KPOPWORLD #5

KPOPWORLD #4

KPOPWORLD #3

KPOPWORLD #2 (Poster Version)

David Yong's route into K-pop doesn't follow the standard idol playbook. After discovering the genre through BIGBANG and TWICE, the Singaporean entrepreneur drew on years of vocal training as he took on Korean-language study, dance lessons, and recording in Seoul

From Fan to Artist-Executive: David Yong on His K-pop Journey

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

NEXZ is a seven-member Japanese boy group formed by JYP Entertainment and Sony Music Japan through the Japanese reality show Nizi Project Season 2. The group&#x27;s name means Next Z(G)eneration, and was coined by J.Y. Park to represent the wish for the group to lead JYPE into the future. The final episode premiered on December 15, 2023, revealing the debut lineup, ranked as follows: Tomoya, Haru, Yuki, Ken (So Geon), Yu, Yuhi (Hyui), and Seita. They debuted with the Korean song &quot;Ride the Vibe.&quot;

NEXZ

When NEXZ released "Mmchk" in April 2026, the seven-member group's first comeback of the year sold over 444,000 copies in its first week – a new career high – topped the Circle Chart retail album chart, and earned them their first number one on a Korean music broadcast

NEXZ: Nowhere Left But Up

Beyond the K-pop groups and the choreography that dominate headlines, another wave of singer-songwriters and independent artists from South Korea’s music scene has been building its own audience. DORI is part of that wave, though she arrived at it from an unlikely direction

DORI Speaks in Colour

ASTRO is a four-member boy group under Fantagio. Originally debuting as six members, the group entered the industry with their first mini album &quot;Spring Up&quot;, quickly gaining attention for their bright concept and strong performance skills. The original lineup consisted of MJ, JinJin, Cha Eun-woo, Moon Bin, Rocky, and Sanha, establishing a well-balanced team recognized for both musical and variety presence. In their early years, ASTRO built a steady discography with releases such as &quot;Summer Vibes&quot;, &quot;Autumn Story&quot;, and the &quot;Dream&quot; series, while also expanding their reach through concerts and international promotions. Their growth continued with their first full-length album &quot;All Light&quot; and subsequent releases including &quot;Blue Flame&quot;, &quot;Gateway&quot;, and &quot;All Yours&quot;, solidifying their place in the industry with a consistent sound and evolving image. The group also explored unit activities, including Moon Bin &amp; Sanha and JinJin &amp; Rocky, further showcasing their versatility. :contentReference[oaicite:0] Over time, ASTRO experienced significant changes, including Rocky’s departure and the passing of Moon Bin in 2023, marking a deeply emotional period for the group and fans. Despite these challenges, the group has continued activities as four members, releasing commemorative and special projects such as &quot;Circles&quot;, &quot;Twilight&quot;, and &quot;Moon&quot;, reflecting both their growth and enduring bond as they move forward together.

ASTRO

YOON SAN-HA has been in the industry longer than most people realise. He joined Fantagio as a trainee in his early teens, debuted as the youngest member of ASTRO in 2016

YOON SAN-HA Is Ready To Be Himself

Ifeye is a South Korean girl group formed by Hi-Hat Entertainment. The group is composed of six members: Won Hwa-yeon, Taerin, Rahee, Kasia, Meu, and Sasha. The group debuted on April 8, 2025 with the Mini Album Erlu Blue.

ifeye

There's a particular kind of pressure that follows a debut year. The introductions have been made, the foundations laid, and suddenly the question shifts from who you are to what you are becoming. For ifeye, that question has an answer – and they're ready to give it

ifeye: The Start of Something Special

OMEGA X (also stylized as ΩX) is an eleven-member South Korean boy group under IPQ. The group debuted on June 30, 2021 with their first mini album Vamos. The lineup currently consists of Jaehan, Hwichan, Sebin, Hangyeom, Taedong, Xen, Jehyun, Kevin, Hyuk, and Yechan. Several members had previously debuted in other groups or appeared on survival programs before joining OMEGA X. Omega X The group was introduced through teasers by SPIRE Entertainment highlighting the return of previously active idols. Following their debut with Vamos, they released the single album What’s Goin’ On and announced their official fandom name, FOR X (“Forever with OMEGA X”). They continued their activities with the mini album Love Me Like and their first studio album Story Written in Music, during which Jaehan was confirmed as the group’s leader. The group later made their Japanese debut with the mini album Stand Up! and held their first world tour, “Connect : Don’t Give Up.” They also released the English single “Love Me Like (Eng Ver.)” and the theme song “Jamboree Anthem Korea” for the 25th World Scout Jamboree. Amid reports of verbal and physical abuse involving their agency, the members held a press conference and pursued legal action against SPIRE Entertainment. A court later suspended the validity of their exclusive contracts, allowing the group to continue activities independently. After negotiations, both parties mutually agreed to terminate the contracts, with OMEGA X obtaining the rights to their group name and related activities. Omega X The group later signed with IPQ as the agency’s first artist and resumed promotions, including the release of the mini album Iykyk. During this period, members Hwichan and Sebin enlisted for mandatory military service. OMEGA X later released the Japanese mini album To. and formed their first subunit, OX:N, consisting of Jaehan, Xen, Jehyun, and Yechan. The group also announced their first European tour, “Re:Connect,” alongside plans for a new comeback project developed with participation from their fandom, FOR X.

