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Why did CHECKMATE split? Popular K-pop co-ed group disbands after just one year

'Each of the CHECKMATE members will greet you all with a new image through their individual activities,' the manager of the Co-Ed band noted

Co-Ed groups are quite rare in K-Pop, even though they are slowly coming into mainstream prominence alongside their more popular boy band or girl group counterparts. However, much to the shock and disappointment of fans, one of the most successful Co-Ed groups CHECKMATE has officially disbanded recently, only a year after their debut. On December 18, the news was confirmed by CHECKMATE's manager on the band's official YouTube channel. The Co-Ed K-pop group constituted Sieun, Suri, Yongseok, and Noah, who will now pursue their individual careers in music. 

CHECKMATE was managed by GRACE COMPANY who launched the band officially on January 28, 2020. Their initial members Haechang and Nason left the band soon after its launch owing to personal issues. The band was well-known for their first single 'Drum' and their much-hyped second album 'YOU'. Unfortunately, it is now believed that CHECKMATE fans will have to give up on their anticipation for any further music from the group. The band had over 52,900 followers on their Instagram page. 

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Announcing the group's disbanding, a GRACE COMPANY official stated, "Hello, K-pop fans. This is the content creator and manager of CHECKMATE’s YouTube channel. First, I apologize for not having been able to produce new content for a long time. CHECKMATE has disbanded following the end of their “YOU” promotions. Each of the CHECKMATE members will greet you all with a new image through their individual activities," the spokesperson informed. 

They also added, "Starting from January 2022, this channel will undergo a renewal and change into a channel that produces K-pop content.
We are currently exchanging opinions with the members about content promotions. In January 2022, we will greet you together with the members as we actively produce new content. Thank you."

Reacting to the shocking announcement, a fan tweeted, "...Considering that CHECKMATE was one of the few co-ed groups in activity in South Korea, their disbandment hits even harder. I really hope they can all build their own careers, possibly away from Grace Company."

Another fan tweeted, "I feel so bad for them, they were so good. #CHECKMATE #kpop"

With CHECKMATE breaking up, the question again arises as to why are there fewer co-ed K-Pop groups?

If you've hopped onto the K-pop bandwagon before, you will know how easy it is to get lost in the hype. Boy groups can pull out some of the fiercest energy and dance moves. Girl groups enchant and empower, and can appear as magnetizing as if summoned from a perfectly crafted anime. That doesn't imply that such qualities are exclusive to each sex, but those attributes are just a small part of a whole that keeps fans enticed.

This could be the sole reason why South Korean record labels club one gender for a band, but there are many factors that weigh in. A group offers a variety of female or male types that different personas of fans can choose to follow. Your typical K-pop boy bands present a tough member, a sensitive/romantic member, a member inclined to the style of hip-hop (including rappers in their arsenal), and so on. The same can be said for girl groups. Fans can still follow those examples if genders are merged, but a different message can be perceived. If you combine male and female then fans expect their interaction and it can steer away from making music in the name of a "boy group" or a "girl group" as opposed to a coming-together to make music in general. Case in point, the K-pop market is primarily catered to youth and labels understand that influence is everything.