Top K-Pop Girl Groups That Ended Their Journey In 2024
2024 has been an unexpected year for K-Pop, with the industry witnessing some shocking disbandments. It appears that the “curse” has hit girl groups especially hard, given the long list of iconic girl groups that have had a wrench driven in their career.
Here are all the major girl groups that have either disbanded or left their agencies this year, leaving their futures uncertain:
1. Cherry Bullet
The group debuted in January 2019 with their first single album, Let’s Play Cherry Bullet. Though at the time, it was a 10-member group, in December 2019, three of the members terminated their contracts with FNC Entertainment and left the group. Cherry Bullet’s final lineup consisted of seven members: Haeyoon, Yuju, Bora, Jiwon, Remi, Chaerin, and May. After five years of activity, the group disbanded officially on April 22, 2024, after four out of seven members terminated their contracts with the agency.
2. NATURE
NATURE debuted in 2018 with the album Girls and Flowers. The nine-member group was active and released music frequently until 2022, when they released their last mini album, NATURE World: Code W. In December 2023, their contract with the Japanese label PonyCanyon and the Japanese website and mailing service were terminated. A few months later, on April 27, 2024, NATURE disbanded.
The announcement came shortly after it was revealed that one of its Japanese members, Haru, was working as a hostess at an adult entertainment establishment in Japan. Though NATURE’S agency, n.CH Entertainment, didn’t comment on this news, it turned the disbandment into a subject of controversy and speculation.
3. WEKI MEKI
WEKI MEKI debuted under Fantagio in 2017 as an eight-member lineup. The girl group enjoyed a seven-year-long career, releasing five EPs, two single albums, and a re-issue album. On June 12, 2024, the group released their final single, “CoinciDestiny,” and two months later, on August 16, they officially disbanded.
4. NewJeans
Amid the longstanding legal conflicts between HYBE, ADOR, and former ADOR CEO Min Hee Jin, NewJeans recently decided to part ways with their agency. The announcement was made by the members themselves through an emergency press conference on November 29, 2024. Though the members were clear that they would stick together as a group and continue their activities, they also acknowledged the possibility of not being able to use the name “NewJeans” due to copyright issues. As of now, NewJeans’ fate remains uncertain.
5. LOOSSEMBLE
LOOSSEMBLE, consisting of former LOONA members Hyujin, Yeojin, ViVi, Gowon, and Hyeju, made its debut in 2023 after all LOONA members terminated their exclusive contracts with their previous label. But in a little over a year, the group has bid adieu to fans. On November 29, KST, CTDENM announced that the members’ exclusive contracts with the label had expired. With no talks of renewals, LOOSSEMBLE fans are anxious about the possibility of this turning into yet another disbandment news.
6. fromis_9
After debuting in 2018 under Pledis Entertainment, fromis_9 delivered five EPs, five single albums, a full-length studio album, and countless singles. On November 29, KST, Pledis Entertainment announced that the group’s exclusive contract with the label is set to expire on December 31. The group will, however, release one last song on December 23 before departing from the label.
7. Cignature
Cignature debuted as a nine-member lineup in February 2020 under C9 Entertainment. The group quickly built up a sizable discography in the four years of its activity, including five EPs and seven singles. It also won the Blooming Star Award at the 2023 Hanteo Music Awards, marking a huge milestone for the group. Meanwhile, the same year, Cignature member Belle participated in the SBS survival show Universe Ticket and secured a place in the debuting group Unis. In January 2024, C9 Entertainment announced that Belle would promote as a member of Unis for two and a half years, while the rest of Cignature continue as a six-member group. But on December 3, KST, the label announced that all Cignature members had unanimously agreed to end their activities on November 30, and the group had officially disbanded.