KPOPWORLD #5

KPOPWORLD #4

KPOPWORLD #3

KPOPWORLD #2 (Poster Version)

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は2019年、Nikeの歴史上初めてSwooshとクリエイティブなコラボレーションを結んだアジア人ラッパーとなった。単なるアンバサダー契約ではなく、彼自身の美学に完全に基づいて構築されたパートナーシップだった。

G-DragonはいかにしてK-Pop史上最も重要なNikeとのパートナーシップを築いたのか

David YongのK-pop入りは、一般的なアイドルの王道ルートとは少し違う。BIGBANGやTWICEをきっかけにこのジャンルに触れたシンガポールの実業家は、長年にわたるボーカルトレーニングを土台に、韓国語の勉強、ダンスレッスン、そしてソウルでのレコーディングに挑んだ。

ファンからアーティスト兼エグゼクティブへ：David YongのK-popの歩み

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

NEXZが2026年4月に「Mmchk」をリリースした際、7人組によるその年最初のカムバック作品は初週売上44万4,000枚超を記録し、キャリアハイを更新。Circle Chartのリテールアルバムチャートで首位を獲得し、韓国の音楽番組で初の1位にも輝いた。

NEXZ: 上にしか行く道はない

K-popグループや振付が見出しを席巻する一方で、韓国の音楽シーンでは、シンガーソングライターやインディペンデント・アーティストたちによる別の波が、自分たちのファン層を着実に広げている。DORIもその波の一人だが、意外な方向からその世界にたどり着いた。

DORI、色で語る

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は、多くの人が思っているよりもずっと長くこの業界にいる。10代前半でFantagioの練習生として入り、2016年にASTROの最年少メンバーとしてデビューした。

YOON SAN-HAは“自分らしくある”準備ができている

KATSEYE is a multinational girl group formed through the reality competition series Dream Academy, a collaboration between HYBE and Geffen Records. The group debuted in June 2024 with the single &quot;Debut&quot;. KATSEYE consists of six members from different countries: Daniela Avanzini, Lara Rajagopalan, Manon Bannerman, Megan Skiendiel, Sophia Laforteza, and Yoonchae Jeong. The group was created to combine Kpop training with a global pop approach, featuring members from North America, Europe, and Asia. The group first gained attention through the documentary series The Debut: Dream Academy (or Pop Star Academy: KATSEYE on Netflix), which followed the trainees&#x27; journey during the Dream Academy project and the process of forming the final lineup. KATSEYE&#x27;s music blends elements of pop, dance, and K-pop-influenced production while targeting a global audience with multilingual promotion and international activities.

KATSEYE

KATSEYEはヨーロッパと北米各地でアリーナ公演を次々とソールドアウトさせている。Ticketmasterの待機列には20万人のファンが並び、追加公演も複数すでに発表済み。さらに3枚目のEPも控えている。どの指標で見ても、その勢いは目覚ましい

KATSEYEはアリーナを続々ソールドアウト。なのに、なぜすべてがまだ宙づりに感じるのか？

K-popアイドルの出演から民主化運動まで——韓国の大学祭は、これまでもずっと単なる娯楽以上の意味を持ってきた

大学祭がK-popマーケティングで重要な存在になった理由

2PM is a South Korean boy group formed by JYP Entertainment, currently centered on Jun. K, Nichkhun, Taecyeon, Wooyoung, Junho, and Chansung. They debuted in 2008 after the Hot Blood Men project, with Jay Park part of the group&#x27;s early history. The group became known for a &quot;beast idol&quot; image that emphasized athletic performance, masculine styling, and stage physicality. That made 2PM stand apart from many second-generation boy groups, especially as songs like &quot;Again &amp; Again&quot; and &quot;Heartbeat&quot; turned their choreography and dramatic staging into a signature. 2PM also developed strong individual careers. Members moved into acting, variety, solo music, songwriting, and international activities, helping the group remain recognizable even through military service and long gaps between releases. The fandom is known as HOTTEST. 2PM became one of JYP&#x27;s key second-generation acts, broadening boy-group performance language while building enough member recognition to last beyond their peak idol-cycle years.

Chyenne Tatumが、2PMが2008年にアクロバットと隠すことのないセックスアピールでデビューしてから、K-popボーイズグループのあり方そのものをどう塗り替えたのかをたどる

2PMはいかにしてK-popボーイズグループの“Beast-dol”イメージを切り開いたのか

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

リリースから2か月後も、YENAの「Catch Catch」はMelonチャートを上昇し続けている。これは偶然では起こらない

2か月が経っても、YENAの「Catch Catch」はなお上昇中――それが意味するもの

2つの出来事、2つのまったく異なる対応――そして繰り返され続けるひとつのパターン。@chyandblack が、G-Dragon と RIIZE の Eunseok をめぐる連続した騒動を取り上げ、K-popファンが長年問い続けてきた「無知はいつ、過失になるのか？」という疑問を投げかける。

K-popアイドルが文化的な問題を繰り返すとき――それはいつ止まるのか？

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は「REDRED」で未来のヒットを生み出すだけではなく、韓国文化に深く根づいた概念を掘り下げて、光の当たる場所へと引き出している

CORTISが「REDRED」で同調圧力の代償を探る

Seoul Cityは、Chang-dong地区を24時間365日のK-popカルチャーハブへと変えるために19億ドルを投じている。しかも、それは単なるコンサート会場にとどまらない。28,000席のSeoul Arenaに加え、市は博物館、展示スペース、ライブ配信インフラ、そして税制優遇と民間投資を可能にする特別な法的指定まで整備している。

Seoulが24時間365日のK-Entertainmentタウンになることの意味

Tenは、本人の公式発表がなくても、今週立ち上がったバンコク拠点の制作会社に自分の名を色濃く刻み込みながら、静かに独自の何かを築きつつある。

先週のK-popを読み解く（2026年5月4日 - 8日）

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;

7年、8枚のミニアルバム、そして一つの道に収まることを拒んだディスコグラフィーを経て、CIXは4月30日に正式に解散した

CIXを振り返る：これまでの歩みをたどって

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が音楽をリリースしなくなってから、もう2年近くになる――それでも、この2年間のK-popには彼女たちの影響が色濃く残っている。今、ADORが彼女たちがコペンハーゲンで新曲の制作に取り組んでいることを認めたことで、焦点は「いつ戻るのか」だけではなくなっている

NewJeansのカムバックの可能性がK-pop業界全体をどう変えるのか

K-popの現在のEDMブームをめぐる議論では、ひとつの根本的な点が見落とされている。ダンスミュージックは、実は一度も消えていなかったのだ。最新の特集で、Chyenne Tatumは、ハウスの要素を取り入れた第1世代グループのサウンドから、2015年のディープハウス期に至るまで、このジャンルの電子的ルーツをたどっている。

K-popにおけるEDMは新しいトレンドではない――だが、今まさにルネサンスを迎えている

KPOPWORLDは毎週、見出しの向こう側にあるK-popの実際の変化を掘り下げ、その意味を考える

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