Is 2NE1 heading for a break-up? (Updated with YG's Statement)

[jewelia13.livejournal.com]

This year has been terrible for K-pop, with many of the top groups losing members or just plain splitting up. It didn’t look like it could get any worse after shock exits from EXO and Girls’ Generation, but somehow it has, with one of the genre’s most popular acts, 2NE1, now on the chopping block.


Following news that the group’s breakout star, CL, is going to debut in America next year under Scooter Braun’s management, member Minzy has amended her social media accounts to remove all mentions of 2NE1. She took the group’s name out of her Twitter bio, and then changed her Instagram username from ‘MINZY21MZ’ to ‘_minzy_mz’.

This comes just a few days after she uploaded a cryptic photo to Instagram that read, “Things Change, People Change, Places Change, Friends Change, Careers Change, Economies Change… But God Never Changes.”

A possible 2NE1 split isn’t actually a huge shock considering that the group has been in trouble since June when member Park Bom was found to have illegally smuggled prescription drugs into Korea. The scandal destroyed her reputation and caused her to be kicked off the reality series Roommate, with many Korean netizens labelling the 30-something-year-old a “criminal” and calling for her exile from the entertainment industry.

To add weight to the rumours of 2NE1′s disbandment, the group’s record label, YG Entertainment, is apparently set to launch a brand new girl group next month — their first since 2NE1 debuted in 2009.

However, nothing has been officially confirmed yet, so it’s still too soon to know if the group is really going to call it quits or not. There’s a lot of evidence leaning towards a split, but it could all just be a series of misunderstandings and coincidences.

This year has seen a number of K-pop groups lose members, including EXO, f(x) Girls’ Generation, Hello Venus, MBLAQ, and FIESTAR, while indie band Busker Busker and rookie group Kiss&Cry disbanded altogether.

On a more positive note, veteran girl group KARA lost two members but were still able to make a successful comeback with a new member. Perhaps 2NE1 will be able to survive by doing the same?


Update: Minzy has now added the “2NE1″ tag back to her Twitter profile. Minzy, girl…


1. [+566, -44] Yang Hyun Suk does all this media play for Psy and Epik High but look at what is happening to the artists YG purely trained like Se7en, Big Bang, and 2NE1. It's like he purposely went out looking to cast trash.

2. [+442, -31] YG remained silent even with all those scandals Big Bang caused back and forth and now that 2NE1 isn't making them any money, they worked them on tour and are throwing them out now ㅋㅋ To Yang Hyun Suk, you're only family when you make him money and you're thrown out if you don't.

3. [+357, -23] Is Park Bom the cause of an eventual disbandment

4. [+49, -0] What's Sandara Park gonna do? She's not good at anything

5. [+42, -1] I already knew they'd be on their way to disbandment with what happened to Park Druggie

6. [+42, -2] YG pays no attention to their solos. Left Gummy in the dust for years before she left. Lee Hi will probably be thrown out after her contract expires too.

7. [+42, -12] Poor 2NE1 suffering because of Park Druggie ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ

8. [+41, -2] Can't imagine how frustrated Minzy must feel. Can't promote as a team because of that Park Druggie bitch. And it's not like Minzy's pretty or talented enough to do anything on her own, I'd be pissed too ㅋㅋㅋ

9. [+40, -1] Park Bom basically trashed 2NE1's image all on her own

10. [+34, -11] Naver refuses to put up any articles about Minzy being predicted to leave 2NE1 with her SNS activities. Only media play about CL's solo and the new girl group is up on the main page. Naver is totally in the palm of YG's hand..

11. [+31, -0] So CL's still getting support... Park Bom's probably going to get kicked out because of her druggie image.. Minzy's going to leave the group.. What's going to happen to Sandara Park?

12. [+29, -5] YG always talks about family but they always throw people out once you don't make any money for them. At this rate, I'd say the people filing lawsuits over at SM have more loyalty than YG does.

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1. [+538, -36] One's off doing drugs, one's got no talent... Can't imagine how frustrated CL and Minzy are trying to pull them all together.

2. [+379, -30] Got plastic surgery done and everything for some good promotions up ahead but that plastic surgery monster ruined everything and ran away.

3. [+342, -11] This is pretty much a disbandment

4. [+42, -6] Aigoo, journalist... Minzy's current Instagram account is _minzy_mz and she never got rid of 2NE1 and it's still in her profile. That account you're talking about is a fan account.. Stop writing articles on fake accounts ㅠㅠ

5. [+35, -7] It's not Minzy's ID




YG spoke to Korean news outlet "TV Daily" to say that this was simply a "coincidence":


Sources: Popdust, Nate, NetizenBuzz, Koreaboo, K-Pop Starz, Asian Junkie 1, 2, TV Daily, Reddit