OMONA Predictions 2021: the reveal + share your predictions for 2022!

[goshipgurl.livejournal.com]

Welcome back to our annual prediction post here at OMONA, which is already in its fifth year! Wohoo! Never thought that I'd continue this series for so long but I clearly have no life and we're still in the middle of a goddamn pandemic so any distraction from the chaos going on outside is a welcome change. If you're like me and have nothing else to do right now you can check out the previous prediction posts and have a good laugh: 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020
As always, share your predictions for next year in the comments below!



TRUE

• Aespa will continue to rise. The girls and their beep boop bitches had several comebacks this year with one of them taking their success to the "Next Level".


• Ex-IZ*ONE Kwon Eunbi to debut solo. After Izone disbandment she opened the "Door" to her solo career.

PARTLY TRUE

• EXO will make a group comeback. The boys did indeed come back with a new album and, to everyone's surprise, Lay found some time to participate in the recording and even sent his CGI brother to the MV shooting.


• CLC disbands. While Cube still hasn't formally announced the disbandment of the group yet, members Elkie and Sorn have left both the group and agency this year and Yujin participated on Girls Planet 999 where she confirmed that the group is technically done.

NOT TRUE

• Dreamcatcher will get their first music show win. The girls had 2 comebacks this year but sadly none of them got them first place on music shows. Maybe next year?


• APRIL finally gets a breakout hit. Well, the group definitely made some headlines this year but not with their musical output. Instead we got a bullying scandal and the girls have since been on hiatus.


• BTS will have a dating scandal. Every year we're hoping for one and this year we could have had it aaaaaaaaall, but... nope. Jungkook did have a rumor with Lee YoonBi but that got denied real quick. V got photgraphed with a chaebol daughter at an exhibit but that god also denied.


• Lay leaves EXO. Again, we're wishing for another exodus every year but he's still part of EXO (and even participated in their comeback this year!). However, his contract ends next year so fingers crossed that I can finally check this one off the list in 12 months.

Another shitty year is over but thanks for keeping me entertained during these though times, OMONA. Wishing you all the best for the new year!

Comments

[gathyou.livejournal.com]

So I did a loooot of predictions last year. Let's see which one held up lmao.


- Chungha recovered and released her album <3
- BoA keeping a low profile was true in 2021, but sadly most of it was due to losing her brother :( Glad to see her back with aespa and Girls On Top, especially as a mentor/leader of sorts after having such a long solo career. It's a nice opportunity :)
- Half-assed/not super impactful EXO/Red Velvet comebacks, SHINee comeback before enlistement, D.O music debut, Itzy full-length album, Kwon Eunbi solo debut, GolCha dark concept as main and funky bside as second promo, Yukika mini... I guess I just did a bunch of very likely guesses lmao, one of the company debuting their post-IZ*ONE group (IVE with Starship).
- "Rose finally gets her solo but it's disappointing" lmaooo



- TVXQ DID show up on Kingdom but as hosts lmao
- I predicted aespa to rise with a more mainstream song... They did rise, but not with what I consider a mainstream song lmao.
- Also predicted a full-length retro album from Sunmi, we got a majorly retro-inspired MINI album though :)
- Jeongyeon did more promotions than I expected her to, I hope she's doing ok right now <3 TWICE overall did SO MUCH MORE than I expected, what a strong year for them!
- I predicted more focus on fromis_9 from their company after IZ*ONE's disbandement - they changed company but Pledis is investing and promoting them so it half counts I guess?



- No SNSD special single, no Taeyeon album, no Sunny solo debut, though we at least got one Oh!GG track and a Sunny featuring...
- I predicted an ambitious GFriend comeback in spring and they DISBANDED. I'm still heartbroken.
- I also tried to manifest Lovelyz staying together two more years and they DISBANDED. I wasn't confident about that prediction anyway but it still hurts ;__;
- HOWEVER I predicted Laboum's disbandement and they rised back on the charts and had their comeback!!! + I was worried about GWSN and they CAME BACK!!!
- I really wish AKMU had left YG.
- Chaewon did not joined Rocket Punch, Woollim probably got some money selling her trainee contract to Big Hit and I'm sure the group will be very successful once they debut!
- Lisa's solo wasn't too delayed but damn I wish it had been.
- April did not get a breakthrough hit :'D
- Dreamcatcher did not get their first win but they had solid promotions. Loona did not have that much success and I hope 2022 is better for them. At least Haseul is back <3 Everglow didn't have a popularity rise but no drop either?
- APink only had their anniversary single, no early 2021 goodness :(
- Ryu Sera did not follow up Miss Baek with new music but her youtube videos are very cute and she looks happy doing them so I'm happy with this outcome :)
- Jellyfish didn't went bankrupt so far lol

[gathyou.livejournal.com]

Now onto my predictions lmao:

I'LL MANIFEST A GODDAMN SNSD SPECIAL SINGLE/COMEBACK EACH YEAR UNTIL IT HAPPENS.
More seriously : busy year for Taeyeon and Hyoyeon with Girls on Top & their own solos, while the rest of the girls stay mostly focused on acting/hosting.
Crazier bet : a Tiffany comeback, whether in SK/US, I'm actually surprised she hasn't released original music in so long.
Craziest bets : a fully promoted Yuri comeback + I really want a mini-album for Sunny.

