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KPOPWORLD #6 (KEYVITUP X VAYONN)

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hrtz.wav is a five-member boy band under Kakao Entertainment. The group was formed through STEAL HEART CLUB and debuted with their first mini album The First Wave. The group’s formation began when Mnet announced plans to debut a new global boy band through the survival program STEAL HEART CLUB, which aired in late 2025. The program followed contestants competing in different instrumental and vocal positions to determine the final lineup of the band. The show premiered in October 2025 and concluded with a live finale in December, where the group’s official name, hrtz.wav, and its final members were revealed. The lineup was determined by position rankings, with Hagiwa as drummer, Dane as bassist, Keiten as guitarist, Riaan as vocalist, and Youn Young Jun as keyboardist. Production of the program was handled by CJ ENM, while Kakao Entertainment oversees the band’s distribution, album planning, production, and overall management. The group made their official debut with the mini album The First Wave, released on April 8, 2026.

hrtz.wav

Formed through Mnet’s STEAL HEART CLUB, hrtz.wav have spent the months since their debut learning how five individual musicians can come together as one band. Their first mini album, The First Wave, introduced a bright pop-rock sound rooted in the emotions and experiences of youth

hrtz.wav Are Finding Their Own Rhythm

Following their debut with SPLAY : CHAPTER 01, five-member band Splayit are ready to show audiences more of what they can do. Featuring YOON CHAN, EUN BIN, KYUNG UK, AYDN and EUN CHAN

Splayit on Finding Their Sound and Building Their Identity

From EXO and BTS to ATEEZ and aespa, K-pop lore has evolved into a sprawling world of fictional universes, interconnected narratives and transmedia storytelling

The Business of K-Pop Lore: From Worldbuilding to Fan Loyalty

ATEEZ is an eight-member boy group under KQ Entertainment &mdash; Hongjoong, Seonghwa, Yunho, Yeosang, San, Mingi, Wooyoung, and Jongho &mdash; who debuted in October 2018 with Treasure EP.1: All to Zero, opening a pirate-and-treasure narrative that gave their early work a cinematic frame. What set them apart was performance built on a larger-than-life scale. Without the backing of a major label, they drew attention through sharp facial expression, full-body choreography, live-stage force, and songs engineered to detonate in concert: &ldquo;Wonderland,&rdquo; &ldquo;Answer,&rdquo; &ldquo;Guerrilla,&rdquo; &ldquo;Bouncy,&rdquo; and &ldquo;Crazy Form&rdquo; all share that instinct for big chants, dramatic builds, and choruses written to be shouted back. Their roles reinforce that theatricality &mdash; Hongjoong leads and produces, Mingi anchors the rap line with his low register, Jongho delivers exceptional high notes, and San, Seonghwa, Yunho, Yeosang, and Wooyoung carry much of the performance identity. ATINY, their fandom, is known for fierce international support, the force that lifted a smaller-agency group into a global touring act. ATEEZ matter because they show how far a consistent performance identity can take a group. Loud, dark, playful, or defiant, the core stays theatrical and physical. They turned intensity into a worldview rather than a seasonal concept.

ATEEZ

KPOPWORLD is bringing fans an exciting collaboration between #ATEEZ and MIIMCA X TELECA. Choose from three exclusive merchandise options featuring ATEEZ trading cards

ATEEZ MIIMCA X TELECA COLLECTION

NCT, short for Neo Culture Technology, is a boy group project under SM Entertainment. The system was built around multiple units, changing combinations, and regional expansion rather than a single fixed lineup, making NCT one of SM&#x27;s most ambitious idol structures. The project began publicly through NCT U in 2016, then expanded through fixed or semi-fixed units such as NCT 127, NCT Dream, WayV, and NCT WISH. Each unit carries a different role: Seoul-based performance, youth-to-adult growth, Chinese-language promotion, rotational experiments, and the final new-team expansion. NCT&#x27;s music is often associated with dense production, experimental structures, and performance-heavy arrangements. The group&#x27;s system allowed SM to place members in songs by concept, which helped produce very different sounds under the same brand without asking every unit to serve the same identity. The project also made member identity central to the fan experience. NCTzen follows not only the full brand but also unit dynamics, cross-unit collaborations, and individual member activities, which makes the profile more complex than a normal group page. NCT is both a group brand and a structure for multiple teams. That structure shaped how SM approached global boy-group promotion from the mid-2010s onward, making the project as much about organization and unit design as individual songs.

