Entertainment

6 K-pop groups who re-formed or returned, from Got7 to Girls' Generation


The careers of many K-pop groups contain highs and lows, and things aren’t always straightforward.

From returning after hiatus to a complete rebranding, here are some K-pop groups who are famous for re-forming or adding members.

Dreamcatcher

Formed in 2017, seven-member Dreamcatcher won over hearts as a rockish K-pop girl group. With dedicated followers around the world, Dreamcatcher have carved out their own sizeable niche.

Their success came after an earlier start for five of the members as Minx in 2015. The act later re-debuted under the new name and with two additional members, Handong and Gahyeon.

Girls’ Generation

Perhaps less dramatic than what happened to some of the other K-pop groups on this list, Girls’ Generation have had to wait five years since their previous album, their 10th anniversary tie-in Holiday Night, before returning with a new album, Forever 1.

One of a handful of K-pop groups to remain active for 15 years without any true break-up, their lengthy hiatus had fans cheering for Girls’ Generation’s return with a full line-up.

When three of the eight members of the group parted ways with their label SM Entertainment, the remaining five performed as a Girls’ Generation sub-group called Oh!GG.

GOT7

While Highlight, T-ara (see below) and some other K-pop groups faced legal struggles to retain the use of their names after leaving the labels that launched them, when seven-man Got7 left their label, JYP Entertainment, in 2021, it was with the promise that they would continue making music as a group.

Fast-forward to this year, and Got7 released a self-titled EP in May, thereby reaffirming their independence and dedication to keeping the group alive even as members pursue their own careers.

Highlight

While Highlight have made a name for themselves since their debut, Plz Don’t Be Sad, in 2017, they’ve actually been together since 2009, initially as the group Beast.

As a six-member group, Beast created hit after hit in the early part of the previous decade and took K-pop by storm. After parting ways with their label, Cube Entertainment, in 2016 they were unable to keep using the name Beast.

They now perform as four-member Highlight, having formed their own label, Around Us Entertainment, and released an LP, Daydream, in March.

T-ara

Popular for a series of dance hits since they formed in 2009, T-ara’s line-up has included more than 10 women at various points in an up-and-down career.

The group’s four remaining members left their former label, MBK Entertainment, in 2018, and spent much of that year fighting a legal battle for the right to use the group’s name.

After winning a court case that set a precedent for members of other K-pop acts, rather than their former labels, to retain the rights to their group name, T-ara held a reunion performance in 2020, and released two songs in 2021.

Viviz

Featuring Eunha, SinB and Umji, Viviz debuted in 2022 after the surprise disbandment of their former group, the six-piece GFriend , in 2021.

The trio released their first EP, Beam of Prism, with the single, Bop Bop!, in February, and their second EP, Summer Vibe , fronted by the single Loveade, in July. Between the two, they also competed on the K-pop girl group competition show Queendom , where they took third place.

Special mention: 2NE1 and Sistar

These four-member girl groups came together in 2022: 2NE1 at Coachella, and Sistar on a recent television show – performing for the first time since disbanding over five years ago.

Although they have no formal plans, their reunions were well received, with fans eagerly welcoming their return.

This article was first published in South China Morning Post.



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