KPOPWORLD #5

KPOPWORLD #4

KPOPWORLD #3

KPOPWORLD #2 (Poster Version)

2026年10月28日〜31日にAlamodomeを席巻へ

KPOPWORLD Festival & Worldwide Dance Competition

idntt (아이덴티티; read as identity) is an upcoming 24-member boy group under MODHAUS. They are set to make their debut sometime in 2026. The group consists of members divided into 3 rotational sub-units consisting of 8 members each - uneverm8t, yesw8are and itsnotov8r.

idntt

新アルバム &lt;itsnotover&gt; にあたり、idntt はKPOPWORLD と対談し、これまで歩んできた道のり、このグループに求められてきたこと、そして決して手放したくないものについて語った。

idntt: The KPOPWORLD Digital Cover

EPEX [‘i:peks] (이펙스), formerly known as C9ROOKIES (C9루키즈) is a 7-member South Korean boy group under C9 Entertainment, consisting of Wish, MU, A-Min, Baekseung, Ayden, Yewang, and Jeff. On November 21, 2025, it was announced that Keum had left the group. They debuted on June 8, 2021, with their first EP album, BIPOLAR Pt.1 : 불안의 서 (Prelude of Anxiety)

EPEX

三部作を締めくくるのは簡単だ。だが、その物語を実際に生きた人たちの手に返して終えるとなれば、話は別。EPEXの「Youth: Epilogue」は、2年にわたる3枚のアルバムで描いてきた青春の物語を締めくくる作品だ。

EPEX、Youthのエピローグ、主体性、そして成長を語る

XLOV is a South Korean boy group formed by 257 Entertainment and currently managed by [WM Entertainment]. The group consists of four members: Wumuti, Rui, Hyun, and Haru. They debuted on January 7, 2025, with the single album I&#x27;mma Be. XLOV gained attention for promoting a genderless concept, incorporating androgynous styling and performances that challenge traditional gender norms in Kpop. The group&#x27;s name combines &quot;X,&quot; representing the unknown and negation, with &quot;LOV,&quot; symbolizing incomplete love, while their fandom name, EVOL, represents the completion of that concept. Several members were previously known through survival programs before debut. Wumuti, Rui, and Haru participated in Boys Planet, while Wumuti was also active in the project group WATERFIRE before helping form XLOV. The group is particularly noted for Wumuti&#x27;s involvement in songwriting and production, including contributions to their debut release. Since debuting, XLOV has released music including I&#x27;mma Be and I ONE, earning recognition for their distinctive concept, performance style, and growing international fanbase. In 2026, the group&#x27;s management structure changed following the acquisition of 257 Entertainment by WM Entertainment through RBW. Their music primarily incorporates elements of hip-hop, R&amp;B, and pop, while their visual identity and performances have distinguished them as one of the more unconventional rookie acts of the fifth generation of Kpop.

XLOV

7月14日、インナービューティーブランド LifePharm は、ジェンダーレスグループ XLOV が新たな Global Ambassadors に就任すると発表した。同ブランドは、K-POPアイドルのセルフケアとして紹介されている話題の栄養補助食品シリーズ「Mood Change Alpha Plus」で知られている。

XLOV、インナービューティーブランド LifePharm のアンバサダーに就任

K-popの契約制度は、1990年代にこの業界が誕生して以来、何度も変化を重ねてきた。13年契約の“奴隷契約”から、再交渉の選択肢付きで7年へと短縮された現在まで

K-popの契約制度を解説――そして、多くのアーティストがBig Labelを離れている理由

&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

K-popの世界では、厚いプロダクションや磨き上げられたボーカルの下にある生の感情を見つけ出すのが難しいことがあります

『Back to Life』レビュー — &TEAM がコンセプトを超えて、本物へと踏み出す

f(x) is a South Korean girl group formed by SM Entertainment, centered on Victoria, Amber, Luna, and Krystal, with Sulli part of the group&#x27;s earlier history. They debuted in 2009 with &quot;LA chA TA.&quot; The group became one of K-pop&#x27;s clearest examples of a musically experimental idol act. f(x) often worked with electronic pop, synth textures, unusual song structures, and fashion-forward styling, creating a reputation that was cooler and more art-pop leaning than many girl groups of the same era. Albums such as Pink Tape and 4 Walls helped cement that reputation, especially among fans who valued cohesive concepts and less predictable production. The group&#x27;s image also benefited from the members&#x27; distinct public roles: Victoria&#x27;s performance and variety presence, Amber&#x27;s androgynous image, Luna&#x27;s vocals, Krystal&#x27;s cool visual identity, and Sulli&#x27;s early prominence. The fandom is known as MeU. f(x) has not followed a normal active-group path in recent years, but their influence remains strong because they showed how experimental production and idol-pop accessibility could sit together.

f(x)

