Yang Hyun-suk says YG preparing simultaneous debuts of boy group, girl group

Yang Hyun-suk, executive producer of YG Entertainment, said Wednesday the company is preparing to debut a five-member boy group and a four-member girl group, while also revealing comeback schedules for Babymonster and Treasure.

Yang posted a message titled "FROM YG" on the label's official blog, saying, "YG is currently preparing the debuts of a five-member boy group and a four-member girl group as our next-generation rookies."

"Both groups are extremely important artists who will lead YG's future alongside Treasure and Babymonster, and I am putting in my best efforts," he added.

Yang said both groups plan to record several demo tracks they have been working on through the end of the year. "Once the title track is decided, a specific debut schedule will follow," he said.

The post marked Yang's first written update in about five months. YG had previously been sharing news about its artists through video announcements under the "YG Announcement" format.

Babymonster will release a new digital single, "DESERVE," on Oct. 23. It is the group's first new song in about four months, following "SUGAR HONEY ICE TEA." A new Babymonster album is expected in early next year.

Yang described the track as "a slow song, but one that carries more intense energy than anything we have released so far," adding that it blends "Babymonster's delicate vocals and explosive singing ability to deliver peak emotion."

Treasure will release a new hip-hop digital single, "SHOCK," on Nov. 2. The group showcased a range of hip-hop tracks on its mini album "NEW WAV," released in June as the launch of what the label called "Act 2."

"Since 'NEW WAV,' Treasure has been undergoing its biggest shift in musical direction," Yang said. "I hope fans will look forward to and support Treasure's full-scale Act 2 activities, which will carry through to 2027."

The announcements come as competition among producers from major K-pop agencies to launch new acts intensifies. Lee Soo-man, founder of SM Entertainment and now producer at A2O Entertainment, held a debut showcase Monday at Kintex in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, unveiling the 15-member multinational boy group A2O Soul and the nine-member girl group A2O Light. The two groups released their debut tracks — "Superstar" and "Nion," respectively — on Tuesday.

They are the first domestic acts Lee has introduced since a non-compete agreement on local music production — signed when he sold his SM stake to Hybe in 2023 — expired in February this year.