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KPOPWORLD #2 (Poster Version)

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

ソウル生まれのシンガーソングライター、ZIN CHOIは17歳。キャリアを始めてまだ2年足らずながら、すでに自分のやり方で活動している――楽曲の作詞・作曲・プロデュースまで手がけているのだ。

ZIN CHOI

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

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

YG Entertainmentは、BIGBANGが8月14日付で韓国の宇宙航空庁（KASA）の初代名誉広報大使に任命されたことを認めた

BIGBANG、韓国宇宙庁の初代名誉広報大使に任命

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

TWICEのChaeyoungが、JYP Entertainmentとの専属契約終了を発表した。直筆の手紙の中で、Chaeyoungは同社で過ごした14年間への感謝をJYPに伝えている

TWICEのChaeyoung、JYP Entertainmentを離れ「LIL FANTASY」プロジェクトへ

JYP Entertainmentの人気ガールズグループTWICEのメンバーJeongyeonが、同社との専属契約を終了したと発表した。

TWICEのJeongyeonがJYPを離れ、演技活動をスタート

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

ADORは先週土曜日時点で、NewJeansの「How Sweet」がSpotifyで3億回再生を達成したと発表した。これにより、同グループの楽曲として9曲目の3億回再生超えとなる

NewJeansの「How Sweet」、カムバックの可能性を前に3億回再生を突破

EXO is a South Korean-Chinese boy group formed by SM Entertainment in 2012. Originally debuting as two subunits — EXO-K (Korean) and EXO-M (Chinese) — the group quickly became one of the biggest acts in K-pop history with hits like &quot;Growl,&quot; &quot;Call Me Baby,&quot; and &quot;Monster.&quot; Their synchronized choreography, powerful vocals, and theatrical concepts helped define the third generation of K-pop and earned them the nickname &quot;Kings of K-pop.&quot; Over the years, EXO has sold millions of albums, held massive world tours, and seen their members flourish in solo careers spanning music, acting, and variety shows. Members like Baekhyun, D.O., and Chen have become household names in South Korea. Despite mandatory military enlistments creating periods of group inactivity, EXO&#x27;s dedicated fanbase, known as EXO-L, has remained fiercely loyal, ensuring the group&#x27;s legacy endures well into the 2020s.

7月29日、EXOのSehunがNCT WISHのSionをフィーチャーした中国語シングル「Fade」をサプライズリリースした。これはWarner Music Chinaのプロジェクトの一環として発表されたもの。

EXOのSehun、NCT WISHのSionをフィーチャーした中国語シングル「Fade」をサプライズリリース

HYBEは、BTSの「ARIRANG」World Tourとレーベルグループ全体での好調な活動を追い風に、2026年第2四半期に売上高1兆4,500億ウォン、営業利益1,709億ウォンという過去最高を記録した

HYBE、ツアー強化が奏功し四半期売上高で過去最高を記録

BTS, also known as the Bangtan Boys, is a South Korean boy band formed by Big Hit Music in 2010 and debuting on June 12, 2013, with the single album &quot;2 Cool 4 Skool&quot;. The group consists of seven members: RM (leader), Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook. The name BTS stands for Bangtan Sonyeondan (“Bulletproof Boy Scouts”), reflecting the group’s original concept of resisting societal expectations and criticism aimed at youth. Members RM, Suga, and J-Hope have played significant roles in songwriting and production throughout the group’s career. BTS first gained widespread attention with the [The Most Beautiful Moment in Life, Pt. 1 era], particularly the single I Need U, which earned the group their first Korean music show win in 2015. Their international breakthrough followed with releases such as Wings and the Love Yourself series. In 2018, &quot;Love Yourself: Tear&quot; became the first album by a Korean act to reach No. 1 on the Billboard 200. The group achieved further global success with singles including &quot;Dynamite&quot;, &quot;Butter&quot;, and &quot;Permission to Dance&#x27;&quot;, all of which reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. BTS is among the best-selling artists in South Korean history and has received numerous international awards, while also participating in global initiatives such as the UNICEF Love Myself campaign. Between 2022 and 2025, BTS paused full-group activities as the members completed South Korea’s mandatory military service. The last member, Suga, was discharged in June 2025, marking the completion of service for all seven members. Following their reunion, the group confirmed they were preparing a new album and world tour for 2026. Their tenth studio album, &quot;ARIRANG&quot;, recorded between July and November 2025, was released on March 20, 2026, marking their first group release in more than three years. The album will be supported by the Arirang World Tour, beginning in April 2026.

