The 7 Year curse in K-Pop is a term that describes the disbandment of a group 7 years after their debut. The main cause of this seven-year-curse is that the maximum (and usual) contract of a debuting idol after the year 2010 is 7 years. After that there are negotiations between the artists and the company for a new deal.
Sometimes the group disbands after this contract expiration and the members leave or remain in the company, in some cases all the members renew with the company and the group remains active, and there are also cases that some members renew the contract and some don’t, with the group continuing with less members. In very rare cases all members leave the company but they keep the group active under a different agency.
Reasons for not renewing the contract are health, economic, change of focus (from singing to acting) or a combination of them.
Let’s see which groups survived and which didn’t survive the seven-year curse.
2NE1
2NE1 didn’t renew but they appeared again in Coachella 2022
2NE1 debuted in March 2009, the group disbanded after 7 years, although not in March when they debuted but in November 2016. CL and Sandara remained in YG, Park Bom signed to D-Nation Entertainment as a solo artist, and Minzy to Music Works as a solo artist.
4minute
4minute debuted in June 2009, and the group disbanded after 7 years following the expiration of the members’ contracts. Hyuna continued with 4minute’s company Cube Entertainment as a solo artist, Jihyun Gayoon and Sohyun switched to acting and Jiyoon debuted as a solo artist under the name Jenyer.
T-ara
T-ara debuted in July 2009, 7 years later, in 2016 the group was still active with its original lineup. Boram and Soyeon’s contract was terminated in May 2017 and Qri’s, Eunjung’s, Hyomin’s and Jiyeon’s in late December 2017. The last 4 members still promote from time to time as T-ara but not after MBK Entertainment.
f(x)
f(x) debuted in September 2009, and although all the members remained in SM Entertainment after the 7 years, the group hasn’t promoted since then – SM Entertainment doesn’t announce group disbandments.
SECRET
SECRET debuted in October 2009, 7 years later member Sunhwa didn’t renew with TS Entertainment and SECRET were to continue with 3 members: Hyosung, Jieun and Hana, although eventually they didn’t have a release.
Rainbow
Rainbow debuted in November 2009 and disbanded 7 years later after the expiration of the members contracts – the members are still in touch and they reformed for their 10 year anniversary.
SISTAR
SISTAR debuted in March 2010 and disbanded after 7 years, Bora and Soyou remained with the company and Hyolyn and Dasom signed elsewhere.
miss A
miss A debuted in July 2010, member Jia left the group before the 7 years although the group didn’t have a release since 2015. In December 2017 JYPEntertainment announced the group’s disbandment.
Girl’s Day
Girl’s Day debuted in July 2010, Minah, Sojin, Yura and Hyeri renewed their contracts for 2 more years until 2019. The group didn’t have a release since 2017, but officially the group is in hiatus.
9Muses
9Muses had many lineup changes in their career and they released music from 2010 to 2017, but since members were added to the group two times in 2010, two times in 2012 and 2015, they may be not eligible to this “curse”.
Dal Shabet
Dal Shabet debuted in January 2011 with 6 members, members Jiyul and Kaeun left the group after the expiration of their 6 year contract, and the rest of the members left the group in December 2017.
Apink
Apink debuted in April 2011, all 6 main members remained in the group and the company after the 7 years.
Stellar
Stellar debuted in August 2011 and the group officially disbanded in February 2018 – The original members Gayoung and Jeonyul left the group without renewing in August 2017 and the members that joined Stellar in 2012, Minhee and Hyoeun, left the group in February 2018.
EXID
EXID debuted in 2012 and seven years later, Hani and Junghwa didn’t renew their contracts with the company. The group was on hiatus while continued releasing music with their full lineup, and released music again in 2022.
Hello Venus
Hello Venus debuted in May 2012, the group disbanded 7 years later after the members’ contracts expired.
AOA
AOA debuted in July 2012 – in 2019 there were 6 members after Choa previously left. From these members Mina left the group and Jimin, Seolhyun, Chanmi, Yuna and Hyejeong signed new contracts.
Fiestar
Fiestar debuted in August 2012, the group disbanded 6 years later after the expiration of the members contracts.
Ladies’ Code
Ladies’ Code debuted in March 2013, the 3 surviving members’ contracts expired in March 2020 and the group is in indefinite hiatus.
Mamamoo
Mamamoo debuted in January 2014. 7 years late, in January 2021, Solar and Moonbyul renewed their contracts while Wheein and Hwasa didn’t, the group though still promotes with 4 members until today.
Red Velvet
Red Velvet continue under SM Entertainment
Red Velvet debuted in August 2014 and Yeri was added in March 2015, although there are no news of contract renewals, the group continues with all its members under SM Entertainment.
Laboum
Laboum debuted in August 2014, 7 years later 4 of the members renewed their contracts although no new music has been released since then.
Minx/Dreamcatcher
5 of the Dreamcatcher debuted as Minx in September 2014. In November 2022 it was announced that all members renewed their contracts.
Lovelyz
Lovelyz debuted in November 2014. Seven years later, all members except Babysoul didn’t renew their contract with Woollim Entertainment, the group is in hiatus since then.
Gfriend
Gfriend debuted in January 2015 but their 7-year contract started earlier than their debut date, possibly because of an earlier debut that didn’t materialize. All the members left Source music after the conclusion of their contracts, with Eunha, SinB and Umji redebuting as VIVIZ
CLC
CLC debuted in March 2015, the group officially disbanded 7 years later in May 2022 as the members didn’t renew their contracts – Sorn’s contract expired in November 2021, Seungyeon’s and Yeeun’s in March 2022 and Yujin continues as a member of Kep1er.
Oh My Girl
6 Oh My Girl members renewed
Oh My Girl debuted in April 2015, seven years later Hyojung, Mimi, Yooa, Seunghee, Yubin (Binnie) and Arin renewed their contracts and Jiho left the group after she decided to not renew her contract.
TWICE
All Twice members renewed their contracts
TWICE debuted in October 2015, in July 2022 it was announced that all members renewed their contracts with JYP Entertainment.
WJSN
WJSN survived the 7 year curse with 8 members
WJSN debuted in late February 2016. After 7 years, the 3 Chinese members Xuanyi, Cheng Xiao and Meiqi that were contracted with Yuehua left the group while they didn’t participate in WJSN promotions since 2018, and it was announced that Luda and Dawon didn’t renew their contracts – Seola, Bona, Exy, Soobin, Eunseo, Yeoreum, Dayoung and Yeonjung renewed with Starship Entertainment.
