[All] "Better than a neglected dragon's tail" Promis Nine's twisted narrative

[YTN Star Reporter Kwak Hyun-soo] In the K-pop industry, which is centered around idol groups, ominous jinxes exist, such as "a decline after seven years of debut" and "a decline in popularity when the number of members decreases." Indeed, many groups have disbanded, unable to overcome the crisis of contract expirations and member reshuffles.

 

But fromis_9's recent actions directly defy this industry curse. Breaking free from the formidable confines of Hybra, they regrouped as a five-member group under a new agency. Why have they entered a "second heyday" even stronger than before? Is this simply a lucky exception?

 

The first thing to note is the density of management. During the Pledis era, fromis_9 was merely one of the many IPs owned by a major entertainment agency. It would be more accurate to say they were a neglected dragon's tail, "nice to have, but fine without." Despite being affluent, due to a lack of priority, fromis_9 averaged only "one comeback per year" during the Pledis era.

 

However, after transferring to Ascend, Fromis_9 naturally had to become the IP representing a single agency. Ascend focused all its resources on Fromis_9's first album and producing original content to connect with fans, instilling in fans the confidence that "we've finally found a company that works."

 

The initial sales of their sixth mini-album, "From Our 20's," released last June (approximately 68,000 copies), are significant. While this figure represents a decrease from the 100,000 copies sold when the group was still eight members, it's difficult to view this as simply a decline in popularity. Rather, it served as an opportunity for their core fans to unite more closely. The fact that they maintained sales of close to 70,000 copies despite major changes like member departures and agency transfers is proof that their once-fragile fans have come together to protect the team.

 

The recent success of "White Longing" is also significant. While it may seem like a conservative choice—a winter seasonal song and a remake of an existing hit—it was an aggressive move, targeting the winter market. The fact that they broke away from the stereotypical "summer queen" image they'd established with "Stay This Way" and "Supersonic" is particularly noteworthy.

 

As a result, they achieved career-high achievements of ranking 5th on Melon TOP 100 and 4th on real-time charts. In particular, the global demand confirmed through the world tour 'NOW TOMORROW' to be held in 11 cities including Tokyo and the United States shows that fromis_9's sphere of activity is expanding.