Krystal、「Solitary」で再び歩み出す

Dreamcatcher is a seven-member girl group formed by Dreamcatcher Company (formerly Happy Face Entertainment), debuting in January 2017. The group — JiU, SuA, Siyeon, Handong, Yoohyeon, Dami, and Gahyeon — originally debuted as MINX in 2014 before rebranding with a completely new concept. Dreamcatcher&#x27;s defining innovation was bringing rock and metal-influenced music into K-pop&#x27;s girl group space, a daring move that set them apart from virtually every other act in the industry. With tracks like &quot;Chase Me,&quot; &quot;Good Night,&quot; &quot;Piri,&quot; &quot;Scream,&quot; and &quot;MAISON,&quot; Dreamcatcher crafted a discography rooted in rock, EDM, and gothic horror concepts that felt genuinely unique. Their music incorporates electric guitars, heavy percussion, and dramatic arrangements rarely heard in K-pop girl group music. While their unconventional sound initially limited their domestic success, Dreamcatcher built one of the most passionate and dedicated international fanbases in K-pop — InSomnia. They are a beloved example of how artistic conviction and willingness to challenge genre boundaries can create a lasting legacy, even outside the mainstream.

Dreamcatcher

Handong、ダークで魅惑的なソロデビューで「Gray Zone（灰色地帯）」へ踏み込む

VVUP is a global girl group under EgoENT that officially debuted on April 1, 2024, with the single &quot;Locked On&quot;. The group’s name uses a double &quot;V&quot; to create a &quot;W&quot; for &quot;Win,&quot; symbolizing their goal to continuously rise to the top of the music industry. Known for their high-energy performances and 5th-generation &quot;teen crush&quot; concept, they have quickly become a rising force in K-pop. The group originally debuted as a four-member lineup consisting of Hyunny, Suyeon, Kim, and Paan. However, in August 2024, the agency announced that leader and main rapper Hyunny would be departing the group to focus on her health and recovery. Following a brief period as a trio, the group added a new member, Jiyoon, in January 2025, restoring VVUP to a four-member lineup.

VVUP

VVUPが“VVON”でグローバル期待のルーキーとして存在感を示す

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

“Do It”レビュー — Stray Kids、低くて致命的に響く

Refund Sisters was a four-member South Korean project girl group formed through the MBC variety program &quot;Hangout with Yoo&quot;. The group consisted of Uhm Jung-hwa, Lee Hyori, Jessi and Hwasa. Originally conceived after Lee Hyori suggested forming a &quot;dream team&quot; of strong female performers on &quot;Hangout with Yoo&quot;, the project quickly gained public attention and was officially realized under the management of producer Yoo Jae-suk within the show&#x27;s storyline. The group debuted in October 2020 with the digital single Don&#x27;t Touch Me, which achieved commercial success and topped several Korean music charts. Although active for only a short period, Refund Sisters became one of the most notable project groups in South Korea, earning praise for bringing together four established artists from different generations of the Korean music industry. Following the conclusion of their promotional activities, the members returned to their respective solo careers.

Refund Sisters

レビュー：JessiのP.M.Sは折れない女性の肖像

アルバムレビュー： XLOV – UXLXVE

Wonder Girls were a girl group formed by JYP Entertainment, debuting in February 2007. The group — whose most well-known lineup included Sunye, Yeeun, Sohee, Yubin, and Hyerim — became one of the defining acts of second-generation K-pop. Their 2007 single &quot;Tell Me&quot; sparked a national dance craze in South Korea, with the retro choreography being replicated everywhere from schools to military barracks. Follow-up hits &quot;So Hot&quot; and &quot;Nobody&quot; were equally massive. Wonder Girls made history as the first K-pop group to enter the Billboard Hot 100, with &quot;Nobody&quot; charting in 2009 during their ambitious attempt to break into the American market. While their U.S. promotions had mixed results, the group&#x27;s pioneering efforts helped pave the way for future K-pop acts in the West. In their later years, Wonder Girls reinvented themselves as a self-playing band, releasing the critically acclaimed album &quot;Reboot.&quot; The group disbanded in 2017, but their legacy as trailblazers in K-pop&#x27;s global expansion is firmly established.

Wonder Girls

レビュー：SUNMI – HEART MAID

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.

Review

『Back to Life』レビュー — &TEAM がコンセプトを超えて、本物へと踏み出す

Krystal、「Solitary」で再び歩み出す

Handong、ダークで魅惑的なソロデビューで「Gray Zone（灰色地帯）」へ踏み込む

VVUPが“VVON”でグローバル期待のルーキーとして存在感を示す

“Do It”レビュー — Stray Kids、低くて致命的に響く

レビュー：JessiのP.M.Sは折れない女性の肖像

アルバムレビュー： XLOV – UXLXVE

レビュー：SUNMI – HEART MAID

ウォンホのシンドローム：クールでシネマティックな現代ポップスターの肖像

レビューLEEBADA - 「ファンタジー

レビューMiSO、"スポットライト "で凱旋帰国

VVUP、"House Party "でスクリーンに火をつける

トレンド

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KPOPWORLD #5

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