The
experts
agree: with a successful career, an eye-catching aesthetic unique among
k-pop idol groups and several iconic hits under their belt, there's no
denying the influence of 2NE1, a YG Entertainment production who are
legitimately one of the best groups in k-pop. Oh wait... did I type
"are"? I meant "were", sorry about that. It's not a secret to anybody
with reasonably discerning musical taste that 2NE1's last couple of
years' worth of output has been complete and utter crap compared to
their 2009-2011 glory days. It hasn't hurt the group commercially but
2NE1 are riding off brand recognition alone at this point anyway,
they've already built up an insane fanbase that will lap up literally
anything they shit out no matter how bad (meaning bad) it is. Let's be
honest here - if 2NE1 were a brand new group debuting with any of the
songs that they've been peddling lately, nobody would tolerate it - they
would have sunk without a trace.
We
all know the "what" and the "when", but being an inquisitive sort, I'm
more interested in the "how" and "why". How could such an iconic group
suddenly sink so low in terms of musical quality? Why do all their new
songs suck many hard cocks? This post will look at a few theories,
present a case for each one, and attempt to bring an elusive answer to
this troubling question.
