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

En la historia de portada impresa de nuestro Issue 5, MAKI de &amp;TEAM habla con franqueza sobre lo que se siente volverse viral — y por qué es más complicado de lo que parece

EN REFLEXIÓN: MAKI de &TEAM

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 siempre ha sido conocido por su energía sobre el escenario con MONSTA X, pero Reaching ofrece algo más contenido. Construido en torno a la calidez, la sinceridad y un deseo simple de conectar

MINHYUK sobre “Reaching”, música honesta y lo que viene después

WONHO ha ofrecido a KPOPWORLD una mirada exclusiva al proceso de creación de su nuevo álbum CORE, compartiendo las canciones que dieron forma al disco junto con los temas a los que ha estado recurriendo últimamente

Kurated: WONHO selecciona una playlist exclusiva de ‘CORE’

BIGBANG is a South Korean boy group formed by YG Entertainment, debuting in 2006 and becoming one of the most influential acts in K-pop history. The current profile centers on G-Dragon, Taeyang, and Daesung, with T.O.P and Seungri tied to earlier chapters of the group. The group&#x27;s importance comes from how strongly it changed expectations for idol music and image. BIGBANG made self-production, individual fashion identity, and genre-blending central to its appeal, with G-Dragon&#x27;s songwriting and public style playing a major role in the group&#x27;s reputation. Musically, BIGBANG moved through hip-hop, R&amp;B, electronic pop, ballads, and festival-sized dance tracks without losing a recognizable identity. Songs such as &quot;Lies,&quot; &quot;Haru Haru,&quot; &quot;Fantastic Baby,&quot; and &quot;Bang Bang Bang&quot; became reference points for later idol groups trying to balance mainstream hooks with stronger artist branding. The members also became major solo figures, which helped the group feel less like a standard idol team and more like a collection of distinct pop stars. That individual power brought both longevity and complications, especially as military service, controversies, and member departures changed the group&#x27;s public shape. The fandom is known as V.I.P. BIGBANG is a defining second-generation group whose impact on K-pop music, fashion, performance, and global ambition is difficult to separate from the genre&#x27;s modern history.

BIGBANG

G-Dragon se convirtió en 2019 en el primer rapero asiático en la historia de Nike en lograr una colaboración creativa con el Swoosh: no un rol de embajador, sino una alianza construida por completo alrededor de su propia lógica estética

Cómo G-Dragon construyó la asociación más importante de Nike en la historia del K-pop

Stray Kids is an eight-member boy group under JYP Entertainment, consisting of Bang Chan, Lee Know, Changbin, Hyunjin, Han, Felix, Seungmin, and I.N. The group was introduced through the 2017 survival program Stray Kids and officially debuted in March 2018 with I Am Not, following the pre-debut release &quot;Hellevator.&quot; Former member Kim Woojin left in 2019. The group&#x27;s identity is unusually tied to self-production. Before debut, Bang Chan had already gathered the members around a team-first concept, and the production trio 3RACHA -- Bang Chan, Changbin, and Han -- became the engine behind much of Stray Kids&#x27; sound. That gave the group a different center of gravity from many idol acts: the music often felt like it came from inside the team rather than being assigned to them. Musically, Stray Kids are known for dense rap writing, aggressive electronic textures, sudden rhythmic switches, and choruses built for performance impact. &quot;God&#x27;s Menu,&quot; &quot;Back Door,&quot; &quot;Thunderous,&quot; &quot;Maniac,&quot; and &quot;S-Class&quot; made their style easy to identify: noisy in the intentional sense, but organized around hooks, slogans, and choreography that fans could immediately hold onto. Their lyrics often return to pressure, self-definition, ambition, and the awkward process of growing into confidence. The members&#x27; contrast is a major part of the group&#x27;s appeal. Bang Chan anchors the team as leader and producer; Changbin and Han give the rap line speed and personality; Lee Know, Hyunjin, and Felix shape the performance image; Seungmin and I.N bring clearer melodic balance. Rather than smoothing those differences out, Stray Kids usually lean into them, making their songs feel crowded, restless, and unmistakably theirs. Stray Kids became one of the defining global boy groups of the fourth generation, with a fandom known as STAY and major touring success across Asia, North America, Europe, and beyond. Their rise helped prove that a self-producing idol group could scale internationally while keeping a specific sonic fingerprint. Even when the group experiments with genre or language, the core idea remains stable: Stray Kids make high-impact pop out of tension, noise, teamwork, and control.

