Before the end-of-year countdowns next month, I like to take a look at many of K-pop’s biggest agencies and see how their year went. Obviously, 2023 is not over yet so any upcoming changes to an agency’s grade will be reflected next year. Following SM Entertainment and YG Entertainment‘s analysis last week, it’s time to dive into JYP Entertainment.

As usual, the thoughts below are my own and aren’t privy to any insider information. The purpose of these articles is to determine how well K-pop agencies are serving their artists and fans. There will be plenty of subjective critique.

The Good

Alongside HYBE, JYP Entertainment feels like the K-pop agency most obsessed with global dominance. All agencies reach out to international markets, but with JYP there’s always another Nizi Project or A2K competition lurking around the corner. Agency founder Park Jinyoung loves himself a survival series!

Because of this, JYP has successful artists permeating multiple markets. Their Japanese outreach has always been strong and continues to be so. They have their hands in a lot of pots without overreaching in any one direction. This has helped establish a healthy roster and a certain level of brand loyalty.

Unlike YG Entertainment, JYP has no problem with artist retention. Established groups like Twice and 2PM remain with the agency and promote semi-actively. Yet, JYP has also developed a promising new generation of artists that continue to do well. Stray Kids lead the charge and have become a real force to be reckoned with when it comes to sales. I helps that they come back frequently and promote actively in multiple markets. Their growth in Japan seems especially notable and I love how they’ve been paired with actual Japanese artists. ITZY have maintained a high level of success as well, though the girl group market feels especially competitive at the moment and I’m not sure their sound is as complementary to current trends as it could be. Newer acts NMIXX and Xdinary Heroes still have some growing to do, but the agency has the infrastructure and goodwill to support that.

Japanese act NiziU continue to find success, blending the agency’s house style with J-pop influences. It was nice to see them score an OST this year. That’s such an important part of the Japanese music industry.

Soloists haven’t always been a strong point in JYP’s history, but they’re finally leveraging the popularity of Twice to establish units and solos that let the members showcase new sounds. This sense of artistic freedom will be important in the long run as these groups outgrow the concepts they debuted with.

The Bad

While JYP’s track record has been immaculate during the latter half of the 2010’s, they may have flooded the market with too many acts. As mentioned before NMIXX and Xdinary Heroes haven’t yet achieved the level of notoriety their peers did early on in their careers. Their appeal feels more niche, and I wonder if this slower start has given the agency pause. There seems to be some course correction – especially in NMIXX’s case.

In other cases, I worry that JYP is simply stretching itself too thin. I haven’t seen too many K-pop fans excited about the upcoming American debut of girl group Vcha. But, maybe that’s just because they’re not technically K-pop at all? Breaking the American market has long been a tantalizing goal for JYP himself, but so far the agency has been most successful when it simply transposes its existing charm onto a Western audience. I’m not sure they need an American group to be competitive in the American market.

Subjectively, I still think JYP has a music problem. I didn’t enjoy much of their 2023 output, and they’re lacking the kind of big, public-friendly singles that go on to become K-pop classics. That’s an approach that Wonder Girls, 2PM and Twice had mastered pretty early on, but the agency’s newer artists are targeting a more specific base of fans. Pop music in general is moving in this direction, but you’ve got to have the dynamite songs to back it up. JYP’s A&R teams seem to love a shrill chant or gruff shout — both of which can grow tiresome quickly.

Finally, I must still ask where JYP’s promised LOUD group is hiding? Following LOUD’s conclusion in 2021, the agency promised a speedy debut. It’s now been two years and we’re still waiting. Isn’t it time they unveil a new dance-oriented boy group? I’m so curious what ma have been bungled behind the scenes.

2023 Grade: C

What I’d like to see in 2024:

• A new dance-and-melody focused boy group, preferably with the guys from LOUD
• Some big, public-friendly hit singles
• Less survival series and more focus on established artists

Previous years: 2022 // 2021 // 2020 // 2019 // 2018 // 2017 // 2016