MONSTA X is a boy group formed through the survival show No.Mercy and debuted under Starship Entertainment in May 2015. The group is associated with a powerful performance image built around Shownu, Minhyuk, Kihyun, Hyungwon, Joohoney, and I.M, with Wonho as a former member. Their sound often leans muscular: EDM drops, hip-hop percussion, dark synths, and choruses designed for heavy choreography. MONSTA X became one of the most forceful performance groups of their generation through a run that moved from the breakthrough energy of &quot;Dramarama&quot; to the sharper drama of &quot;Love Killa.&quot; At the same time, their vocal line and later English-language work showed a smoother R&amp;B and pop side that softened the edges without removing the group&#x27;s intensity. MONSTA X became especially important in the bridge between Korean idol promotion and Western touring. They pursued English-language releases, appeared on American media, and built a strong international audience while keeping a clear group identity. Their fandom, Monbebe, is known for loyalty through lineup changes, military service periods, solo work, and long gaps between full-group schedules. The group&#x27;s legacy rests on consistency and stamina. MONSTA X did not need to reinvent themselves every comeback; they refined a recognizable image of power, charisma, and emotional loyalty. That made them a template for later boy groups that wanted to look tough on stage while still building a close, fan-centered identity off it.

MONSTA X

MINHYUK has always been known for his energy on stage with MONSTA X, but Reaching offers something more understated. Built around warmth, sincerity and a simple desire to connect

MINHYUK on “Reaching,” Honest Music and What's Next

WONHO has given KPOPWORLD an exclusive look inside the making of his new album CORE, sharing the songs that shaped the album alongside the tracks he's been reaching for lately

Kurated: WONHO Curates an Exclusive ‘CORE’ Playlist

KPOPWORLD #5

KPOPWORLD #4

KPOPWORLD #3

KPOPWORLD #2 (Poster Version)

Set to Take Over Alamodome Oct. 28–31, 2026

KPOPWORLD Festival & Worldwide Dance Competition

idntt (아이덴티티; read as identity) is an upcoming 24-member boy group under MODHAUS. They are set to make their debut sometime in 2026. The group consists of members divided into 3 rotational sub-units consisting of 8 members each - uneverm8t, yesw8are and itsnotov8r.

idntt

For their new album &lt;itsnotover&gt;, idntt sat down with KPOPWORLD to talk about where they've been, what this group has demanded of them, and what they refuse to let go of

idntt: The KPOPWORLD Digital Cover

&amp;TEAM is a nine-member Japanese boy group under YX Labels (formerly HYBE Labels Japan). The group was formed through the survival program &quot;&amp;Audition - The Howling&quot; and debuted in December 2022 with their first extended play &quot;First Howling: Me&quot;. The group consists of EJ, Fuma, K, Nicholas, Yuma, Jo, Harua, Taki, and Maki, with EJ serving as the leader. Several members, including K, Nicholas, EJ, and Taki, previously participated in the survival show I-LAND before being selected for HYBE&#x27;s Japanese global debut project. Before their official debut, the group released the digital single Under the Skin, which introduced their storyline and concept. Their debut EP, First Howling,e followed shortly afterward, marking the beginning of the group&#x27;s &quot;First Howling&quot; series of releases. Although primarily active in Japan, &amp;TEAM promoted internationally and later expanded into Korea with Korean-language releases and promotions. Their fandom name is LUNÉ, representing fans who support the group like the moon lighting the night sky.

&TEAM

In our Issue 5 print cover story, MAKI of &amp;TEAM speaks candidly on what it feels like to go viral – and why it's more complicated than it looks

IN REFLECTION MAKI: &TEAM

Cortis, is a South Korean boy band formed by Big Hit Music. The group consists of five members: Martin, James, Juhoon, Seonghyeon, and Keonho. They debuted on August 18, 2025, with the digital single “What You Want&quot; followed by their first EP, &quot;Color Outside the Lines&quot;. The group’s name is derived from the phrase “Color Outside the Lines,” reflecting their concept of creative freedom and nonconformity. Cortis has been promoted as a self-producing “creator crew,” with members participating in songwriting, choreography, and visual direction. Blending pop, hip-hop, and experimental elements, the group gained early attention for their performance skills, self-produced content, and strong rookie-year sales, establishing them as one of Big Hit Music’s newer generation acts.

CORTIS

CORTIS are taking their debut world tour to cinema screens worldwide on August 13 and 14, broadcasting live from LA's YouTube Theater with a 30-minute pre-show made exclusively for the release

CORTIS To Bring Debut World Tour To Cinemas Worldwide In August

KiiiKiii is a five-member girl group under Starship Entertainment, consisting of Jiyu, Leesol, Sui, Haum, and Kya. The group began its rollout in 2025 with &quot;I Do Me&quot; and built its debut era around a confident, self-directed image. As a newer Starship group, KiiiKiii carries attention from the company&#x27;s girl-group history while needing a distinct identity of its own. Their early presentation leans youthful but assertive, with styling and performance choices that frame the members as a compact team rather than a loose collection of rookies. The fandom is known as TiiiKiii. KiiiKiii is still early in its career, but its debut identity is clear: a compact Starship girl group built around self-possession, youthful confidence, and a team image still being defined through its first releases.