Stray Kids

JYP Entertainment ha anunciado que Stray Kids lanzará un nuevo álbum digital, ‘SKZ-REPLAY 2026 Pt. 1’, el 1 de agosto de 2026, como parte de las celebraciones “STAYweeK” del grupo. Liderado por una nueva versión en coreano del lanzamiento japonés de 2023 “Battle Ground”

Stray Kids lanzará ‘SKZ-REPLAY 2026 Pt. 1’ el 1 de agosto

Dos incidentes, dos respuestas muy distintas — y un patrón que sigue repitiéndose. @chyandblack analiza las controversias consecutivas que involucran a G-Dragon y a Eunseok de RIIZE, y plantea la pregunta que los fans del K-pop llevan años haciéndose: ¿en qué momento la ignorancia se convierte en negligencia?

Cuando los idols de K-pop se convierten en infractores culturales reincidentes — ¿cuándo se detiene?

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 no solo está creando un futuro éxito con "REDRED" — también está desmenuzando algunos conceptos culturales coreanos profundamente arraigados y poniéndolos bajo la luz

CORTIS Explora el costo de la conformidad en “REDRED”

Seoul City está gastando 1.900 millones de dólares para transformar el barrio de Chang-dong en un centro cultural de K-pop abierto las 24 horas, los 7 días de la semana, y va mucho más allá de un recinto para conciertos. Junto con la Seoul Arena, con capacidad para 28.000 personas, la ciudad está construyendo museos, espacios de exhibición, infraestructura para transmisiones en vivo y una designación legal especial que desbloquea incentivos fiscales e inversión privada

Por qué importa que Seoul se convierta en una ciudad K-entertainment 24/7

Ten está construyendo discretamente algo propio: una empresa de producción con sede en Bangkok que se lanzó esta semana con su nombre por todos lados, incluso sin un comunicado oficial

La semana pasada en K-pop, interpretada (4 - 8 de mayo de 2026)

CIX (an acronym for Complete In X) was a four-member boy group under C9 Entertainment, consisting of members BX, Seunghun, Yonghee, and Hyunsuk. Originally debuting as a five-member group on July 23, 2019, with the EP &#x27;Hello&#x27; Chapter 1. Hello, Stranger. On August 4, 2024, C9 Entertainment announced the termination of Bae Jinyoung&#x27;s contract, confirming his departure from both the company and the group. On February 27, 2019, C9 Entertainment revealed the first member of their upcoming boy group, Bae Jin Young (former Wanna One), followed by Seung Hun on March 6, Hyun Suk on March 13, Kim Sehoon on March 20, Yong Hee on March 27, and BX on April 3. However, Kim Sehoon did not debut with the group due to past involvement in school violence. On May 20, 2019, the group&#x27;s social media accounts were changed from C9BOYZ to CIX, which stands for &quot;Complete In X.&quot; A video titled &quot;CIX - Leader Film&quot; was released, introducing the group name and logo. On May 24, C9 Entertainment announced that the members of CIX would star in a 10-episode reality show, &quot;Hello CIX,&quot; to be released on V Live. On June 26, 2019, C9 Entertainment revealed a teaser for CIX&#x27;s debut EP, &#x27;Hello&#x27; Chapter 1. Hello, Stranger, set for release on July 23. The group&#x27;s debut included the title track &quot;Movie Star.&quot; On August 26, CIX signed with Warner Music Japan for their Japanese promotions. On October 30, the group&#x27;s 100th-day anniversary, they revealed their fandom name, FIX, meaning &quot;Faith In X.&quot;

