Trends change quickly and the public's ears become increasingly sensitive. Yet even in the fiercely competitive global music market where countless songs pour out, there are certain songs that never feel dated with time. That is the "YG sound."
An exceptional sense of balance that quickly catches emerging genres in the global music market while processing them so they are not wholly unfamiliar to the public. This system, which captures both freshness and mass appeal, deeply engraved the formula "YG music is trusted and worth listening to" in the public mind. Since taking its first steps in 1996 and through Big Bang to the next-generation queen BABYMONSTER, we examined the secrets of the "YG sound," which has formed a major backbone of K-pop over 30 years.
▲ Hip-hop powerhouse born and the evolution that changed the idol landscape
The roots of the "YG sound" begin with Yang Hyun-suk of Seo Taiji and Boys, who made a major mark on Korea's music scene with "I Know" in 1992. After the group's 1996 breakup, Yang pursued a solo career and then became a producer, founding Yanggun Planning and beginning the mainstreaming of hip-hop in earnest.
YG Entertainment rose as a hip-hop specialist by consecutively scoring hits with Jinusean in 1997 and One Time in 1998. In 2002, through the YG Family's second album title track "Cool Gentleman," YG introduced G-Dragon to the public for the first time when he was 14, preparing for the future. It then expanded its musical spectrum infinitely by covering R&B and soul genres with artists such as Seven, Lexy, Wheesung, Gummy, and Big Mama.
These genre nutrients blossomed in 2006 with the birth of Big Bang, which wrote a new history for the idol world. Their distinctive musicality that transcended genres with songs like "Lies," "Last Farewell," "Haru Haru," and "Bang Bang Bang" completely overturned the existing idol market.
Members participated directly in writing and composing, establishing themselves as artists beyond idols, and they led trends across popular culture—including music, fashion, and choreography—playing a leading role in bringing K-pop to the global stage.
Then came 2NE1, which swept the music scene with its 2009 debut song "Fire," Psy's "Gangnam Style," and subsequent acts such as Winner, iKON, AKMU, TREASURE, BABYMONSTER, and global top group Blackpink. YG firmly secured its place among the three major agencies by building its own solid originality.
▲ The core engine that created "trusted YG": the producing system and Yang Hyun-suk's exacting review
The reason YG's songs are not predictable lies in its powerful in-house producing system. YG's main producers base their work on hip-hop while fusing various genres such as electronic, rock, and R&B into sophisticated beats. The sounds they craft feature heavy bass lines and addictive synth riffs, boasting a quality high enough to compete in the global pop market.
Added to this is the absolute contribution of chief producer Yang Hyun-suk. Yang personally participates in the album mixing process and is known for refining the sound's balance and texture to the end. No song sees the light of day without passing his exacting review, which brings trendy sources into YG's own color. This rigorous quality control is the real reason why YG's signature hits still don't feel clichéd when listened to years later.
▲ The crystallization of 30 years of DNA, next-generation queen BABYMONSTER
The group that has recently inherited this solid 30-year musical DNA and is rising as the next global queen is BABYMONSTER. They are fully formed artists encapsulating YG's accumulated producing know-how and perfectionism, and they demonstrate their worth by storming global charts with every release.
The mini-album 3 title track released by BABYMONSTER recently, "Choom (CHOOM)," showcases the essence of YG's producing system. It delivers thrilling excitement by inserting dynamic developments where the beat switches over a hip-hop-based dance track highlighted by an addictive synth riff and heavy bass.
This boasts the texture of a "YG-style hip-hop dance track," but it does not simply follow past formulas. Through dynamic arrangements where rhythms vary and beats shift throughout the track, it raises the song's pace and adds a contemporary sophistication.
However excellent the beat, the "YG sound" cannot be completed if the performing artists lack the skill to handle it. Distinctive vocal tones, unwavering live ability, and the signature hip swagger have been hallmarks of YG artists for 30 years.
BABYMONSTER members possess solid vocal production and unique timbres that never get lost even within intense techno or hip-hop beats. Their relaxed eye phrasing and groove shown in relentlessly driving rap parts demonstrate stage presence hard to believe from rookies. Their attitude—fully understanding the mood of a song and playing with rhythm—is the greatest weapon that visually completes the "YG sound."
Another feature of YG music is that onstage performance becomes a play culture that stimulates the public's desire to take on challenges. BABYMONSTER also implemented extreme performances through YG's rigorous producing system at this point.
Chief Yang Hyun-suk unusually commissioned proposals from about 10 choreographer teams for the choreography of "Choom (CHOOM)," and he personally participated in the chorus choreography work to select only the best moves. YG's characteristic dynamic choreography—intense energy and steps that move the center of gravity rhythmically—immediately sparked a worldwide dance challenge craze. YG's direction of moving beyond "music to watch" toward "music to enjoy together" perfectly hit the mark through BABYMONSTER.
A sophisticated sound that leads the times, exacting producing, and uncompromising dedication to the stage. This solid musical DNA accumulated over 30 years since the Seo Taiji and Boys era is exploding as it meets the perfectly skilled BABYMONSTER. Beyond continuing the reputation of "trusted YG," BABYMONSTER is pioneering a new global standard for K-pop on its own, and the brilliant next chapter of what astonishing future they will write next in the global music market is eagerly awaited.
[Photo] YG Entertainment
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