KPOPWORLD #6 (Yves)

KPOPWORLD #6 (KEYVITUP X VAYONN)

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82Major (stylized in all caps) is a South Korean boy band formed by Great M Entertainment. The group consists of six members: Cho Seong-il, Yoon Ye-chan, Nam Seong-mo, Hwang Seong-bin, Park Seok-joon and Kim Do-gyun. The group&#x27;s name is a combination of South Korea&#x27;s calling code (+82) and the word ‘major’, expressing their desire to become a group that represents Korea. They debuted on October 11, 2023, with the single album On.

82MAJOR

82MAJOR have their first music show win — and SEONG MO, who spent over a year presenting trophies on Show Champion as an MC, finally got to receive one

82MAJOR on HEAT, Their First Win, and What Comes Next

ZEROBASEONE, commonly known as ZB1, is a five-member boy group formed through the Mnet survival show &quot;Boys Planet&quot; in 2023. They originally debuted as a nine-member group — along with AND2BLE&#x27;s members Zhang Hao, Ricky, Kim Gyuvin and Han Yujin — under WAKEONE Entertainment, with &quot;In Bloom&quot; setting first-week sales records that demonstrated the massive anticipation built through the survival show. As a project group with a limited contract period, ZB1 operates with an urgency to make every comeback count, and they have delivered with consistent chart-topping releases and sold-out concerts. The group&#x27;s strength lies in their strong individual star power combined with impressive group synergy, cultivated through the intense bonding of their competition experience. Their fandom, ZEROSE, mobilized quickly into one of the most organized fan bases in fourth-generation K-pop. ZB1 represents the continued power of the survival show format to create commercially dominant groups with built-in passionate audiences. On March 15, 2026, they held their last concert as a nine-member boy group, sparking sadness among fans, who had grown fond of the relationship that had developed between the nine boys. As YH Entertainment did not renew the contracts of Zhang Hao, Ricky, Kim Gyuvin, and Han Yujin with WAKEONE, ZB1 are now promoting their career as a five-member boy group, with Sung Hanbin, Kim Jiwoong, Seok Matthew, Kim Taerae, and Park Gunwook.

ZEROBASEONE

Seok Matthew and Park Gunwook, members of WakeOne’s ZEROBASEONE, have announced the September 21 release of their long awaited sub-unit project under the duo name ‘EMP’

ZEROBASEONE’s Seok Matthew and Park Gunwook Announce Mixtape Under Sub-unit ‘EMP’

SEVENTEEN is a thirteen-member boy group formed by Pledis Entertainment, debuting in May 2015. The group is organized into three internal teams: hip-hop, vocal, and performance. That structure is more than branding; it explains how SEVENTEEN functions, with members contributing to songwriting, choreography, staging, and the division of energy across a very large lineup. The members are S.Coups, Jeonghan, Joshua, Jun, Hoshi, Wonwoo, Woozi, DK, Mingyu, The8, Seungkwan, Vernon, and Dino. Their nickname as &quot;self-producing idols&quot; comes especially from Woozi&#x27;s central role in music and Hoshi&#x27;s role in performance direction, but the larger appeal is how the group makes thirteen people feel coordinated rather than crowded. SEVENTEEN&#x27;s early music leaned bright, youthful, and rhythmically nimble, with songs like &quot;Adore U,&quot; &quot;Mansae,&quot; and &quot;Very Nice&quot; presenting them as a group with unusual stage chemistry. Later releases such as &quot;Don&#x27;t Wanna Cry,&quot; &quot;Home,&quot; &quot;Left &amp; Right,&quot; &quot;Rock with you,&quot; and &quot;Super&quot; widened the scale while keeping the choreography and vocal distribution clear. Their best songs often turn teamwork itself into the hook: repeated gestures, fast transitions, and formations that reward watching the whole stage. The group&#x27;s growth into one of K-pop&#x27;s top album sellers came from consistency as much as spectacle. SEVENTEEN built trust through steady comebacks, strong variety content, and concerts that emphasized the members&#x27; humor as well as precision. Their fandom, CARAT, became part of that identity, following a group that could be technically impressive without losing warmth. SEVENTEEN&#x27;s legacy is tied to durability. Few large idol groups have kept such a clear group image while allowing so many individual personalities to stand out. As their scale expanded under the wider HYBE era, they remained recognizably Pledis-born: performance-first, member-driven, and unusually good at turning the mechanics of a big team into something emotionally easy to understand.

SEVENTEEN

JEONGHAN and JOSHUA of SEVENTEEN have announced that they will return as a new sub-unit on October 19, under the name JxJ

SEVENTEEN’s JEONGHAN and JOSHUA Form New Sub-unit JxJ

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

When Dolce &amp; Gabbana named SOOBIN its newest ambassador, they led with skincare. Alongside the expected fashion portraits, his debut imagery puts glass skin and product front and center. It's not a random choice

SOOBIN, Dolce & Gabbana and the Growing Power of Male K-Beauty

JUN of SEVENTEEN has announced the release of his first solo, Chinese-language EP, 9, scheduled for September 28

SEVENTEEN’s JUN Announces First Chinese EP ‘9’

MAMAMOO is a four-member vocal powerhouse girl group formed by RBW Entertainment, debuting in June 2014. Consisting of Solar, Moonbyul, Wheein, and Hwasa, the group immediately stood out for their exceptional live vocals, jazz and retro-influenced sound, and playful on-stage chemistry. Their debut track &quot;Mr. Ambiguous&quot; showcased a level of vocal ability rare among rookie groups and earned critical acclaim. Over the years, MAMAMOO built a reputation as one of K-pop&#x27;s most talented and entertaining live acts, with hits like &quot;Um Oh Ah Yeh,&quot; &quot;Décalcomanie,&quot; &quot;Starry Night,&quot; and &quot;HIP.&quot; Each member has also found significant solo success, with Hwasa in particular becoming a cultural icon. The group&#x27;s fandom, MooMoo, appreciates their authenticity and musicality. Though members eventually moved to different agencies, MAMAMOO has continued to reunite for group activities, proving the strength of their bond.

MAMAMOO

MAMAMOO are finally back, and this time, all four of them came together to make it happen. 4WARD marks the group's first full release as a unit since 2022's MIC ON, a gap of more than three years

MAMAMOO: Twelve Years and Counting

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

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

EPEX [‘i:peks] (이펙스), formerly known as C9ROOKIES (C9루키즈) is a 7-member South Korean boy group under C9 Entertainment, consisting of Wish, MU, A-Min, Baekseung, Ayden, Yewang, and Jeff. On November 21, 2025, it was announced that Keum had left the group. They debuted on June 8, 2021, with their first EP album, BIPOLAR Pt.1 : 불안의 서 (Prelude of Anxiety)

EPEX

Closing a trilogy is easy. Closing it by handing the story back to the people who lived it is something else. EPEX's Youth: Epilogue wraps up two years and three albums of coming-of-age storytelling

EPEX Talks Youth Epilogue, Ownership and Growth

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

Interview