It was also a year for major change in the Korean music industry. Even though K-pop prides itself on being a mix of genres and bending the rules , groups continue to further push past boundaries and experiment with innovative styles, concepts , and even languages . Beyond the sonic, however, the industry was faced with injuries, hiatuses, pain, and tragic loss , and forced to finally make steps to take better care of the health of its idols. Korea as a whole still has a ways to go in terms of battling the stigma of mental illness, online bullying, and misogyny . The events of recent years, and this year in particular, however, have the potential to lead to a turning point in promoting more transparency and care for its hard-working artists. And hopefully, this honesty and emphasis on self-care will positively affect both fans who look to idols as models, as well as the quality and depth of the music and art released.