“Disbandment Track?” — 3rd Gen Girl Group’s Surprise Announcement Has Fans Thinking The Worst
While nothing would make fans happier than for their favorite group to continue forever, the unfortunate truth is that some will ultimately go their separate ways. Usually, when a disbandment is amicable, the group gives fans a final gift, sometimes called a “disbandment track.”
A third-generation girl group recently left many wondering if their surprise announcement was a sign of the end.
In 2017, ALICE debuted in June 2017 as ELRIS under Hunus Entertainment.
The group were active under this company, adding two new members at the beginning of 2020. However, for most of 2020 and all of 2021, the group remained on hiatus, with it being announced that they would be transferred to IOK Company.
The group then rebranded to their current name, releasing their first digital single as ALICE on May 4, 2022, and another that October.
Fans were concerned over the group’s fate as they had not been active since July 2023, leading to organized demands for updates.
🌷BLRIS MASS EMAIL EVENT🌷
We hope IOK can read carefully and understand the concerns for ALICE. Please go to the link below to copy the letter to IOK & send to:
contact@iok.co.kr
iok@iok.co.kr#WhereIsALICE #UpdateBLRISKR: https://t.co/DQJd9SkJiM
ENG: https://t.co/7pKnTSzfbn pic.twitter.com/VJmq0OKyXN— carizma 🍀 (@loonatheslasher) March 24, 2024
Unfortunately, things have only gotten less clear, with the departure of members from the group.
Sohee, the group’s arguably most known member, announced her marriage and retirement, while Karin, Yukyung, Doa and Yeonje all shared they would be leaving ALICE, as well.
There has been no information about the group’s two remaining members, EJ and Chaejeong, but the ALICE official X account shared that the group would release “Milky Way,” a digital single on May 13, 2024.
𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐂𝐄 Digital Single '𝙈𝙞𝙡𝙠𝙮 𝙒𝙖𝙮' 🌌
𝟤𝟢𝟤𝟦. 𝟢𝟧. 𝟣𝟥. ᴍᴏɴ 𝟼ᴘᴍ (ᴋsᴛ) ʀᴇʟᴇᴀsᴇ#ALICE #앨리스 #Digital_Single#Milky_Way pic.twitter.com/rOB4i2dNsy— 앨리스 (ALICE) (@IOK_ALICE) May 9, 2024
Groups have often lost members, but continued on, either adjusting to their new line-up or adding new members.
However, with this surprise announcement, many fans are fearful this is ALICE’s “disbandment song.”
so every one of their releases has had the members faces on them even digital singles so this has to be a disbandment single right? yall im losing it https://t.co/ir22DNJNjA
— angel (@cuntyjigumi) May 9, 2024
not the disband single https://t.co/RlPxq7fjT4
— (• • !) (@ningpurinz) May 9, 2024
it’s very wrong of IOK to be releasing a single with so explanation prior to the announcement. something is very fishy https://t.co/jg8BMcu1hw
— n (@jngsom) May 9, 2024
Hopefully, the situation will be cleared up for the fans and the remaining members will be able to do what is best for themselves!
