sasasa2001 :
I really dislike how some people reacted to these words just to push their own narrative or elevate their favs...
They're fairly well-known, but outside of their fandom, public interest still seems limited. And that's exactly what BND are talking about: as artists who are deeply involved in creating their own music, they're afraid of being stuck in that "bubble" forever.
They're doing well right now, and they experienced significant growth in popularity after IISILY. However, their last three comebacks have produced fairly similar results, and overall the numbers are comparable, with no major breakthrough. Not to mention that the industry never stands still. Teen fans grow up and lose interest, while others move on to newer, trendier groups. Even the audience and support they have today can disappear surprisingly quickly. And in an era where TikTok songs dominate the charts, it's even harder when you choose not to chase that path and instead stay focused on creativity and artistry.
And let's be honest: this is how most mid-tier and smaller groups feel, even if they don't openly talk about it. Everyone wants to succeed, but if we look at fifth-generation boy groups alone, most of them are facing similar challenges. They're struggling to maintain the industry's attention and retain their fanbases (with the exception of one obvious group).
That's exactly what "Viral" is about. Despite its title, it's not the kind of TikTok-friendly song many people initially assumed it would be. While the song does contain parts that could go viral, at its core it's about art and BND's desire, as artists, to be heard. Also, despite being a HYBE group, they didn't achieve instant success from day one. They had to carve out their own path and build their fanbase step by step.
At the same time, being under HYBE obviously comes with pressure, as they're constantly compared to other groups that are supposedly achieving stronger results, and expectations are naturally much higher when you're tied to a major company. If KOZ and HYBE had handled everything perfectly from the beginning, things might look very different today....
2026-06-11 19:32:05