KiiiKiii

Certain types of marketing have become customary in the K-pop industry. From initial concept photos and movie-style trailers to teasers and mash-ups, new albums come with a whole host of content for fans to pick apart ahead of release

A New Era of K-pop Marketing: Why KiiiKiii’s Travel Website Works

This week’s K-pop releases embrace endings, nostalgia, and fresh starts, from KARD’s farewell to POW, ONEWE, NouerA, and P1Harmony’s distinct takes on summer and the past. Check out our latest roundup in this week’s Comeback Corner

Comeback Corner: KARD, ONEWE, POW & More

NewJeans is a girl group launched by ADOR in 2022, originally introduced with Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein. Their debut was unusual: instead of a long teaser cycle, ADOR introduced the group through a surprise rollout led by &quot;Attention&quot;, followed quickly by &quot;Hype Boy&quot;, &quot;Cookie&quot; and their first EP. The group&#x27;s early image felt deliberately low-friction compared with much of fourth-generation K-pop. NewJeans leaned into natural styling, soft choreography, conversational vocals, and production influenced by 2000s R&amp;B, UK garage, jersey club, and light dance-pop. That understated approach became the point: records like &quot;Ditto&quot; and Super Shy were catchy without feeling overbuilt, helping shift the broader sound of girl-group pop toward smoother textures and shorter, replayable hooks. NewJeans&#x27; impact is also inseparable from presentation. Their videos, graphic design, choreography, and fashion choices treated the group less like a traditional idol launch and more like a youth-culture project with a specific visual world. That made the members feel immediately recognizable even when the songs were restrained. The fandom is known as Bunnies or Tokkis. The group&#x27;s later public story became tied to major corporate conflict around ADOR and HYBE, but their musical impact remains clear. NewJeans changed the temperature of K-pop quickly: softer, more casual, more design-conscious, and still massively public-facing. Their catalog is short compared with older top groups, but the influence of their first run is already large.

NewJeans

ADOR has announced that NewJeans’ “How Sweet” has reached 300 million streams on Spotify, as of last Saturday. It becomes the ninth song from the group to breach the 300 million mark

NewJeans’ “How Sweet” Reaches 300 Million Streams Ahead of Possible Comeback

EXO is a South Korean-Chinese boy group formed by SM Entertainment in 2012. Originally debuting as two subunits — EXO-K (Korean) and EXO-M (Chinese) — the group quickly became one of the biggest acts in K-pop history with hits like &quot;Growl,&quot; &quot;Call Me Baby,&quot; and &quot;Monster.&quot; Their synchronized choreography, powerful vocals, and theatrical concepts helped define the third generation of K-pop and earned them the nickname &quot;Kings of K-pop.&quot; Over the years, EXO has sold millions of albums, held massive world tours, and seen their members flourish in solo careers spanning music, acting, and variety shows. Members like Baekhyun, D.O., and Chen have become household names in South Korea. Despite mandatory military enlistments creating periods of group inactivity, EXO&#x27;s dedicated fanbase, known as EXO-L, has remained fiercely loyal, ensuring the group&#x27;s legacy endures well into the 2020s.

On July 29, EXO’s Sehun released a surprise Chinese-language single, titled “Fade,” featuring NCT WISH’s Sion. Released as part of a project for Warner Music China

EXO’s Sehun Releases Surprise Chinese Single “Fade,” Featuring NCT WISH’s Sion

BTS, also known as the Bangtan Boys, is a South Korean boy band formed by Big Hit Music in 2010 and debuting on June 12, 2013, with the single album &quot;2 Cool 4 Skool&quot;. The group consists of seven members: RM (leader), Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook. The name BTS stands for Bangtan Sonyeondan (“Bulletproof Boy Scouts”), reflecting the group’s original concept of resisting societal expectations and criticism aimed at youth. Members RM, Suga, and J-Hope have played significant roles in songwriting and production throughout the group’s career. BTS first gained widespread attention with the [The Most Beautiful Moment in Life, Pt. 1 era], particularly the single I Need U, which earned the group their first Korean music show win in 2015. Their international breakthrough followed with releases such as Wings and the Love Yourself series. In 2018, &quot;Love Yourself: Tear&quot; became the first album by a Korean act to reach No. 1 on the Billboard 200. The group achieved further global success with singles including &quot;Dynamite&quot;, &quot;Butter&quot;, and &quot;Permission to Dance&#x27;&quot;, all of which reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. BTS is among the best-selling artists in South Korean history and has received numerous international awards, while also participating in global initiatives such as the UNICEF Love Myself campaign. Between 2022 and 2025, BTS paused full-group activities as the members completed South Korea’s mandatory military service. The last member, Suga, was discharged in June 2025, marking the completion of service for all seven members. Following their reunion, the group confirmed they were preparing a new album and world tour for 2026. Their tenth studio album, &quot;ARIRANG&quot;, recorded between July and November 2025, was released on March 20, 2026, marking their first group release in more than three years. The album will be supported by the Arirang World Tour, beginning in April 2026.

