SM Entertainment applies decades of girl-group expertise to GPP, blending K-pop training with Japanese talent for a strategic market push
SM Entertainment Japan’s first all-Japanese girl group GPP, set for an early 2026 debut, signals a deliberate strategy shift that will leverage the company’s decades of experience and fanbase in the Japanese market.
The debut announcement aligns with the K-pop industry’s growing focus on Japan-localized groups, a strategy that competitors JYP and Hybe have already explored.
JYP debuted NiziU, a nine-member all-Japanese girl group formed through “NiziU Project” in December 2020. The group quickly became a commercial success in Japan, topping charts with its predebut single “Make You Happy.” Hybe, meanwhile, launched the Japanese boy group &Team in December 2022 under Hybe Labels Japan.
In comparison, GPP’s debut in early 2026 may seem late, but SM has taken a calculated approach to the Japanese market.
“Even though NCT Wish was a sort of localized group for Japan, it ended up becoming more popular in Korea and was eventually integrated into the Korean market,” music critic Lim Hee-yun said on Monday.
He emphasized that Japan remains a highly lucrative and low-risk market for K-pop, thanks to its proximity, cultural familiarity and strong fan loyalty.
Historically, SM Entertainment Japan’s strategy relied on Korean acts releasing Japanese versions of their singles, Japanese tours and appearances on local media. As K-pop has globalized, the market’s expectations have evolved. Aspiring Japanese idols now see the opportunity to join K-pop-style groups, blending J-pop sensibilities with K-pop production systems.
Lim points out that “more Japanese artists want to join K-pop groups rather than traditional J-pop, and there are now sufficient resources to train and debut local groups.”
GPP represents SM Entertainment applying its long-standing girl group expertise — honed with Girls’ Generation, BoA and later Aespa — to a fully Japanese lineup.
“Looking at J-pop girl groups like Hana or Cosmosy, where a Korean producer manages the group’s content and members speak Korean fluently, it’s clear SM Entertainment now sees the opportunity to use its girl group know-how to compete in Japan with local members,” the music critic said.
This strategy sets GPP apart from its predecessors. NiziU leveraged a survival-program origin, and &Team followed Hybe’s localization model. SM Entertainment’s approach emphasizes its historical infrastructure in Japan, from its early presence to decades of fan engagement and proven success with Girls’ Generation.
By debuting a Japanese girl group trained under its K-pop system but native to Japan, SM Entertainment can combine local authenticity with global production expertise.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.koreaherald.com ’
