KPOPWORLD #5

KPOPWORLD #4

KPOPWORLD #3

KPOPWORLD #2 (Poster Version)

&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

&amp;TEAM's first-ever U.S. performances weren't just a KCON debut, they were a test. On the Artist Stage, the group played to a packed, barricade-close crowd

&TEAM's KCON 2026 Debut Stands Out

CHOI YU REE returns with Stay: Two, the companion EP to last year's Stay: One – but this isn't a sequel that continues the story

Track-By-Track: Choi Yu Ree’s Stay: Two

The first KPOPWORLD Festival &amp; Worldwide Dance Competition lands at San Antonio's Alamodome from 28–31 October, and the choice of city is doing as much talking as the eleven-act lineup

KPOPWORLD Festival's San Antonio Bet: What an Alamodome Weekend Says About K-Pop's US Expansion

The Seoul-born singer-songwriter is 17 years old, less than two years into her career, and already operating on her own terms – writing and producing her music

ZIN CHOI: Listen at Your Own Risk

Before Islington Assembly Hall opened its doors, KANG YUCHAN and from20 brought us behind the curtains before the two rising stars took to the stage

Backstage At KANG YUCHAN & from20’s Body Talk Tour in London

Wonder Girls were a girl group formed by JYP Entertainment, debuting in February 2007. The group — whose most well-known lineup included Sunye, Yeeun, Sohee, Yubin, and Hyerim — became one of the defining acts of second-generation K-pop. Their 2007 single &quot;Tell Me&quot; sparked a national dance craze in South Korea, with the retro choreography being replicated everywhere from schools to military barracks. Follow-up hits &quot;So Hot&quot; and &quot;Nobody&quot; were equally massive. Wonder Girls made history as the first K-pop group to enter the Billboard Hot 100, with &quot;Nobody&quot; charting in 2009 during their ambitious attempt to break into the American market. While their U.S. promotions had mixed results, the group&#x27;s pioneering efforts helped pave the way for future K-pop acts in the West. In their later years, Wonder Girls reinvented themselves as a self-playing band, releasing the critically acclaimed album &quot;Reboot.&quot; The group disbanded in 2017, but their legacy as trailblazers in K-pop&#x27;s global expansion is firmly established.

Wonder Girls

Sunmi trades her signature high-voltage energy for something softer with "Forever July", a song built around sleeplessness, rain, and a question she never fully answers

In 'Forever July,' Sunmi Swaps Summer Pop for Summer Rain

Four years of silence, and Choi Yoojung breaks it by naming exactly what she's aiming for. "Perfect Target" is the first release she's written and composed herself

Four Years Later, Choi Yoojung Finally Names Her Perfect Target

K-EXPO INKIGAYO delivered a cross-generational powerhouse lineup, featuring high-energy sets from 82MAJOR, Hearts2Hearts, Stella Jang, MONSTA X, NCT WISH, and a show-stopping finale by Taemin

K-EXPO INKIGAYO in Paris: Where K-Pop's Past and Present Shared the Same Stage

ATEEZ is an eight-member boy group formed by KQ Entertainment, consisting of Hongjoong, Seonghwa, Yunho, Yeosang, San, Mingi, Wooyoung, and Jongho. They debuted in October 2018 with Treasure EP.1: All to Zero, launching a pirate-and-treasure storyline that gave their early music a cinematic frame. ATEEZ stood out because their performances felt oversized in the best way. Even before they had the company power of larger labels behind them, the group built attention through intense facial expressions, full-bodied choreography, live-stage energy, and songs designed to explode in concert. &quot;Wonderland,&quot; &quot;Answer,&quot; &quot;Guerrilla,&quot; &quot;Bouncy,&quot; and &quot;Crazy Form&quot; all show that instinct for scale: big chants, dramatic builds, and a sense that every chorus is meant to be shouted back. The members&#x27; roles support that theatrical style. Hongjoong anchors the group as leader and producer, Mingi gives the rap line a deep tone, Jongho brings unusually strong high notes, and San, Seonghwa, Yunho, Yeosang, and Wooyoung shape much of the performance identity. ATEEZ&#x27;s fanbase, ATINY, became known for strong international support, helping the group grow from a smaller-agency act into a major global touring name. ATEEZ&#x27;s significance comes from proving how far performance identity can carry a group when it is consistent. Their concepts can be loud, dark, playful, or rebellious, but the core remains theatrical and physical. They made intensity feel like a worldview, not just a comeback style.

