The group Secret. Kyunghyang Shinmun DB
The comeback craze for ‘second-generation girl groups’ sweeping the music industry is fierce. Following Girls’ Generation, Kara, and 2NE1 coming together to prove their continued strength, ‘hit-song factory’ Secret is also joining the ranks for the first time in 12 years, stirring fans’ nostalgia.
On the 4th, the comprehensive entertainment company RBW announced that Secret is preparing a comeback, adding that specific details will be provided sequentially. It will be the group’s first activity in a full 12 years since the fifth mini album ‘Secret Summer’ reached the public in 2014.
Debuting in 2009, Secret was a four-member girl group consisting of Jeon Hyo-sung, Jung Hana, Song Ji-eun, and Han Sun-hwa. They led the heyday of second-generation idols by racking up hits with addictive dance tracks such as ‘Magic’, ‘Madonna’, and ‘Shy Boy’. However, after Han Sun-hwa left in 2016 and their agency TS Entertainment shut down in 2021, they effectively proceeded toward disbandment. Since then, the members have pursued their own paths as actors and solo artists.
From top: Girls’ Generation, Kara, and 2NE1. Photos provided by Yonhap News, DSP, and YG Entertainment
This reunion project will be anchored by original members Jeon Hyo-sung and Jung Hana. In place of Han Sun-hwa, who has established herself as an actor, and Song Ji-eun, who is pursuing solo activities, a new member will be brought in, reorganizing the team as a trio. RBW, which is in charge of planning and production, is reported to be preparing to newly remake Secret’s past mega-hits into a ‘2026 version’.
News of Secret’s comeback is drawing even greater attention in tandem with the recent trend in the music scene: the ‘splendid revival of second-generation girl groups’. In 2022, Girls’ Generation made a full-group return with their seventh studio album ‘Forever 1’ for their 15th anniversary, sweeping the music charts and reaffirming their status as the nation’s girl group. Kara likewise achieved the feat of winning first place on music shows with the title track ‘When I Move’ from their 15th-anniversary album in 2022. They went on to release new music and continue activities in 2024 as well.
Meanwhile, in 2024, 2NE1 dramatically reunited for their 15th debut anniversary, successfully carrying out a global tour spanning Asia and showcasing formidable ticket power and performance prowess.
Thus, reunions of second-generation girl groups are serving as a powerful commercial draw that goes beyond mere nostalgia, captivating even today’s listeners on the strength of proven talent and classic hits. On the well-paved road of ‘Again Second Generation’ successfully laid down by senior girl groups, attention is focused on whether the newly reformed three-member Secret can work ‘Magic’ once again in the 2026 music scene.
