7 K-Pop Groups That Debuted In 2016 That May Or May Not Renew In 2023

With 2023 just around the corner, K-Pop fans should be looking forward to what the next year will bring to them! While there will undoubtedly be countless awesome comebacks and debuts, there are several K-Pop groups who may have to make the decision whether or not to renew their contracts. Groups that debuted in 2016 and have the typical “seven-year contract” have become the subject of discussion on a recent Reddit post, as fans contemplate which might disband or renew, or might end up just losing one or more members. Here are seven K-Pop groups who could just end up disbanding in 2023.

1. BLACKPINK

BLACKPINK debuted on August 8, 2016. While fans seem to generally lean more towards believing they will renew their contracts due to their success and their desire to stay together, there are still some that are unsure about their future or at least hope they change how they’re managed by YG Entertainment.

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2. ASTRO

ASTRO debuted on February 23, 2016. The overall consensus among fans seems to generally lean towards beliving that all of the members will renew, though Cha Eunwoo is a bit more mixed. Some think he will definitely renew as well, while others think he may decide to fully pursue his acting career.

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3. NCT

NCT’s first sub-unit, NCT U, debuted on April 9, 2016, with NCT 127 debuting on July 7, 2016 and NCT DREAM debuted on August 25, 2016. Given how many members there are between the sub-units that debuted in 2016, it’s highly unlikely that they would completely disband. However, it fans think that it could be possible that some members might decide to leave in 2023.

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4. PENTAGON

PENTAGON debuted on October 10, 2016. They’re another group that fans seem a bit torn over, especially with the news that Hui may be participating in the upcoming Boys Planet competition show. Yanan has been particularly quiet and without updates lately, which has fans concerned about his future with the group.

5. VICTON

VICTON debuted on November 9, 2016. There aren’t a ton of opinions about whether or not they’ll renew on the Reddit post, and the beliefs among those who did comment seem pretty uncertain. The fans that did comment, though, are pretty passionate in hoping that the members will all decide to renew!

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6. Cosmic Girls (WJSN)

Cosmic Girls debuted on February 25, 2016. The opinion towards their renewal odds among fans seems to lean a little more towards the positive that they will renew, but there is also a strong assumption that they may lose some members too. With the success of IVE under their shared label, Starship Entertainment, there are also fears that the label will stop providing as much funding to the older girl group.

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7. MOMOLAND

MOMOLAND debuted on November 10, 2016. Out of all the groups listed, they seem to have the most people expecting them to end up disbanding. After the success of “BBoom BBoom”, member withdrawals and their lack of an equally successful comeback has made their fans worried for their future. Some fans are actually hopeful that they won’t renew so they can move on to other endeavors.