For several years now, idol music has mainly been focused on upbeat dance numbers with an electronic base to play up their powerful choreographies, but the industry is noticing a turnaround in recent months with the focus turning to R&B and ballads.

The change can be seen in some of the recent comebacks like Yoseob's "Caffeine", KARA's 'Solo Collection', and SECRET's "Talk That", which all focus more on bringing out the emotions behind their lyrics more so than their usual visual focus and choreography. ZE:A's latest comeback also saw the group take their first chance at going with a ballad for their title track.

The transition in seasons could also be the reason behind these changes, as winter usually calls for ballads and R&B songs in popularity. Idols in the past normally released a few carol songs as 'special presents' for their fans, but never went as far as they do now, cementing full comebacks in concepts outside of dance.

Some industry insiders believe that the switch could be due to the rise in popularity of solo artists. One insider stated, "There have been a lot of people saying that the idol music market is dead. It's difficult for idols these days to even rank in the top 50 on digital music charts. There are too many teams with the same songs and concepts and a limit to how far you can differentiate yourself. Obviously, the public is sick of it now."

He continued, "Moreover, various audition programs like 'I Am a Singer' have started to spotlight non-idol artists, creating a subsequent rise in interest in their music. The control of the market has been turned over from idols to soloists."

Another insider added, "It's impossible to create anything new with just outfits and choreography alone anymore. It's better to fit new concepts to changes in season, which helps us hype up comebacks with their 'transformation', as well as play down the idol image by putting the focus on their vocals instead."