10 Things SM could do instead of creating the super boy group
Just to make it clear: I don’t hate any of the idols involved in this. The group honestly looks like my bias list. However, based on their styles and abilities, I don’t think it’s going to be something amazing. So here’s what SM could do instead.
Get all of NCT, WayV included, for another NCT 2019.
Remember how great NCT 2018 was? All the amazing songs? Baby Don’t Stop is one of the best songs NCT ever did. You don’t need to put the members in an entirely different group when there are so many amazing collaborations waiting to happen under the NCT umbrella. Again, there’s no reason to form an entirely new group when amazing collaborations are right under your nose. Give us Ten and Taeyong again. Give us some combination of the 2000 line idols. Give us another Without You. Give us anything. But don’t ignore the potential.
Let Taemin do literally anything else.
The man sings, dances, acts, is great on variety shows. Let him go to a masters class for dance. Let him star on a variety show where he teaches new trainees. Let him promote his damn solo in Japan and get some rest this year. Hell, if you really want him to work with any of the members listed, just do that! Let him do some kind of Station duet with Ten or Kai or Taeyong. Literally anything but this.
Baekhyun should enjoy his solo.
I admit I wasn’t the biggest fan of Baekhyun’s solo debut. However, it was still solid for a first time solo EP, and it seems like all promotions for it vanished into thin air. He did like what, a few music shows and Sketchbook? Come on, I get the timing’s kind of awful, but he could, I don’t know, continue working on solo music through Station at the very least? (I don’t think a full comeback would work given how tight the schedule for the year already seems).
Kai could join Chanyeol and Sehun and make the SKY unit we all dreamed of.
Honestly, why wasn’t Kai added to the line up in the first place? I get that it’s more a rap unit than a dance one, but there’s no reason, literally no flipping reason, that Kai couldn’t develop his rapping or singing chops in a new unit. Maybe that was his choice to not join the unit. If so, why not let him act? Or work on his solo stuff through Station? Three are so many other things he could be doing.
Renew SM the Ballad or SM the Performance.
Look, the collaboration isn’t the problem. I love each of the idols scheduled for the line-up and think they have amazing potential to create something beautiful. My problem is the idea of creating an entirely new, regular group when there are already well-beloved groups established for SM idols to work together. Renew the old Performance or Ballad groups. Those were specialized units which allowed idols of a similar style and ability to work together and promote sparingly in a way that didn’t interfere with their regular schedules. Why not bring that back? Let them work through SM station or have special performances through the SM Town concerts. There are so many possibilities that it’s hard to understand why SM isn’t taking advantage of this instead of creating an entirely new group.
Let Hyoyeon release a full DJ HYO album.
From a business standpoint, people argue that Hyoyeon isn’t popular enough to warrant full promotions. I call bull. She’s a member of the Nation’s Girl Group. SM has the power to let her promote, as per the DY HYO Seoul club tour. Let her do that again with a full album! Let her promote on music shows. Anything. And while we’re at it, give Yuri another comeback too, because The First Scene was one of the best releases of last year.
Super Junior could use a comeback.
I’m not a fan of some of the members for their behavior, but the group as a whole could probably promote a little bit. Otra Vez was awesome. Let them do more of that! Or -
Let TVXQ and BoA become a new group.
Wanna talk about an entirely new group? SM, I’ve got you covered. Your two greatest veterans are just waiting in the wings for a chance to work their magic. We’ve all seen Yunho and BoA in her Only One performances. Do more of that! Hell, they don’t even have to promote in Korea! They can promote in Japan! But let them do something together. Style, talent, and experience are so well matched. Again, I don’t know why this hasn’t been a thing yet.
Give Taeyeon another album.
I know she’s focusing on her mental health, but it’s also obvious she loves making music. She doesn’t need to promote (clearly, given how successful her stuff is without it), just let her get in the studio with some good melodies and send it out into the world. It’s the time for it, since her new show is coming on air.
Finally, GIVE F(X) A DAMN ALBUM.
Look, I don’t care if they make millions. LET THEM RELEASE ANOTHER ALBUM. THEY PAVED THE WAY FOR OTHER GROUPS TO SHINE WITHOUT FITTING INTO THE CUTESY OR SEXY OR GIRL CRUSH. WE NEED THAT KIND OF POWER BACK IN 2019. LET THEM COME BACK, SM, LET THEM COME BACK.
And that’s it! Ten brand spanking awesome ideas for SM to earn some cash and not create the shitstorm that is this new group.
I love the members in the lineup, and I know they’re probably really excited to work together. I’d love to see Taemin work with Ten or Winwin, for instance. It just doesn’t seem logical for all these idols - with varying styles (contemporary/futuristic disco - in Taemin’s words - to R&B) to be thrown together when there is so much more potential lying around. It really does seem like a quick ploy for cash and clout. I’m afraid if SM continues with this trend, they’ll lose the spark of genuine creativity and earnest desire to create good music which makes them so special.
