Why is coed K-pop group KARD ending its journey?

KARD, one of the few coed groups in the current K-pop landscape, will end its 10-year run the way it spent most of it — as an exception.

The quartet filled venues across Europe and the Americas for years, yet never converted that momentum into comparable recognition at home.

The first full-length album of its career, out July 28, will also be its last.

DSP Media announced Monday that the group will disband after releasing "Where To Now?

(Part.2): NOWHERE" and wrapping a final world tour, closing a journey that began with the pre-debut single "Oh NaNa" in December 2016.

"After careful discussions with all four members, we have agreed to conclude KARD's journey following these activities," the agency said, asking fans to support BM, J.Seph, Somin and Jiwoo as they move on to individual careers.

That a group could tour the world for a decade before releasing a full-length album says much about how KARD operated, and about the market that barely made room for it.

Modern K-pop runs on fandom.

Physical album sales, music show votes and concert revenue are driven by "superfans," the deeply eng ...