The K-Pop industry may be dominated by big agencies, but recently, a new wave of “Small and medium-sized” agencies and their artists are proving that they have what it takes to stand out in the competitive scene.
K-Pop fans are no strangers to the “small and medium miracle” phenomenon, where producing noticeable results at smaller agencies is considered rare, compared to the success of larger agencies such as SM, YG, JYP, and HYBE. However, a new agency named Attrakt has managed to make history by entering the Billboard Hot 100 chart with their K-Pop group Fifty Fifty, rewriting the history of K-Pop in just four months since their debut.
Fifty Fifty’s entry into the Hot 100 chart is a significant achievement for the small and medium-sized agencies, especially considering the current global popularity of girl groups belonging to larger agencies such as IVE, Le Sserafim, NewJeans, and aespa. In contrast, many girl groups belonging to smaller agencies have faced fierce competition and the aftermath of the pandemic, leading to disbandment.
The success of Fifty Fifty’s title song “Cupid,” is attributed to its combination of minimal disco beat with a retro-style sensibility, which has gained popularity among overseas fans as a short-form challenge on TikTok. The “Twin” English version has also succeeded in North America through word of mouth, resulting in their Billboard Hot 100 entry and ranking 96th on the UK’s official chart single top 100 chart.