WINWIN, former member of NCT-turned-soloist, is releasing his debut mini album RE-fresh on November 1, 2026 – led by the pre-release single “Back at One”

Former NCT Member WINWIN Releases Lead Single of Solo Debut ‘RE-fresh’

i-dle, formerly known as (G)I-DLE, is a girl group formed by Cube Entertainment, debuting in May 2018. The current lineup consists of Miyeon, Minnie, Soyeon, Yuqi, and Shuhua, with Soojin as a former member. From debut, the group stood out because leader Soyeon played a central creative role in songwriting, production, and concept direction. Their first single, &quot;LATATA,&quot; introduced a group that could feel stylish without being anonymous. Over time, i-dle became known for concepts that were easy to name and hard to confuse: the dark elegance of &quot;HANN,&quot; the theatrical fire imagery of &quot;HWAA,&quot; the blunt rebellion of &quot;TOMBOY,&quot; and the satire and confidence of later hits. The group often treats a comeback like a thesis statement, with styling, lyrics, and stage language all pointing toward the same idea. i-dle&#x27;s member contrast is central to that impact. Miyeon gives the group a clean vocal center, Minnie adds a dreamy tone and international texture, Soyeon brings rap and creative direction, Yuqi gives warmth and a distinctive low voice, and Shuhua contributes visual and performance presence. The result is a group that can be sharp, funny, dramatic, or strange without losing its center. Their fandom is known as Neverland. i-dle&#x27;s importance lies in how visibly they challenged expectations around girl-group authorship. They helped make it normal to talk about a female idol group not only as performers of a concept, but as artists shaping the concept itself.

i-dle

YUQI of girl group i-dle has announced that she will hold her first solo fan concert series across China throughout the remainder of 2026

i-dle’s YUQI Announces Solo Fan Concerts in China

RESCENE is a five member girl group formed by The Muze Entertainment. The group consists of Woni, Liv, Minami, May and Zena. They debuted on March 26, 2024, with the single album &quot;Re:Scene&quot; which featured title track &quot;UhUh&quot; and pre-release single &quot;YoYo&quot;. Known for their fresh concept and visuals, RESCENE is part of the new generation of K-pop groups. Since their debut in 2024, they have released three EPs: &quot;SCENEDROME&quot;, &quot;Glow Up&quot; and &quot;lip bomb&quot;, further expanding their discography and fandom, REMINE. Singles such as &quot;Deja Vu&quot; and &quot;Runaway&quot; have continued their dreamy and fresh aesthetic, solidifying their place as a memorable fifth generation act.

RESCENE

The Muze Entertainment has announced that rookie girl group RESCENE will release their fourth mini album on November 3, 2026, almost a year after their last physical album project

RESCENE To Release Fourth Mini Album ‘PULSE’ in November

UNIS is an eight-member multinational project girl group under F&amp;F Entertainment, formed through the survival show Universe Ticket. The lineup consists of HyeonJu, Nana, Gehlee, Kotoko, Yunha, Elisia, Yoona, and Seowon. The group debuted in 2024 with &quot;SUPERWOMAN,&quot; carrying the survival-show narrative into a team built from Korean, Japanese, and Filipino members. That multinational makeup is central to UNIS&#x27;s identity, especially because the group gained attention from audiences following the members before debut. The fandom is known as EverAfter. UNIS is a current project group shaped by Universe Ticket, with its early identity driven by the lineup, multinational fan interest, and the survival-show story that introduced the members.