Después de siete años, ocho miniálbumes y una discografía que se negó a quedarse en una sola línea, CIX se disolvió oficialmente el 30 de abril

Recordando a CIX: mirando atrás a lo largo de los años

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

NewJeans no han lanzado música en casi dos años, pero aun así han dejado su huella en el K-pop durante los últimos dos años. Ahora, con ADOR confirmando que el grupo está en Copenhagen trabajando en música nueva, la pregunta ya no es solo cuándo volverán

Cómo el posible regreso de NewJeans podría cambiar toda la industria del K-pop

El debate en torno al momento actual del K-pop con el EDM pasa por alto algo fundamental: la música de baile nunca se fue de verdad. En su último reportaje, Chyenne Tatum recorre las raíces electrónicas del género, desde los sonidos influenciados por el house de los grupos de primera generación hasta la era del deep house de 2015

El EDM en el K-pop no es una tendencia nueva, pero está viviendo un renacimiento

Cada semana, KPOPWORLD mira más allá de los titulares para examinar qué cambió realmente en el K-pop — y por qué importa

La semana pasada en K-pop, interpretada (26 de abril - 1 de mayo de 2026)

Los cuatro nombres más grandes del K-pop se están uniendo —y el gobierno surcoreano los respalda. HYBE, SM, JYP y YG están en conversaciones para lanzar Fanomenon, un festival a gran escala con ambiciones de rivalizar con Coachella, con un debut planificado en Corea para 2027 y expansión global a partir de 2028

Lo que el festival musical Big 4 del K-pop podría significar para la industria

En la última entrega de La semana pasada en K-pop, interpretado, vemos a leyendas del K-pop preparándose para su 20.º aniversario, una posible sentencia de prisión por ausencias militares no justificadas y la continua disminución del plantel de una de las compañías más influyentes en la historia del K-pop: el análisis completo está disponible en línea

La semana pasada en K-pop, interpretado (20-24 de abril de 2026)

La cancelación de toda la gira por Norteamérica de i-dle dentro de su Syncopation world tour sacudió a la comunidad del K-pop esta semana, pero la historia detrás va más allá de un grupo o un conjunto de fechas

El costo oculto de llevar el K-pop a Norteamérica

KARD is a four-member South Korean co-ed group under DSP Media, consisting of J.Seph, BM, Somin, and Jiwoo. They officially debuted on July 19, 2017 with Hola Hola after a pre-debut project series that introduced the group through &quot;Oh NaNa,&quot; &quot;Don&#x27;t Recall,&quot; and &quot;Rumor.&quot; The group&#x27;s significance starts with its lineup structure. Co-ed idol groups are rare in modern K-pop, and KARD made that format feel central rather than novelty-based. Their performances are built around contrast: male and female vocal colors, rap and vocal handoffs, and choreography that lets the four members interact as a unit instead of splitting into separate halves. Musically, KARD became closely associated with tropical house, dancehall, Latin-pop, and club-oriented pop, sounds that helped them connect quickly with international audiences. &quot;Hola Hola&quot; established the bright version of that identity, while later singles such as &quot;Gunshot,&quot; &quot;Ring The Alarm,&quot; and &quot;Icky&quot; leaned into sharper performance energy and heavier rhythmic production. The fandom is known as Hidden KARD. KARD became one of K-pop&#x27;s clearest examples of a stable co-ed act with a global audience. Their longevity matters because they kept a distinct lane through military hiatuses, changing industry trends, and a market where most idol teams follow same-gender formats.

KARD

KARD se acercan a los diez años — y, dependiendo de lo que venga, su próximo álbum podría ser el último, al menos por un tiempo

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