Record-breaking album. The largest concert in South Korean history. A World Cup halftime slot next to Madonna and Shakira. And BTS just said no to the Grammys anyway

The “Asian” GRAMMYs Category Was Supposed to Be an Honor. BTS Said No.

HYBE posted record second-quarter revenue of KRW 1.45 trillion and operating profit of KRW 170.9 billion, driven by BTS's "ARIRANG" World Tour and strong activity across the label group

HYBE Posts Record Quarterly Revenue as Touring Push Pays Off

BTS has announced that they will not submit music for next February’s 68th Grammy Awards, in response to the creation of a new Asian Pop Music Performance category

BTS Withdraw from Annual Grammy Awards

2NE1 is a South Korean girl group formed under YG Entertainment, known for their bold musical experimentation, powerful stage presence, and lasting influence on the global rise of K-pop. The group consists of CL, Park Bom, Sandara Park, and Minzy, and became widely recognized for redefining the image of girl groups with their confident, edgy style. 2NE1&#x27;s name is an abbreviation of &quot;New Evolution of the 21st Century.&quot; The group&#x27;s name was created to represent a new generation of music, style, and performance in the 21st century, with &quot;21&quot; symbolizing the modern era and &quot;NE&quot; standing for &quot;New Evolution.&quot; The name was shortened to &quot;2NE1&quot; as a stylized form that became the group&#x27;s official branding and widely recognized name worldwide. From their debut, they stood out as one of the most impactful acts of their generation, helping push K-pop beyond traditional boundaries. They gained immediate attention with their debut single &quot;Fire,&quot; followed by the major success of &quot;I Don&#x27;t Care,&quot; which earned major awards early in their career. Releases such as To Anyone, &quot;I Am the Best,&quot; &quot;Lonely,&quot; and &quot;Ugly&quot; solidified their reputation, blending hip-hop, pop, and electronic influences into a distinctive sound. Their international growth included notable achievements like one of the first global tours by a K-pop girl group and strong chart performance worldwide, including success on the Billboard 200 with Crush, further establishing their global presence. Throughout their career, the members expanded into individual activities while continuing to shape the group&#x27;s artistic direction and influence. Their music, fashion, and concept played a major role in popularizing the &quot;girl crush&quot; image and inspiring a new generation of artists. Even during periods of reduced group activity, their cultural impact and recognition remained strong across both Korean and international audiences. In recent years, 2NE1 has reunited for performances and group activities, marking a new chapter that builds on their legacy while reconnecting with fans worldwide. In 2026, Minzy confirmed that the group would move forward performing as a trio for select stages following controversy and public tension involving Park Bom and Sandara Park, with scheduled appearances including &quot;Special Live in Japan 2026&quot; at K-Arena Yokohama. Despite these changes, the group continues to evolve while maintaining their presence, influence, and long-standing status within K-pop.

2NE1

Sandara Park, also known as Dara from YG Entertainment’s 2NE1, has announced a new partnership with Singapore-based agency Power Entertainment. Following her performance at Waterbomb Singapore in 2024 with the agency

2NE1’s Sandara Park Partners with Singapore-based Power Entertainment

ENHYPEN makes history as the first K-pop group at San Diego Comic-Con, joining Twilight director Catherine Hardwicke and cast members Peter Facinelli and Ashley Greene. THE BOYZ’s legal battles continue, while NewJeans returns to social media for its 4th anniversary

Last Week In K-pop, Interpreted (July 20 - 24, 2026)

The Presidential Committee on Popular Culture Exchange has revealed plans for “Fanomenon,” a state-backed K-culture Festival set to debut in December 2027. Spread across 11 days

A New Era of K-pop Marketing: Why KiiiKiii’s Travel Website Works

Comeback Corner: KARD, ONEWE, POW & More

News

IN REFLECTION MAKI: &TEAM

NewJeans’ “How Sweet” Reaches 300 Million Streams Ahead of Possible Comeback

EXO’s Sehun Releases Surprise Chinese Single “Fade,” Featuring NCT WISH’s Sion

The “Asian” GRAMMYs Category Was Supposed to Be an Honor. BTS Said No.

HYBE Posts Record Quarterly Revenue as Touring Push Pays Off

BTS Withdraw from Annual Grammy Awards

2NE1’s Sandara Park Partners with Singapore-based Power Entertainment

Last Week In K-pop, Interpreted (July 20 - 24, 2026)

HYBE, SM, YG and JYP to Collaborate on 11-day K-culture Festival in 2027

Exclusive

MINHYUK on “Reaching,” Honest Music and What's Next

Kurated: WONHO Curates an Exclusive ‘CORE’ Playlist

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KPOP TOP 10 / 4th week of July 2026

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