[K Changers]⑮ Targeting Niche Markets, Growing ‘Gyedan-dol’ Dreamcatcher

Post-Disbandment Re-Debut, 'Long-Lived' Idol
Popular in the West with Unique Concepts
Consistently Contributing to K-Pop Promotion through Overseas Tours

These days, the domestic music scene in Korea is losing its sense of romance. While idols from large entertainment companies with strong financial backing continue to thrive, it is rare to see popular groups from small and medium-sized agencies. Recently, a bitter situation arose when 'Fifty Fifty,' a group from a small agency, became popular and immediately entered into a legal dispute with their agency.

Dreamcatcher, the steadily growing 'Gyedan-dol' (Photo by Dreamcatcher Company)

'Dreamcatcher' is a rare girl group in this era. Debuting in 2017, this group has quietly contributed to promoting K-pop alongside their agency, 'Dreamcatcher Company.' They have not just endured for a long time. Last year, they were the first K-pop artist to be invited to Spain's world-renowned rock festival, 'Primavera Sound.' When their flight was delayed and they were stranded, the organizers sent a charter plane for them. The performance went smoothly, and overseas fans responded with enthusiastic group chants.

Dreamcatcher's nickname is 'Staircase Idol.' Although they did not stand out from the beginning, fans gave them this affectionate name because of their steady growth. After 1,924 days since their debut, they achieved their first music show win last year. Their album sales, which were 4,200 copies in the first week at debut, grew about 17 times to 72,900 copies. They are also a girl group that holds overseas tours in venues with around 3,000 seats annually. Among domestic girl groups, only a handful consistently attract this level of audience overseas.

Unique Concept Produces 'Yangdeok' Fans

Dreamcatcher invited to Primavera Sound last year (Photo by Dreamcatcher Company)

Dreamcatcher is a seven-member group. Five of them previously debuted in 2014 as 'MINS.' MINS performed cheerful and pure-sounding songs but failed to stand out. They were, in fact, a complete failure. Dreamcatcher Company added two members and launched a new girl group in 2017?Dreamcatcher. They targeted a 'niche market' with a unique concept for K-pop idols.

Compared to MINS, they were completely different from head to toe. Their music focused on rock and metal genres, with a dark concept as the main theme. Their makeup, hair, and styling were also dramatically changed to match a strong, intense image. The response came first from overseas. After watching their music video, a Brazilian concert promoter contacted them. Confirming their potential for success, Dreamcatcher embarked on a world tour just eight months after debut. They toured nine countries across three continents including Japan, Brazil, the UK, France, and Germany. Since then, they have held nine world tours.

Active Use of MD Marketing and Platforms

Dreamcatcher cheering stick nearly 1 meter long (Photo by Dreamcatcher Company)

Diving deeply into something is called 'deokjil' (fan devotion). This term is widely used among K-pop fans. Dreamcatcher's merchandise (MD) is popular among fans who engage in 'deokjil' due to its unique designs and products. A representative item is their lightstick. It is known as the largest among idol lightsticks. It can be separated into three parts and combined, reaching a length of 78 cm when fully assembled. The design is medieval fantasy style. It was so popular that it sold out upon its first release. Robes matching their concept were also popular. Sometimes, merchandise sales even exceed ticket sales. Usually, booths are set up near the venue on concert days to sell MD.

Joining 'Weverse' early also helped expand their fanbase. Weverse is a fandom platform created by HYBE in 2018. It is a community where fans can communicate directly. Dreamcatcher joined in 2020. At that time, the platform was still in its early stages and had almost no external artists outside of HYBE. Some fans who came to Weverse to see other artists were drawn to Dreamcatcher. Weverse has grown into the world's first fandom platform to surpass 100 million downloads. As of the 24th, 458,800 fans have joined the Dreamcatcher community.

A Company and Members Sharing the Same Dream

Earlier this year, Dreamcatcher passed the difficult re-contracting stage that many idols find hard to overcome. Dreamcatcher now dreams of becoming an 'Elevator Idol,' surpassing their 'Staircase Idol' status. One way to achieve this is through an English album. They plan to release an album later this year featuring English versions of their existing songs.

Along with the album release, they plan to expand their fanbase in the North American market through a North American tour. Dreamcatcher Company is also focusing on attracting external investment while supporting Dreamcatcher's activities. Jo Donghyun, head of Dreamcatcher Company, said, "Every time we do an overseas tour, I am amazed by how Western fans respond and how our fanbase keeps growing," adding, "We want to continue contributing to spreading K-pop widely."