UNIS

Rookie girl group UNIS has announced the release of the digital single “Milky Way,” only two days prior to its release on September 23 – alongside their disbandment on September 26

UNIS Announces Final Digital Single “Milky Way” Before Contract Termination

NMIXX is a six-member girl group debuted by JYP Entertainment in February 2022. The group — consisting of Lily, Haewon, Sullyoon, Jinni (who later departed), Bae, Jiwoo, and Kyujin — introduced a bold musical concept they call &quot;MIXX POP,&quot; which involves blending multiple genres within a single song. Their debut track &quot;O.O&quot; was polarizing but undeniably attention-grabbing, layering pop, hip-hop, and rock into one unpredictable ride. Since debut, NMIXX has refined their signature sound while maintaining its adventurous spirit, with tracks like &quot;Dash&quot; and &quot;Love Me Like This&quot; earning broader commercial appeal. The group is particularly noted for their outstanding live vocal abilities — widely considered among the strongest of any fourth-generation girl group. Their fandom, NSWer, has rallied behind the group&#x27;s unique artistic vision. NMIXX represents JYP Entertainment&#x27;s willingness to experiment and push the boundaries of what a K-pop girl group can sound like.

NMIXX

JYP Entertainment’s NMIXX has announced the release of their sixth EP ‘Strange Muse,’ scheduled for October 19, 2026

NMIXX To Release Sixth EP ‘Strange Muse’ Following First Daesang Win

Fin. K. L

Fin.K.L, the legendary first-generation girl group who debuted in 1998, has announced their return as a collective with the intention of extended group activities

First-Generation Girl Group Fin.K.L To Reunite After 21 Years

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’

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

Data from Circle Chart for September 6 to 12, 2026 revealed that CORTIS’ second mini album GREENGREEN has surpassed 4.1 million copies

CORTIS Becomes Quadruple Million-Seller With ‘GREENGREEN’

WJSN’s Seola and Eunseo have officially terminated their contracts with Starship Entertainment following the group’s 10 year anniversary this year

Seola and Eunseo of WJSN Leave Starship Entertainment

BTS, also known as the Bangtan Boys, is a South Korean boy band formed by Big Hit Music that debuted on June 12, 2013, with the single album 2 Cool 4 Skool. Its seven members are RM (leader), Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook, with RM, Suga, and J-Hope contributing heavily to songwriting and production. The name stands for Bangtan Sonyeondan (&ldquo;Bulletproof Boy Scouts&rdquo;), reflecting a concept of resisting the pressures placed on young people.
The group broke through in 2015 with &ldquo;I Need U&rdquo; and reached a global audience with Wings and the Love Yourself series, whose Love Yourself: Tear became the first album by a Korean act to top the Billboard 200 in 2018. &ldquo;Dynamite,&rdquo; &ldquo;Butter,&rdquo; and &ldquo;Permission to Dance&rdquo; each hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. BTS is among the best-selling artists in South Korean history and partnered with UNICEF on the Love Myself campaign. Full-group activities paused from 2022 to 2025 for the members&rsquo; mandatory military service, completed when Suga was discharged in June 2025. Their tenth studio album, ARIRANG, arrived on March 20, 2026, followed by the Arirang World Tour beginning that April.

