HYBE is “Cloning” Its Girl Groups with Repeated Formulas

The 3 girl groups under HYBE share various similarities, to the point they are being called “clones” of one another.

Recently, BELIFT LAB – a subsidiary of HYBE – officially introduced their new girl group ILLIT (also known as “I’LL-IT”). Emerging from the survival show “R U Next”, the group already gained recognition and has a sizable fanbase.

Additionally, ILLIT’s lineup consists of 5 talented and charming members: Minju, Iroha, Wonhee, Moka, and Yunah. The group debuted with the mini-album “Super Real Me” and the title track “Magnetic.”

After ILLIT’s debut, however, there were speculations about HYBE’s repetitive use of the same success formulas. Particularly, ILLIT shares many similarities with the HYBE’s other 2 girl groups – LE SSERAFIM and NewJeans.

Equal number of members, meticulously crafted concepts
The most significant commonality among the three HYBE girl groups is their number of members. Although unintentional, both LE SSERAFIM, NewJeans, and the “youngest sister” ILLIT operate with a team of 5 members.

Among those, NewJeans is the only group that has maintained its original lineup since debut. In contrast, both LE SSERAFIM and ILLIT intended to debut with six members, but Kim Garam left LE SSERAFIM just two months after debut due to a school violence controversy, while ILLIT lacked fan-favorite trainee Youngseo, who withdrew at the last minute.

At the same time, ILLIT shares more similarities with NewJeans. In fact, since ILLIT initial promotions, netizens have noticed the girl group’s blatant similarities with their “sister group”.

Visually speaking, HYBE spares no expense. While LE SSERAFIM portrays a strong, independent, and modern image, NewJeans stands out with a signature Y2K concept craft by Min Hee-jin.

On the other hand, ILLIT enjoyed even more shocking investment, with former Vogue Korea creative director overseeing the group’s debut’s visual aspect and them attending Paris Fashion Week before the official debut. So far, ILLIT has embraced a youthful and dreamy image, yet still has a “rich kid” vibe that people crave.

Songs under 3 minutes
In recent years, the trend of song durations falling under 3 minutes has sparked debates in South Korea. There are both pros and cons to this trend, as many experts point out that while song lengths are shrinking, the sophistication of arrangements is increasing. Entertainment companies nowadays focus on creating catchy melodies and memorable hooks, and with the prevalence of short-form content like TikTok, it is no longer important for a song to be long.

So far, HYBE is the most prominent company in terms of this trend. One prime example is NewJeans, whose musical releases are all short in length. The girl group’s EP with 4-6 tracks typically lasts less than 15 minutes.

While it is true that NewJeans utilizes unique, modern materials and combines various elements to lead music trends, their songs are extremely short, with hardly any exceeding 3 minutes.

The latest EP from LE SSERAFIM – “EASY” – follows a similar pattern. LE SSERAFIM went viral on various platforms with the catchy drop of “EASY” or the memorable chorus of “Smart.” The product received high praise for its complete production process, catchy music, and addictive nature, but fell short due to its lacking duration.

This trend has repeated with ILLIT, whose debut EP “Super Real Me” lasts only 9 minutes, with the title track “Magnetic” clocking in at just 2 minutes and 40 seconds. From the opening notes, listeners are drawn into the vibrant melody, the unique Hybrid Dance arrangement combining Pluggnb and House, which is quite impressive. Listening to ILLIT’s music, one can recognize the characteristic sound of HYBE, guided by Bang Si-hyuk.

Bang Si Hyuk’s approach to trendsetting music has been successful. Both NewJeans and LE SSERAFIM have strong streaming numbers, partly due to their short song lengths that encourage replay.

However, focusing solely on catchy drops and shortening the product may raise concerns that Kpop music will become “instant noodles” merely serving short video platforms.

Similar dance routines
Observing ILLIT’s promotional stages, it’s not difficult to notice similarities in their performance style compared to other HYBE groups. In particular, the viral choreography of “Magnetic” closely resembles the dance of “Super Shy” by NewJeans, and ILLIT also reenacts some familiar moves from NewJeans’ “Attention” or LE SSERAFIM’s “Fearless” and “EASY.”

While many of those repeated moves are quite basic and can appear in many choreographies, the frequency of them makes the similarities seem intentional.

This issue has sparked discussions among South Korean netizens. Many showed disappointment that HYBE is basically “cloning” its girl groups to earn easy money, adding that HYBE should have let ILLIT stand out on their own feet instead of taking elements from its predecessors.

It cannot be denied that HYBE is highly successful in building concepts, music, and creating a new generation of idols. However, the aforementioned “cloning” strategy may have its drawbacks. When the public becomes bored with similar girl groups, HYBE’s strategy may no longer be effective.

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