KPOPWORLD #6 (Yves)

KPOPWORLD #6 (KEYVITUP X VAYONN)

KPOPWORLD #5

KPOPWORLD #4

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が音楽番組で初の1位を獲得。さらに、Show Championで1年以上MCとしてトロフィーを渡してきたSEONG MOが、ついにそれを受け取る側になった

82MAJOR、『HEAT』、初の1位、そしてその先にあるもの

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

Dolce &amp; GabbanaがSOOBINを最新アンバサダーに起用した際、彼らが前面に押し出したのはスキンケアだった。おなじみのファッションポートレートと並んで、彼のデビューイメージではガラス肌と製品が主役になっている。これは偶然の選択ではない

SOOBIN、Dolce & Gabbana、そして高まる男性K-Beautyの力

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

SEVENTEENのJEONGHANとJOSHUAが、10月19日にJxJという名前で新たなユニットとしてカムバックすることを発表した。

SEVENTEENのJEONGHANとJOSHUA、新ユニットJxJを結成

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

WakeOne所属のZEROBASEONEメンバーであるSeok MatthewとPark Gunwookが、デュオ名「EMP」として待望のサブユニットプロジェクトを9月21日にリリースすると発表した。

ZEROBASEONEのSeok MatthewとPark Gunwook、サブユニット「EMP」でミックステープを発表

今週の最新K-popリリースは、新人グループたちが席巻。激しく、ドラマチックで、やわらかく、軽やかな楽曲がそろった。

Comeback Corner: IU, YOUNGTAK, NAZE & MORE

10cmが初めてホラーに挑み、それを自分のやり方でやり遂げた

Junji Itoのためにホラーを手がけた10cm、そして闇の中で見つけた安らぎ

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

MONSTA XのKIHYUNは、2025年の『YOUTH』に続く2作目のソロEP『BORDERLINE』を今年前半にリリースした。

KIHYUN: The KPOPWORLD Digital Cover

TNX (an acronym for The New Six) is a five-member boy group under P NATION. Originally debuting as six members, the group was formed through the SBS survival program LOUD, a collaboration project between J.Y. Park and PSY. They officially debuted on May 17, 2022 with their first mini album Way Up. The group’s lineup was finalized during the finale of LOUD in 2021, where Kyung Jun, Tae Hun, Hyun Soo, Jun Hyeok, Hwi, Sung Jun, and Tanaka Koki were selected for P NATION’s upcoming boy group. However, in January 2022, P NATION announced that Tanaka Koki would not debut with the team in order to continue training, leading the group to debut as six members under the name TNX. On their debut day, they also introduced their fandom name THX, meaning “Together with TNX.” Following their debut, TNX continued building their discography with releases such as Love Never Dies, Boyhood, and the digital single &quot;Fuego&quot;, while also participating in the survival competition Road to Kingdom : Ace of Ace in 2024. During this period, member Jun Hyeok temporarily paused activities due to anxiety before later returning to the group. In October 2024, it was announced that member Kyung Jun would enlist in the military and depart from the group following the completion of his service, reducing TNX to five members. The group continued activities with releases including the mini album For Real? in 2025 and the digital single &quot;Call Me Back&quot; in 2026, maintaining their growth under P NATION.

TNXのKurated KPOPWORLDプレイリストは、「Die Another Day」そのものへのコメントとしても機能している

Kurated: “Die Another Day”の制作中にTNXにインスピレーションを与えた10曲

WHIB is a seven-member boy group under C-JeS Entertainment, consisting of members Kim Junmin, Haseung, Jinbeom, UGeon, Leejeong, Jaeha, and Wonjun. Originally an octet, they debuted on November 8, 2023, with the single album Cut-Out. The group was first teased in November 2021 as the trainee group M.I.C, which stood for “Made in C-JeS.” On September 7, 2023, it was revealed that the group would debut as an eight-member group under the name WHIB, along with introductions to the new members. In 2025, members LeeJeong, Junmin and Wonjun competed on the Mnet survival show Boys II Planet, ranking 12th, 13th, and 62nd, respectively. On October 16, it was announced that member Inhong had departed from the group. WHIB released their first mini album, ROCK THE NATION, on January 29, 2026.

WHIB

何もかも完璧にこなさなければならないという思いに駆られていた彼は、自分の強みを信じ、自分だけのスタイルを見つけ、もっと自由にその過程を楽しめるようになった

WHIBのWONJUNに聞く――自分を信じることを学んだ完璧主義者

歌とラップの両方でスキルを広げながら、JAEHAは先輩メンバーたちの支えを受けつつ、パフォーマーとして新たな自分を見つけている

WHIBのJAEHAにインタビュー – 自分の幅を広げるオールラウンダー

THE BOYZ is an eleven-member boy group formed by Cre.Ker Entertainment (now an independent group), debuting in December 2017. The group gained significant attention for their performance abilities, particularly after their appearance on the Mnet competition show &quot;Road to Kingdom&quot; in 2020, where they won first place with theatrical, visually stunning stages that showcased their storytelling through dance. Their &quot;Road to Kingdom&quot; victory was a turning point, elevating THE BOYZ from a mid-tier group to one of the most respected performance-focused acts in K-pop. Songs like &quot;The Stealer,&quot; &quot;THRILL RIDE,&quot; and &quot;MAVERICK&quot; have highlighted their versatility. THE BOYZ&#x27;s fandom, THE B, has grown steadily, supporting the group through sold-out concerts and strong album sales. The group is widely regarded as having some of the best synchronized choreography and stage presence in the industry. On March 19, 2026, nine members of The Boyz filed for the termination of their exclusive contracts with One Hundred Label, citing issues including unpaid settlements and a breakdown of trust. The agency disputed the claims and rejected the termination, resulting in a legal dispute between the parties. As of April 23, 2026, the court ruled in favor of the nine members, granting the boys an injunction to end the validity of their contracts. The members who were involved are officially free from their ties with One Hundred Label, however the last member still remains as of right now. The group is currently continuing forward as an independent group, being one of the most successful of their peers to make such move.

THE BOYZ

ここ数か月でTHE BOYZにさまざまな変化があったなかでも、メンバーたちはグループとして、そして個人として、それぞれのやり方で共に道を切り開いていこうと強い意志を持ち続けている。

JACOB: ソロで飛び立つ

常にチームを支える方法を考え、WHIBでの役割に独自のグループ志向の視点をもたらすJEONG

WHIBのLEE JEONGにインタビュー ― WHIBをひとつにするチームプレーヤー

WHIBのラッパーUGEONは、素晴らしいパフォーマンスとは単にトラックをなぞることではなく、その場の空気を読み、瞬間ごとにエネルギーを生み出すことだと知っている

WHIBのUGEONへのインタビュー – ステージを自分のものにすることを知るパフォーマー

TNXは4年間、パフォーマンスで評価を築いてきた。「Die Another Day」で彼らは、その評価をロックという新たな場所で探し求めた

TNX、ロック、ライブボーカル、そして一切手を抜かない姿勢を語る

家族の影響を受け、長年の練習によって形づくられたJINBEOMは、準備を本能にまで落とし込むべきだという信念を持ってパフォーマンスに向き合っている

Interview