CLOSE YOUR EYES (also shortened as CYE) is a seven-member boy group under UNCORE. They were formed through JTBC&#x27;s survival show PROJECT7. They made their debut on April 2, 2025, with the mini album &quot;Enternalt&quot;. PROJECT7 started airing on October 18, 2024, and the finale was broadcast live on December 27, 2024, revealing the group name, CLOSE YOUR EYES, and the seven winners, in order: Ma Jingxiang, Kenshin, Jeon Minwook, Seo Kyoungbae, Song Seungho, Jang Yeojun, and Kim Sungmin. Before joining PROJECT7, Jeon Minwook had already debuted as a member of the boy group BAE173 and the project group A-SIX. Additionally, Ma Jingxiang was a contestant on Boys Planet, while Jang Yeojun also participated in Boys Planet and was a contestant on Wild Idol.

CLOSE YOUR EYES

He talks us through the writing process behind the album's closing track, how he's grown since debut, and what drives him to keep reaching further

Meet The Member An Interview with CLOSE YOUR EYES' SEO KYOUNGBAE – Always Climbing Higher

He talks discovering bossa nova for the first time, what collaborating with a featured artist changed for him, and where he feels most connected to the rest of the group

Meet The Member: An Interview with CLOSE YOUR EYES' KENSHIN – The Playful Connector

KPOPWORLD #6 (Yves)

KPOPWORLD #6 (KEYVITUP X VAYONN)

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From reworking a jazz-funk classic on his own terms to what jazz has taught him about performing alongside the group, JINGXIANG reflects on curiosity, energy, and connection

Meet The Member: An Interview with CLOSE YOUR EYES' MA JINGXIANG – The Curious Colour-Chaser

From knowing when a recording is right to imagining where the group's colour goes next, MINWOOK shares his outlook on instinct, identity, and encouragement within the team

Meet The Member: An Interview with CLOSE YOUR EYES' JEON MINWOOK – The Instinct-Driven Idealist

Our conversation covers vulnerability in the studio, the nerves he's worked through since his earliest days, and what he hopes CLOSER will see differently this era

Meet The Member: An Interview with CLOSE YOUR EYES' SONG SEUNGHO – The Steady Spark

JANG YEOJUN, who reflects on craft, gratitude, and responsibility

Meet The Member: An Interview with CLOSE YOUR EYES' JANG YEOJUN – The Precision-Driven Performer

TOMORROW X TOGETHER, often shortened to TXT, is a five-member boy group under BIGHIT MUSIC. The group consists of Soobin, Yeonjun, Beomgyu, Taehyun, and Huening Kai. They debuted in March 2019 with The Dream Chapter: Star, becoming BigHit&#x27;s first boy group after BTS and immediately attracting heavy attention. TXT&#x27;s early identity centered on youth, friendship, imagination, and the strange emotional weather of growing up. Instead of debuting with a hard-edged performance image, they leaned into brightness, fantasy, and vulnerability on songs such as &quot;Crown,&quot; &quot;Run Away,&quot; and &quot;Blue Hour.&quot; That made the group feel distinct within fourth-generation boy-group trends, especially because their storytelling often treated adolescence as magical, confusing, and a little unstable. As their catalog developed, TXT added sharper pop-rock, emo, and dance influences through songs like &quot;0X1=LOVESONG,&quot; &quot;LO$ER=LOVER,&quot; &quot;Sugar Rush Ride,&quot; and &quot;Chasing That Feeling.&quot; The members&#x27; strengths map cleanly onto that evolution: Soobin&#x27;s calm leadership, Yeonjun&#x27;s performance charisma, Beomgyu&#x27;s color, Taehyun&#x27;s vocal focus, and Huening Kai&#x27;s bright tone all help the group move between softness and intensity. TXT&#x27;s fandom is known as MOA, short for Moments of Alwaysness. The group&#x27;s significance is tied to how carefully they built a coming-of-age identity across albums, videos, and performances. Rather than defining themselves through a single sound, TXT became a group about transition itself: childhood into adulthood, fantasy into reality, and polished idol pop into something more emotionally restless.