BTSは、来年2月に開催される第68回Grammy Awardsに向けた音楽作品の提出を行わないと発表した。これは、新たに設けられたAsian Pop Music Performance部門の創設を受けたものだ。

BTS、年次Grammy Awardsへの出場を辞退

2NE1 is a South Korean girl group formed under YG Entertainment, known for their bold musical experimentation, powerful stage presence, and lasting influence on the global rise of K-pop. The group consists of CL, Park Bom, Sandara Park, and Minzy, and became widely recognized for redefining the image of girl groups with their confident, edgy style. 2NE1&#x27;s name is an abbreviation of &quot;New Evolution of the 21st Century.&quot; The group&#x27;s name was created to represent a new generation of music, style, and performance in the 21st century, with &quot;21&quot; symbolizing the modern era and &quot;NE&quot; standing for &quot;New Evolution.&quot; The name was shortened to &quot;2NE1&quot; as a stylized form that became the group&#x27;s official branding and widely recognized name worldwide. From their debut, they stood out as one of the most impactful acts of their generation, helping push K-pop beyond traditional boundaries. They gained immediate attention with their debut single &quot;Fire,&quot; followed by the major success of &quot;I Don&#x27;t Care,&quot; which earned major awards early in their career. Releases such as To Anyone, &quot;I Am the Best,&quot; &quot;Lonely,&quot; and &quot;Ugly&quot; solidified their reputation, blending hip-hop, pop, and electronic influences into a distinctive sound. Their international growth included notable achievements like one of the first global tours by a K-pop girl group and strong chart performance worldwide, including success on the Billboard 200 with Crush, further establishing their global presence. Throughout their career, the members expanded into individual activities while continuing to shape the group&#x27;s artistic direction and influence. Their music, fashion, and concept played a major role in popularizing the &quot;girl crush&quot; image and inspiring a new generation of artists. Even during periods of reduced group activity, their cultural impact and recognition remained strong across both Korean and international audiences. In recent years, 2NE1 has reunited for performances and group activities, marking a new chapter that builds on their legacy while reconnecting with fans worldwide. In 2026, Minzy confirmed that the group would move forward performing as a trio for select stages following controversy and public tension involving Park Bom and Sandara Park, with scheduled appearances including &quot;Special Live in Japan 2026&quot; at K-Arena Yokohama. Despite these changes, the group continues to evolve while maintaining their presence, influence, and long-standing status within K-pop.

2NE1

YG Entertainmentの2NE1のDaraとしても知られるSandara Parkが、シンガポール拠点の芸能事務所Power Entertainmentとの新たな提携を発表した。2024年に同事務所とともにWaterbomb Singaporeでパフォーマンスを披露したのに続く動きとなる。

2NE1のSandara Park、シンガポール拠点のPower Entertainmentと提携

人気文化交流に関する大統領委員会は、2027年12月に初開催予定の国策K-culture Festival「Fanomenon」の計画を明らかにした。11日間にわたって開催される

HYBE、SM、YG、JYPが2027年の11日間にわたるK-culture Festivalで協力へ

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

7月27日、PLEDIS EntertainmentはSEVENTEENのファンに対し、DKとVernonが次に入隊し、兵役義務を果たすことになると伝えた。メインボーカルのDKは、2026年9月8日に現役兵として入隊する。

SEVENTEENのDKとVernon、兵役入隊日を発表

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は、Stray Kidsがグループの「STAYweeK」企画の一環として、2026年8月1日に新しいデジタルアルバム『SKZ-REPLAY 2026 Pt. 1』をリリースすると発表した。2023年の日本盤リリース「Battle Ground」の韓国語バージョンをリード曲に据える。

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