Jimin's "Like Crazy" has become the first fully Korean-language song to hit one billion filtered streams on Spotify

BTS’ Jimin Sets Korean-Language Streaming Record With “Like Crazy”

TOMORROW X TOGETHER, usually shortened to TXT, is a five-member boy group under BIGHIT MUSIC &mdash; Soobin, Yeonjun, Beomgyu, Taehyun, and Huening Kai. They debuted in March 2019 with The Dream Chapter: Star, arriving as BigHit&rsquo;s first boy group after BTS and drawing immediate attention. Their early identity centered on youth, friendship, imagination, and the odd emotional weather of growing up. Rather than opening with a hard-edged performance image, they leaned into brightness, fantasy, and vulnerability on &ldquo;Crown,&rdquo; &ldquo;Run Away,&rdquo; and &ldquo;Blue Hour&rdquo; &mdash; a stance that set them apart within fourth-generation boy-group trends, largely because their storytelling treated adolescence as magical, confusing, and faintly unstable. As the catalog grew, they folded in sharper pop-rock, emo, and dance influences through &ldquo;0X1=LOVESONG,&rdquo; &ldquo;LO$ER=LOVER,&rdquo; &ldquo;Sugar Rush Ride,&rdquo; and &ldquo;Chasing That Feeling.&rdquo; The members&rsquo; strengths track that evolution closely: Soobin&rsquo;s steady leadership, Yeonjun&rsquo;s performance charisma, Beomgyu&rsquo;s color, Taehyun&rsquo;s vocal precision, and Huening Kai&rsquo;s bright tone let the group move between softness and intensity. Their fandom is MOA, short for Moments of Alwaysness. What makes TXT significant is how deliberately they built a coming-of-age identity across albums, videos, and stages. Instead of defining themselves by a single sound, they became a group about transition itself &mdash; childhood into adulthood, fantasy into reality, 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

TWICE is a nine-member girl group formed by JYP Entertainment through the survival show Sixteen. The lineup consists of Nayeon, Jeongyeon, Momo, Sana, Jihyo, Mina, Dahyun, Chaeyoung, and Tzuyu, with members from South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan. They debuted in October 2015 with &quot;Like Ooh-Ahh,&quot; introducing the bright, kinetic identity that would make them one of the central girl groups of K-pop&#x27;s third generation. The group&#x27;s early rise was built on an unusually clear pop formula: big choruses, memorable gestures, colorful styling, and personalities that were easy for viewers to distinguish. A run led by &quot;Cheer Up&quot; and &quot;TT&quot; turned TWICE into a national-level phenomenon in Korea, while their Japanese members helped the group cross naturally into Japan&#x27;s idol and pop markets. Rather than relying on a single vocal or dance center, TWICE worked because the lineup felt balanced as a whole: playful, approachable, and tightly rehearsed. As the members grew older, TWICE gradually expanded beyond the cute and school-age image attached to their first hits. The move from &quot;Fancy&quot; through &quot;I Can&#x27;t Stop Me&quot; kept the group&#x27;s melodic accessibility while bringing in sleeker dance-pop, disco, synth-pop, and more mature performance styling. That evolution mattered because it let TWICE remain recognizable without staying frozen in their debut concept. TWICE also became one of the clearest examples of a K-pop girl group building a long international career without losing its domestic base. Their Korean and Japanese discographies developed side by side, and later global touring brought the group to arenas and stadiums far beyond East Asia. The fandom is known as ONCE, a name that matches the group&#x27;s long-running emphasis on mutual loyalty between the members and their audience. Their legacy is not only commercial. TWICE helped define what a modern large girl group could be: member-driven, visually bright, musically immediate, and durable enough to age into a second phase. They normalized the idea that a top K-pop girl group could keep all members active across many years, shift concepts without abandoning its core warmth, and still feel like a complete team even as individual members developed solo work, acting, modeling, and unit activities.

TWICE

Powerhouse girl group TWICE has announced the release of the new Special Vinyl &lt;THIS IS FOR&gt; WORLD TOUR FINALE in SEOUL - LIVE, containing live versions of the songs performed at the three-concert series in July

TWICE To Release <THIS IS FOR> World Tour Finale Live Vinyl

BIGHIT MUSIC just opened its 2026 Global Audition, and the door is wide open. Any male born in 2008 or later can apply, from anywhere, with zero restrictions on category – singing, dancing, producing, whatever shows your talent best

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