ATEEZ

ATEEZ became only the third K-pop act to headline the Great Oak Stage at BST Hyde Park on June 28 – following BLACKPINK and Stray Kids, both of whom went on to headline European stadiums

ATEEZ at BST Hyde Park: A Headline Slot Fully Earned

SHINee is a boy group formed by SM Entertainment, debuting in May 2008 with &quot;Replay.&quot; The group consists of Onew, Jonghyun, Key, Minho, and Taemin. SM promoted them as a &quot;contemporary band,&quot; a phrase that fit their role as trendsetters in music, choreography, styling, and performance. SHINee&#x27;s catalog moved quickly from the smooth youthfulness of &quot;Replay&quot; into sharper electronic pop and hybrid performance tracks. Later records like &quot;View&quot; and &quot;1 of 1&quot; showed how far they could push taste while staying accessible, bringing deep house, retro R&amp;B, and fashion-conscious presentation into mainstream idol pop. Their dances were often technical without feeling stiff, and their vocals gave even experimental tracks a polished center. The members built unusually strong individual identities: Onew as a warm vocalist, Jonghyun as a songwriter and one of K-pop&#x27;s most expressive singers, Key as a style and variety standout, Minho as an athletic performer and actor, and Taemin as a solo performer whose work influenced later idols. Jonghyun&#x27;s death in 2017 remains an important and painful part of SHINee&#x27;s history, and the group&#x27;s later activities are often understood through both grief and continuity. SHINee&#x27;s fandom is known as Shawol. Their legacy is deep because they were not only popular; they were influential in ways that became part of K-pop&#x27;s basic vocabulary. Later groups inherited their emphasis on difficult choreography, distinctive styling, strong solo identities, and the idea that idol pop could be both polished and genuinely adventurous.

SHINee

At BST Hyde Park, the legendary TAEMIN arrived second on the Great Oak Stage on June 28, in the run-up towards ATEEZ’s headlining set. He delivered a forty minute setlist of some of the most recognisable solo K-pop title tracks of the past decade

TAEMIN at BST Hyde Park: This Is What an Idol's Idol Looks Like

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

On "7TH YEAR: A Moment of Stillness in the Thorns”, TXT have never sounded more like themselves. Trading urgency for stillness and leaning into techno-inflected electronic production, the group has never explored quite like this

TXT Are Still Standing – Thorns and All – on 8th Mini Album

JUSTB, formerly stylized as JUST B, is a South Korean six-member boy group under Bluedot Entertainment. They debuted with their first mini album, Just Burn, marking the beginning of their activities in the music industry. The group was formed following the transfer of several PlayM BOYS trainees to Bluedot Entertainment, with the full lineup revealed sequentially ahead of debut. Prior to their official launch, the members engaged with fans through early promotional content and live audio interactions, building anticipation for their debut. They officially debuted with Just Burn, followed by their first single album Just Beat later that year. In 2022, they continued to expand their discography with their second mini album Just Begun and third mini album = (Neun), further developing their musical identity. In 2023, the group launched the “JUST Be with you” project, collaborating with other artists and releasing various digital and special singles, including “Camellia” and I Luv You Merry Christmas. They also released their fourth mini album ÷ (Nanugi), showcasing continued growth in both concept and sound. In 2024, they released the English digital single “Daddy’s Girl” and participated in the project group The CrewOne alongside ATBO. During this period, member Siwoo temporarily suspended activities before later returning. In 2025, the group released the digital single “Still I Luv You,” followed by additional releases including a digital album and English singles. They also adopted the stylization JUSTB and continued their activities with further music releases, including their fifth mini album Snow Angel, accompanied by a pre-release track.

JUSTB

JUSTB's first European tour landed in London and they made Islington Assembly Hall feel like an arena

JUSTB’s AQUA HALO Tour: K-Pop's Coolest Act Has Arrived

IZ*ONE was a twelve-member project girl group formed through the Mnet survival show &quot;Produce 48,&quot; a collaboration between Korean and Japanese entertainment industries, debuting in October 2018. The group combined members from Korean agencies and Japan&#x27;s AKB48 system, including future stars Jang Wonyoung, An Yujin, Kim Chaewon, and Miyawaki Sakura. Their debut mini-album &quot;COLOR*IZ&quot; broke sales records for a K-pop girl group at the time. During their two-and-a-half-year contract, IZ*ONE became one of the best-selling girl groups in K-pop history, with releases like &quot;La Vie en Rose,&quot; &quot;Violeta,&quot; and &quot;Fiesta&quot; achieving critical and commercial success. Despite the &quot;Produce&quot; series vote manipulation scandal casting a shadow over their formation, the group&#x27;s talent was undeniable. IZ*ONE disbanded in April 2021 as planned, but their members went on to lead some of the biggest acts in K-pop&#x27;s fourth generation, including IVE, LE SSERAFIM, and more. Their fandom, WIZ*ONE, remains active and nostalgic.