OMEGA X

This February, OMEGA X took their RE:CONNECT tour across Europe, moving through Paris, Frankfurt, Berlin, Warsaw, Budapest, Helsinki, and Milan across a two-week run that marked a significant moment in the group's relationship with their international fanbase

OMEGA X Take Europe: A Tour Diary in Their Own Words

FIFTY FIFTY is a 5-member South Korean girl group under ATTRAKT, currently consisting of: Keena, Chanelle Moon, Yewon, Hana, and Athena. They debuted on November 18, 2022, with the mini album The Fifty. On June 28, 2023, all original members officially filed a lawsuit against ATTRAKT. On October 23, 2023 it was announced that Saena, Sio and Aran‘s exclusive contracts with ATTRAKT were terminated. On November 2, 2023 ATTRAKT announced that the group’s remaining member Keena will be joined by three new members. On August 8, 2024, four new members were announced, including Chanelle Moon, Yewon, Hana, and another mystery member, who was later revealed to be Athena. Along with that, the group&#x27;s fandom name changed from &quot;Hunnies&quot; to &quot;TWENY&quot;. Soon after, they pre-released ‘Starry Night‘ on August 30, 2024, and made their comeback with the new lineup on September 20, 2024, with the mini-album Love Tune.

FIFTY FIFTY

On their fourth EP Imperfect-I'mperfect, FIFTY FIFTY push into new sonic territory – cyberpunk electronics, dreamy hip-hop, euphoric pop – all while carrying a message that hits close to home: it's okay to be imperfect. It's okay to not be okay

FIFTY FIFTY: The KPOPWORLD Digital Cover

For ORβIT, a Korea–Japan joint group formed from contestants of Produce 101 Japan, the journey to a Korean debut has wound through a global pandemic, military service, and a creative evolution quiet enough to miss if you weren't paying attention

ORβIT: Finding Their Orbit

kimseungjoo doesn't want to be a superstar anymore. He's said as much, and he's also said that he once held that admission up to the light and wondered if it was a loser's way of thinking. He decided it wasn't

kimseungjoo: The Boy Who Stopped Wanting to Be a Superstar

QQQ is a 3-member independent South Korean project boy group. The group is the first sub-unit of OnlyOneOf, announced on December 21, 2025, consisting of KB, Jisung (formerly known as Love), and Nine. They debuted on February 26, 2026 with their first mini album QtoresQ.

KB, JISUNG and NINE don't talk about QQQ the way most groups talk about a debut. The ambition is there, but they start somewhere else entirely: trust

QQQ Talk Dreams, Doubt and Doing It Their Way

Big Ocean is a South Korean boy group under Parastar Entertainment. The trio consists of PJ, Chanyeon, and Jiseok. They debuted on April 20, 2024 with &quot;Glow&quot; and are widely noted as the first hard-of-hearing K-pop boy group. Their performances incorporate Korean Sign Language, American Sign Language, and International Sign, making accessibility part of the group&#x27;s musical identity rather than an afterthought. The group describes its music as &quot;Free Soul Pop,&quot; a label that fits its mix of warm pop melodies, uplifting themes, and sign-language performance. Big Ocean&#x27;s releases include Blow, SLOW, Underwater, Red-dy Set Go!, and The Greatest Battle. Their fandom is known as PADO, the Korean word for wave.

Big Ocean

Big Ocean have spent their career making the case that K-pop has room for them – just by continuing to show up, release music, and refusing to disappear. THE GREATEST BATTLE, their third mini album, is the fullest version of that argument yet

Big Ocean: Still Standing, On Their Own Terms

In a music scene as vast and varied as South Korea's, HANRORO has carved out a territory that is entirely her own: indie rock with the emotional weight of a confession. Since her debut in 2022, she has built an audience through the oldest mechanism in music

HANRORO: Entirely On Her Own Terms

Kep1er is a South Korean K-pop girl group formed under CJ ENM in 2021 following the Mnet show Girls Planet 999. Originally composed of nine members, the group debuted on January 3, 2022, with their first mini-album, First Impact. The group now consists of six members following the departures of Mashiro and Yeseo in July 2024, and Youngeun in March 2026.

Kep1er

When Kep1er debuted in January 2022, the group arrived with a built-in audience, faces already known, and the particular pressure of having been chosen. Formed through the Mnet survival show Girls Planet 999, they launched into a scene that had already watched them closely for months

Kep1er: CRACKING THE CODE TO THE LONG GAME

Ten months after CHAMELEON, YOON SAN-HA isn't shapeshifting anymore. His third mini-album, NO REASON, strips the concept back entirely through five tracks built around a single, almost confrontational premise: here he is, unfiltered, and that's enough

Track-By-Track With KPOPWORLD YOON SAN-HA Breaks Down “NO REASON”

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

Lee Chaeyeon doesn't do surface-level. In her own words, Till I Die is a record about the parts of her people haven't seen yet

Track-By-Track With KPOPWORLD: LEE CHAEYEON Breaks Down “Till I Die”

LU arrived with six tracks, every one of them written by his own hand. His debut album Unfold moves through longing, late-night sessions, and emotions that resist easy names – and ends somewhere warm, with a closing track built around gratitude

Interview