I expect aespa to still do good as SM really focuses on them.

No solo comeback for BoA but she'll be active as producer/mentor for other group (obviously I would love to be wronged).

TVXQ comeback saying that Yunho has reflected.

I was thinking of EXO members leaving but besides Lay quietly not signing again, I actually don't know? Chen could stay as all but officially retired from idol life, I don't know if Chanyeol/Suho/Kai would want to go anywhere else, D.O will depend on how much he wants to focus on acting. Overall I'm betting on a Soshi, pretending to still be together but not doing much.

I bet that Red Velvet will stay another two years but focus on solos.

Maybe a NCT dating scandal? We kinda had Lucas this year but with how many members there are, I'm surprised things aren't more messy.

[pppum.livejournal.com]

SHINee's prediction, please lol

[gathyou.livejournal.com]

Right! I think Taemin will comeback as soon as he's out if the army lol. Before anything SHINee.
I have more hopes for them than wishes — I really wish Bad Love can be recognized as the best comeback in 2021 and that Key gets all the success and opportunities he deserved. What are yours?

[pppum.livejournal.com]

Yeah no SHINee as a group on 2022. Key will have a japanese comeback first half and Korean comeback on 2nd half in which I manifest mainstream success this time. Taemin will have a comeback pretty fast too right after he is out and we will hear SHINee's back again on 1st Jan 2023 lol.

[gathyou.livejournal.com]

I expect some TWICE members to leave, either to retire from idol life (Jeongyeon?) or to try new projects (Chaeyoung?).
I also expect OMG to run into troubles as apparently their comany isn't doing well, and Momoland's announced comeback to be their last before another hiatus and eventually end of the group.
Official disbandement notice for CLC just before the debut anniversary and Sorn getting herself into a scandal of her own. April also quietly disband, never coming back from their hiatus. Bvndit haven't been heard off for a while? we might get a disbandement announcement. Same with Nature :(

However I expet Black Pink to stay where they are, the way they are.
Weki Meki (they still have one more year) and WJSN seem pretty safe to me as well. so far

I predict a (g)i-dle group concept that has Soojin fans mad, but the general public not caring much either ways. They'll focus on solos after that.

I'm manifesting a successful VIVIZ debut, they seem to be taking their time, hopefully it's not an Hinapia situation.
I'm expecting (hoping?) Yuju to release indie music, Kei of Lovelyz to sign as a soloist somewhere and Yeeun of CLC to show up on a rap-focused show with a new company backing her up. I loved a lot of 2014/2015 girl groups so I'll try to keep up with their careers afterwards, even though the groups disbanded.

I expect Itzy to keep sliding down as JYP focuses on the new gg. I really do not trust them promoting both group successfully at the same time.

I really dont want it but I'm expecting a BIG BANG comeback as 4 with some vague-ass comments to avoid talking about S/trash but one of the guys likes an ot5 pic on Instagram or something and fans go crazy...

IZ*ONE get a reunion performance before IOI ever gets the opportunity, fans get mad.

Overall:
Successful year: aespa, StayC, IVE, the new Big Hit and JYP ggs, IU
Moderatelly successful: Sunmi, fromis_9, Brave Girls, Laboum, APink, Dreamcatcher, Weeekly, Jo Yuri, Kim Sejeong, Billlie, Pixy
Struggling but ok: Rocket Punch, Kwon Eunbi, Itzy, Loona, Chungha, Everglow, GWSN, Lightsum
I'm worried: TWICE, Oh My Girl, Nature, Elris, Bvndit

Musically, I hope kpop isn't too focused on one single trend in 2022. I enjoy the girl crush songs but please, don't have everyone doing it! I hope the retro trends stay a little longer, I'm enjoying the 80s and Y2K inspired concepts. Also I really, REALLY hope a girl group or soloist finally digs in and gives us a pop punk concept. We got an Avril Lavigne cover recently (from a member of Pixy) so it's getting even more likely!!!

[theweebdream.livejournal.com]

I like your categorization of how well you think groups will do next year! What are your thoughts on BugAboo? Seems they majorly flopped with their debut so I wonder if they’ll be able to recover in the future.

[gathyou.livejournal.com]

Honestly I remember seeing their MV once but not how it sounded like... it's hard to tell. Small companies of small groups can have a way to survive way past any expectations, look how Dreamnote came back with a new concept at Halloween after being gone since Feb 2020, so I wouldn't be too worried about a failed debut! I really don't know them well enough 😭

[996677.livejournal.com]

I hope the retro trends stay a little longer, I'm enjoying the 80s and Y2K inspired concepts.

me too!! i never get bored of them tbh