IZ*ONE

YENA’s “Catch Catch” Is Second-Gen K-Pop Done Exactly Right

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.

In the run-up to BTS’ long-awaited group comeback on March 20, 2026, we’re revisiting the band’s back catalogue era by era

The BTS Retrospect: Proof, Reviewed

EVERGLOW is a South Korean girl group under CHXXTA Company, currently consisting of E:U, Sihyeon, Onda, and Aisha. The group debuted under Yue Hua Entertainment on March 18, 2019 with &quot;Bon Bon Chocolat,&quot; arriving as a six-member team that also included Mia and Yiren. From debut, EVERGLOW was built around scale: large choruses, high-impact choreography, and music videos designed for global replay. &quot;Bon Bon Chocolat&quot; gave them immediate international attention, while &quot;Adios&quot; turned that early interest into a clearer group identity. Their first music show win with &quot;Adios&quot; helped establish them as one of the more visible performance-driven girl groups of the late 2010s. The group&#x27;s sound often favors EDM, electro-pop, and dramatic girl-crush production, but their best-known moments work because the songs give each member a strong visual and performance role. Tracks like &quot;Dun Dun,&quot; &quot;La Di Da,&quot; and &quot;First&quot; pushed different sides of the same image: cinematic, confident, and built for stages where the hook and choreography land together. EVERGLOW entered a transition period after their contract with Yue Hua ended in 2025, with Mia and Yiren not continuing in the current four-member lineup. The fandom is known as FOREVER. The CHXXTA era continues the group after a major reset, while the original six-member history remains central to how EVERGLOW became known.

EVERGLOW

EVERGLOW return with “CODE” – their first release as a quartet under CHXXTA following their departure from YUEHUA Entertainment

EVERGLOW Reboot Themselves With Controlled Chaos on “CODE”

BLACKPINK is a four-member South Korean girl group formed by YG Entertainment, consisting of Jisoo, Jennie, Rosé, and Lisa. They debuted on August 8, 2016 with Square One, led by &quot;Boombayah&quot; and &quot;Whistle,&quot; and arrived as YG&#x27;s first new girl group after 2NE1. From the beginning, the group was presented less as a large idol ensemble and more as four sharply individualized performers, each with a distinct vocal tone, visual identity, and public role. The group&#x27;s name captures the tension that became central to their image: &quot;black&quot; for a harder, more self-assured edge and &quot;pink&quot; for glamour, playfulness, and pop accessibility. Their music often builds around that contrast. Jennie and Lisa&#x27;s rap sections give many songs a clipped, percussive center, while Jisoo and Rosé&#x27;s vocals provide melodic lift and emotional color. This structure made BLACKPINK songs easy to recognize even across different producers, languages, and markets; the group could move from the spare whistle hook of their debut to the maximal drops of &quot;DDU-DU DDU-DU&quot; and still feel like the same act. BLACKPINK&#x27;s rise was also shaped by scarcity. Compared with many idol groups, they released relatively few songs in their first several years, which made each comeback feel closer to an event than a routine promotional cycle. That strategy had tradeoffs, but it concentrated public attention on a small set of songs, videos, styling choices, and stage moments. Tracks such as Kill This Love, How You Like That, Pink Venom, and Shut Down became reference points for a global-facing K-pop style built around impact, visual clarity, and immediately repeatable hooks. Their international growth came from more than chart performance. BLACKPINK connected K-pop&#x27;s idol system with the language of global pop, luxury fashion, digital fandom, and festival stages. They were the first Korean girl group to perform at Coachella in 2019 and returned in 2023 as the first K-pop act to headline the festival. Collaborations with Western pop artists, major fashion-house relationships, and an unusually large YouTube and social-media footprint helped make the members visible to audiences who did not necessarily follow Korean music closely. As individual artists, all four members developed major careers in music, acting, fashion, and brand work, making BLACKPINK one of the clearest examples of a modern K-pop group whose group identity and solo identities reinforce each other. After renewing with YG for group activities, the members&#x27; individual paths became more independent while BLACKPINK remained active as a shared brand and performance unit. Their significance is not only that they broke records, but that they helped normalize a model where a K-pop girl group could operate simultaneously as an idol act, a global pop project, and a set of four standalone celebrity careers. The fandom is known as BLINK.

BLACKPINK

After nearly four years without a full group project, BLACKPINK have returned with DEADLINE – a five-track EP shaped as much by anticipation as by sound

Review