TOMORROW X TOGETHER

TOMORROW X TOGETHER’s ‘Setsuna Hanabi’ Special Edition is a collector’s dream, bringing its vivid ‘Bloom’ concept to life through oversized analogue-style cards, floral imagery, colourful packaging and a generous selection of inclusions

TOMORROW X TOGETHER JP 5th SINGLE 'Setsuna Hanabi' (Special Edition)

WAYF BOYS are back with “A4M”. Following their debut single “WAYF BOYS DO” and follow-up “SWAG”

WAYF BOYS Continue Debut Rollout With Unconventional New Single ‘A4M’

AND2BLE (앤더블) is a five-member boy group under YH Entertainment. They made their debut on May 26, 2026 with their 1st mini album Sequence 01: Curiosity. The group consists of former ZEROBASEONE Members Zhang Hao, Ricky, Kim Gyu Vin, and Han Yu Jin, as well as former EVNNE member Yoo Seung Eon.

AND2BLE

YH Entertainment has announced that boy group AND2BLE are set to return with their second EP, ‘Sequence 02: Attraction,’ on October 27, 2026

AND2BLE To Return with Second EP ‘Sequence 02: Attraction’

LE SSERAFIM is a five-member girl group under Source Music, consisting of Kim Chaewon, Miyawaki Sakura, Huh Yunjin, Kazuha, and Hong Eunchae. They debuted in May 2022 with &quot;Fearless,&quot; with Kim Garam briefly part of the original lineup before leaving the group. The group&#x27;s name is an anagram of &quot;I&#x27;m Fearless,&quot; and that idea became the spine of their image. LE SSERAFIM&#x27;s music often frames confidence as something earned through pressure rather than something simply declared. &quot;Antifragile,&quot; &quot;Unforgiven,&quot; &quot;Eve, Psyche &amp; The Bluebeard&#x27;s wife,&quot; and &quot;Easy&quot; all explore variations on resilience, ambition, criticism, and the public work of becoming stronger. LE SSERAFIM&#x27;s member mix is unusually clear. Chaewon provides leadership and a compact vocal/performance center, Sakura brings long idol experience and international recognition, Yunjin adds a singer-songwriter voice and outspoken personality, Kazuha&#x27;s ballet background shapes the group&#x27;s elegant athleticism, and Eunchae gives the team a younger, brighter counterweight. Their performances often use that contrast: polished lines, athletic choreography, and a cool refusal to look rattled. The fandom is known as FEARNOT. LE SSERAFIM&#x27;s importance comes from how sharply they defined a modern girl-group confidence concept. Rather than relying only on glamour or toughness, they built an identity around self-discipline, public scrutiny, and forward motion, making vulnerability and ambition feel like parts of the same image.

LE SSERAFIM

LE SSERAFIM have never treated fashion as an afterthought. Andrea Sacal explores LE SSERAFIM’s fashion journey for KPOPWORLD

How LE SSERAFIM Turned Scrutiny Into an Aesthetic

IVE is a six-member girl group formed by Starship Entertainment, debuting in December 2021. The group includes former IZ*ONE members Wonyoung and Yujin alongside Gaeul, Rei, Leeseo, and Liz. IVE&#x27;s concept centers on self-confidence and self-love, encapsulated by their motto &quot;I HAVE&quot; -- a declaration of owning one&#x27;s identity rather than chasing external validation. From their first single, &quot;Eleven,&quot; IVE established a style built around poise rather than maximal force. &quot;Love Dive,&quot; &quot;After Like,&quot; and &quot;I Am&quot; strengthened that image with sleek hooks, elegant choreography, and lyrics that frame confidence as something cool and self-possessed. The group stood out in a crowded fourth-generation field by feeling polished early: less like rookies chasing impact and more like a brand arriving already defined. IVE&#x27;s appeal also comes from contrast inside the lineup. Yujin gives the group a strong leader and performance anchor, Wonyoung brings a highly visible center presence, Liz adds vocal brightness, Rei gives the rap line a distinctive tone, Gaeul sharpens the dance and rap texture, and Leeseo adds youthful energy without making the group feel overly cute. Starship&#x27;s presentation often uses that balance to make IVE feel fashionable, direct, and easy to recognize. The fandom is known as DIVE, and IVE quickly became one of the defining girl groups of their generation through a mix of public-friendly singles, strong visual identity, and high-profile members. Their significance is not just that they produced hit songs, but that they helped re-center a graceful, self-assured pop image in modern K-pop: glamorous without being distant, confident without needing to shout, and accessible without feeling generic.

