Psy's touch or new trend in music? P Nation’s solo stars lose their shine

Many K-pop chart-toppers who joined Psy’s P Nation in recent years are struggling to replicate the success they once enjoyed. Music critics point to Psy’s involvement in his artists’ music production and the current trend in music which shows a decline in the popularity of solo dance singers.

P Nation, a small entertainment agency founded by Psy after he left YG Entertainment in 2018, quickly gained attention largely due to the "Gangnam Style" singer's global fame. The agency signed several big-name K-pop artists including Jessi, HyunA, Heize, and more recently, Hwasa. These artists, known for their unique styles and performances, had all topped the local music charts. Since joining P Nation, however, most have not achieved the same level of success.

Only Jessi reached new career heights at P Nation with her 2020 single "Nunu Nana," which peaked at No. 2 on the Gaon Digital Chart. But her next song, "What Type of X," released in 2021 did not do as well -- only reaching No. 7 on the same music chart. Other artists, too, have fallen short of their previous successes.

Pop culture critic Kim Do-heon believes that P Nation is not effectively producing music that highlights each artist’s individuality.

In Hwasa’s case, for example, her previous hits under RBW -- "Twit" (2019), which reached No. 1 on the Gaon Digital Chart, and "Maria" (2020), which peaked at No. 6 on Billboard’s World Digital Song Sales -- were major successes in her solo career.

However, Hwasa’s recent releases under P Nation, such as "I Love My Body" and "NA," only managed to enter the Top 10 on the Gaon Digital Chart and performed modestly on the global iTunes chart.

“Hwasa’s 'NA' starts as a house track that could easily be popular in the UK, but suddenly shifts to a style reminiscent of Psy's music. To be honest, the transition doesn’t quite fit," said Kim on Monday. It feels as if Psy’s influence was inserted into the song rather than blending naturally with Hwasa's style, Kim pointed out. He added that while Psy’s style works well for live performances, especially during his well-known "Summer Swag" concerts, it might not suit every artist.

During the July 20, 2022 episode of the local entertainment TV show "Radio Star," Jessi revealed that Psy tried to tone down her bold and fierce image, encouraging her to adopt a more mainstream style.

"He wanted me to be softer, but that’s not me,” Jessi said on the TV show.

HyunA, who had already established herself as a successful solo artist with hits like "Bubble Pop!" and "Red," achieved moderate success with her 2021 track "I’m Not Cool," which peaked at No. 4 on the Gaon Digital Chart. However, other releases under P Nation, such as "Flower Shower" and "Ping Pong," did not receive the same level of recognition.

HyunA, who also appeared on the same TV show "Radio Star" in August 2020, shared an experience similar to that of Jessi. She recalled that Psy suggested tweaking her choreography to make it more polished and synchronized, a style different from her usual free-spirited dancing.

Popular rapper and R&B singer Heize, who dominated the charts with hits like "Star" (2016), "You, Clouds, Rain" (2017), and "Jenga" (2018), has also struggled to find the same success at P Nation. Her recent songs "Happen" and "Undo" fell short of her earlier achievements.

Music critic Lim Hee-yun cited changing trends in K-pop, which now favor group performances over solo artists, as a reason the big-name soloists are struggling.

“Many of the artists signed by P Nation are dance-focused soloists, but in the past two to three years, solo acts have struggled to have a significant impact on domestic music charts,” Lim said on Monday.

“There have been very few cases where solo dance singers have achieved major success in Korea. Even Sistar’s Hyolyn, who generated a lot of buzz, hasn’t seen great success with her recent releases,” Lim added.

P Nation declined to comment on the issue.

Jessi left P Nation in July 2022 when her contract expired, stating she was seeking new opportunities. HyunA left Psy's agency with her former boyfriend Dawn in August 2022, also after their contracts ended, citing a desire for new challenges and artistic directions.