K-Pop Stocks Fell Sharply in 2024 Amid Political Turmoil, KOSPI Slump, Light Release Schedules & More

Four K-pop companies’ stocks fell in value by an average of 19.0% in 2024, a significant reversal of fortune after gaining an average of 30.0% the prior year.

Some of the K-pop companies’ declines can be attributed to the poor showing of Korean stocks in general. The KOSPI composite index, an index of all stocks traded on the stock market division of the Korea Exchange, fell 9.6% in 2024. Korean stocks especially suffered from political turmoil in the year’s waning weeks. Since South Korean Prime Minister Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law on Dec. 3 through the end of the year, the KOSPI fell 4.3%.

But collectively and individually, HYBE, SM Entertainment, JYP Entertainment and YG Entertainment fared worse than the South Korean stock index. The South Korean companies are expanding beyond their home country, establishing roots in the Americas and exporting their K-pop model of artist development to local markets. Many of the new projects have yet to pay dividends, however, and a lack of new releases or concerts by major artists often resulted in lower revenue and profits in recent quarters.

YG Entertainment, home to BLACKPINK and BABYMONSTER, fared the best, dropping 10.0% to 45,800 won ($31.07). In the third quarter, YG Entertainment’s revenue dropped 42% year over year while a 14.8 billion won ($10 million) net income in the third quarter of 2023 turned into a 937 million ($636,000) net loss.

BTS’s label HYBE fell 17.2% to 193,400 won ($131.18), with its third-quarter net profit dropping 99% on lower concert and recorded music revenue. In the second quarter, HYBE set a company record for quarterly revenue but its operating profit fell 37.4%. The company was also hampered by controversies in 2024. Chairman Bang Si-hyuk is reportedly being investigated by South Korean regulators over a profit-sharing deal with early investors that led Bang to realize a $285 million profit from the company’s 2020 initial public offering. HYBE has also been embroiled in an ongoing feud with Min Hee-Jin, the former CEO of HYBE’s ADOR imprint.

SM Entertainment, the home of aespa and NCT Dream, sank 17.9% to 75,600 won ($51.28). In the third quarter, net profit fell 95.6% on 9% lower revenue. In the second quarter, net profit was down 70.3% while revenue increased 5.9% from the prior-year period. The company has a new North American joint venture with Kakao Entertainment that launched in late 2023 and has produced a new British boy band, dearALICE, launched through a BBC miniseries.

Faring the worst was JYP Entertainment, home to Stray Kids and iTZY, which plummeted 31.0% to 69,900 won ($47.41). In the first three quarters of 2024, JYP’s revenue was down 1.6% and net profit was 30.4% lower than the prior-year period. In the second quarter, an absence of major artist activity caused the company’s revenue to drop 36.9% from the prior-year period while its net profit fell 95% year over year. JYP was able to rebound in the third quarter, however, as revenue and net profit were up 22.1% and 11.7%, respectively.