already gaining attention from all over the world for his dance skills. New:ID's SNS is buzzing with dance cover videos and fans just can't get enough of Wilson's moves. Collaborating with Shotaro would be a great opportunity for Wilson to learn from his sunbaenim and give us even more reasons to fall in love with both of them all over again.

Which K-Pop idol do you want to see Shotaro collaborate with? Tell us on X!