In 2016, news rippled through the K-pop community as 2NE1 announced their hiatus, marking an unexpected pause for one of the industry’s most influential girl groups.
Maknae Leaving The Group
According to a Billboard report, YG Entertainment revealed on April 5 that 2NE1’s youngest member Minzy (Gong Min Ji) chose not to renew her contract, which was set to expire the following month. The agency also stated that CL, Dara (Sandara Park), and Park Bom would remain under YG Entertainment, with plans for new music at the time.
The announcement came after earlier reports that the 22-year-old Minzy had been exploring options with other agencies ahead of her contract’s expiration on May 5, 2016.
Official Disbandment
However, despite initial reports that the remaining members would continue as a trio, YG Entertainment later stated in an official press release that both the agency and the members had decided to focus on their solo careers rather than wait for an uncertain group return.
SEE RELATED STORY: K-Pop group 2NE1 officially disbands
In May 2016, the group’s management contract expired. Months later, in November 2016, YG Entertainment officially confirmed the group’s disbandment.
“As 2NE1 was YG’s official girl group for seven years, we cannot begin to express how we feel, but we determined that it was too difficult to continue,” the agency said in its statement. “Rather than waiting an unknown amount of time for 2NE1’s next promotions, we have decided to focus on the members’ solo activities,” YG said at the time.
The agency also expressed gratitude to fans, adding, “We sincerely thank all the fans both in Korea and abroad that have loved the group and their music for all this time.”
YG Entertainment further confirmed that only CL and Dara had renewed their contracts with the company, stating, “We would like to officially announce that after last May, we re-signed with CL and Sandara Park. However, unfortunately, there is no new contract with Park Bom.”
The group’s leader, CL, later shared in an interview that she also found out about the situation online. “Well, I did too. To be honest, I was at a Thanksgiving dinner and my phone just blew up,” she said.
Life After 2NE1
On October 29, 2016, CL launched her first North American tour, the Hello B*tches Tour, at New York City’s Hammerstein Ballroom. The sold-out show marked a milestone, making her the first female K-pop artist to hold a solo concert in the city. The tour then continued across several cities in the United States and Canada before wrapping up in Toronto on November 14.
YG Entertainment announced on November 8, 2019, that CL chose not to renew her contract with the company, officially marking her departure from the label.
Bom, on the other hand, initially announced on April 30, 2017, through social media that she was under YG Entertainment’s subsidiary The Black Label and preparing for a solo album. However, the company later denied the claim on May 1, stating that she had not signed any new contract with YG or its subsidiaries following the termination of her contract in November 2016.
Her solo career later took shape with the release of “Spring,” which was announced in February 2019 as the lead single of her debut solo album of the same name, released on March 13, 2019, alongside its music video.
Meanwhile, Minzy signed with CJ E&M’s subsidiary label Music Works in May 2016. She officially made her solo debut in April 2017 with the EP Minzy Work 01: Uno, featuring the title track “Ninano.” The EP entered the Billboard World Albums Chart at number 2 in its debut week, before moving to number 9 the following week. She later graduated from Baekseok University in August 2017, with magna cum laude honors.
Following the group’s disbandment, Dara returned to the Philippines, where she served as a judge on Pinoy Boyband Superstar in 2016. She later transitioned to hosting, joining OnStyle’s beauty program Get It Beauty in 2017, and also pursued acting roles, including her domestic film debut in One Step and a supporting role in the live adaptation of the webtoon Cheese in the Trap.
Mini Reunions
In January 2021, Minzy shared a photo on Instagram from their get-together, writing, “Thank you for celebrating my birthday. 2NE1 for the first time in a while.”
Dara also posted photos from the same gathering, revealing that the members came together to celebrate Minzy’s birthday at CL’s studio. She added that it was their “12th birthday as 2NE1,” complete with 12 candles on the cake, and even joked about how it turned out after CL removed the plastic wrapping.
The following year, in April 2022, CL took the stage at Coachella as part of 88rising’s “Heads in the Clouds Forever” set, when the crowd was met with an unexpected moment—her 2NE1 bandmates Park Bom, Sandara Park, and Minzy joined her on stage for a surprise reunion performance of their iconic hit “I Am The Best.”
By May 2024, the group marked their 15th anniversary by revealing that they had reunited for a commemorative photoshoot. The members each shared the images on Instagram, along with messages of gratitude and love for fans who have supported them over the years.
CL also posted a heartfelt message in Korean and English, calling 2NE1 her “home” and describing it as a space where they were free to love, play, express, create, and connect. She ended her message hoping the moment would remind fans to “feel your light,” signing off with their signature word, “NOLZA.”
But the reunions didn’t end there, because soon news of their biggest comeback yet sent their fans into a frenzy.
Part 2 of 3
READ PART 1: Still on Fire: How 2NE1 changed K-pop forever
This article is part of a special series exploring 2NE1’s rise to fame, disbandment, reunion, and enduring legacy in K-pop.
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