On October 5, 2026, IVE unveiled the tracklist for their upcoming mini album ‘Looks Can Kill,’ with popular singer-songwriter Zara Larsson making an appearance in its credits

Zara Larsson Credited as a Composer on IVE’s “Glow Motion”

VIVIZ is a three-member girl group consisting of SinB, Eunha, and Umji — three former members of the beloved group GFRIEND. After GFRIEND&#x27;s sudden disbandment in 2021, the trio signed with BPM Entertainment and redebuted as VIVIZ (Visual, Vivid, and Illusion) in February 2022. Their formation was a testament to the bond between the members and their determination to continue performing together. VIVIZ gained significant attention through their appearance on Mnet&#x27;s &quot;Queendom 2,&quot; where they showcased their growth and versatility to a wide audience. Their releases, including &quot;BOP BOP!&quot; and &quot;LOVEADE,&quot; lean into retro-pop and dance-pop territory. For fans of GFRIEND, known as Buddies, VIVIZ represents a bittersweet continuation — different in name and sound, but carrying forward the spirit of the friendship that defined one of K-pop&#x27;s most popular girl groups. VIVIZ has carved out their own space as a mature, confident trio while honoring the legacy they helped build.

VIVIZ

Eunha, SinB and Umji of girl group VIVIZ have signed an exclusive contract with UNCORE, the agency announced on October 5, 2026

VIVIZ Trio Sign With UNCORE, Possible Name Change

Stray Kids is an eight-member boy group under JYP Entertainment, consisting of Bang Chan, Lee Know, Changbin, Hyunjin, Han, Felix, Seungmin, and I.N. The group was introduced through the 2017 survival program Stray Kids and officially debuted in March 2018 with I Am Not, following the pre-debut release &quot;Hellevator.&quot; Former member Kim Woojin left in 2019. The group&#x27;s identity is unusually tied to self-production. Before debut, Bang Chan had already gathered the members around a team-first concept, and the production trio 3RACHA -- Bang Chan, Changbin, and Han -- became the engine behind much of Stray Kids&#x27; sound. That gave the group a different center of gravity from many idol acts: the music often felt like it came from inside the team rather than being assigned to them. Musically, Stray Kids are known for dense rap writing, aggressive electronic textures, sudden rhythmic switches, and choruses built for performance impact. &quot;God&#x27;s Menu,&quot; &quot;Back Door,&quot; &quot;Thunderous,&quot; &quot;Maniac,&quot; and &quot;S-Class&quot; made their style easy to identify: noisy in the intentional sense, but organized around hooks, slogans, and choreography that fans could immediately hold onto. Their lyrics often return to pressure, self-definition, ambition, and the awkward process of growing into confidence. The members&#x27; contrast is a major part of the group&#x27;s appeal. Bang Chan anchors the team as leader and producer; Changbin and Han give the rap line speed and personality; Lee Know, Hyunjin, and Felix shape the performance image; Seungmin and I.N bring clearer melodic balance. Rather than smoothing those differences out, Stray Kids usually lean into them, making their songs feel crowded, restless, and unmistakably theirs. Stray Kids became one of the defining global boy groups of the fourth generation, with a fandom known as STAY and major touring success across Asia, North America, Europe, and beyond. Their rise helped prove that a self-producing idol group could scale internationally while keeping a specific sonic fingerprint. Even when the group experiments with genre or language, the core idea remains stable: Stray Kids make high-impact pop out of tension, noise, teamwork, and control.

Stray Kids

JYP Entertainment has declared that Stray Kids did not submit any music for the 2027 Grammy Awards, several weeks following BTS’ decision to do the same

Stray Kids Join BTS in Withdrawing from the Grammy Awards

Concert ticket reselling has become an increasingly visible problem in K-pop, with tickets for high-demand shows being resold for many times their original price

The K-pop Ticket Reselling Problem

K-pop’s influence on fashion week has become part of the system

K-Pop Showed Its Power In New York, London, and Milan for SS27

AMPERS&amp;ONE is a seven-member South Korean boy group under FNC Entertainment. The group debuted on November 15, 2023 with their first single album Ampersand One. The lineup consists of Kamden, Brian, Jiho, Siyun, Mackiah, Kyrell, and Seungmo. Prior to their debut, FNC Entertainment announced plans to launch a new boy group and later confirmed that former Boys Planet contestants Kamden and Jiho would be part of the lineup. The group name, AMPERS&amp;ONE, was revealed along with the opening of official social media accounts, followed by the introduction of each member through individual profile releases. The group officially debuted with the single album Ampersand One. They returned the following year with their second single album One Hearted and later released their first mini album One Question. During this period, the group also held their first fan meeting, “&amp;Dear. My First _,” in Seoul. AMPERS&amp;ONE expanded their activities internationally through a series of fan meetings in Asia and their first tour in the United States. They continued their releases with the mini album Wild &amp; Free, followed by their third mini album Loud &amp; Proud. The group later participated in the U.S. leg of P1Harmony’s “P1ustage H: Most Wanted” tour as an opening act, marking one of their earliest large-scale international touring experiences. On February 6th the group won their first ever award, the &quot;Rising Star Male Idol&quot; award at the 2026 Korea First Brand Awards. &quot;Definition&quot; with be their fourth mini album.

AMPERS&ONE

AMPERS&amp;ONE closed out their first-ever European tour in London, and they left little doubt that they’re ready for bigger stages

AMPERS&ONE Live in London: A Live Debut Worth Remembering

ILLIT is a South Korean girl group formed through the 2023 reality survival show R U Next?. The group is managed by Belift Lab, a subsidiary of HYBE, and debuted in March 2024 with the EP &quot;Super Real Me&quot;. ILLIT consists of five members: Yunah, Minju, Moka, Wonhee, and Iroha, though former member Youngeso left before the group officially debuted despite making the final line up. The group quickly gained global attention with their debut title track Magnetic, which became a viral hit on social media platforms and achieved high placements on international music charts, including the Billboard Hot 100 and the Billboard Global 200. Their sound combines elements of Kpop, electronic pop, and dreamy pop aesthetics. ILLIT&#x27;s concept focuses on youthful energy and individuality, presenting a soft yet modern pop style that has helped establish the group as one of the notable fifth-generation Kpop girl groups.

ILLIT

ILLIT’s debut title track “Magnetic” has earned a Triple Platinum certification in Japan, according to the Recording Industry Association of Japan on October 2

TOMORROW X TOGETHER JP 5th SINGLE 'Setsuna Hanabi' (Special Edition)

WAYF BOYS Continue Debut Rollout With Unconventional New Single ‘A4M’

Exclusive

Meet The Member An Interview with CLOSE YOUR EYES' SEO KYOUNGBAE – Always Climbing Higher

Meet The Member: An Interview with CLOSE YOUR EYES' KENSHIN – The Playful Connector

News

AND2BLE To Return with Second EP ‘Sequence 02: Attraction’

How LE SSERAFIM Turned Scrutiny Into an Aesthetic

Zara Larsson Credited as a Composer on IVE’s “Glow Motion”

VIVIZ Trio Sign With UNCORE, Possible Name Change

Stray Kids Join BTS in Withdrawing from the Grammy Awards

The K-pop Ticket Reselling Problem

K-Pop Showed Its Power In New York, London, and Milan for SS27

AMPERS&ONE Live in London: A Live Debut Worth Remembering

ILLIT Becomes Fastest Overseas Female Artist to Hit Triple Platinum in Japan with “Magnetic”

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