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

Issue 5 인쇄 커버 스토리에서 &amp;TEAM의 MAKI가 바이럴이 된다는 것이 어떤 느낌인지, 그리고 왜 그것이 보이는 것보다 더 복잡한지 솔직하게 이야기한다

IN REFLECTION MAKI: &TEAM

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-Dragon은 2019년 Nike 역사상 처음으로 Swoosh와의 크리에이티브 협업을 성사시킨 아시아 래퍼가 됐다. 단순한 앰배서더 계약이 아니라, 그의 고유한 미학적 논리를 중심으로 완전히 구축된 파트너십이었다.

G-Dragon이 K-Pop 역사상 가장 중요한 Nike 파트너십을 구축한 방법

David Yong의 K-pop 입문은 전형적인 아이돌 데뷔 코스를 따르지 않는다. BIGBANG과 TWICE를 통해 이 장르를 처음 접한 싱가포르 출신 사업가는 한국어 공부, 댄스 레슨, 서울에서의 녹음 작업을 병행하며 오랜 보컬 트레이닝 경험을 바탕으로 자신만의 길을 걸어왔다.

Fan에서 Artist-Executive로: David Yong의 K-pop 여정

KiiiKiii is a five-member girl group under Starship Entertainment, consisting of Jiyu, Leesol, Sui, Haum, and Kya. The group began its rollout in 2025 with &quot;I Do Me&quot; and built its debut era around a confident, self-directed image. As a newer Starship group, KiiiKiii carries attention from the company&#x27;s girl-group history while needing a distinct identity of its own. Their early presentation leans youthful but assertive, with styling and performance choices that frame the members as a compact team rather than a loose collection of rookies. The fandom is known as TiiiKiii. KiiiKiii is still early in its career, but its debut identity is clear: a compact Starship girl group built around self-possession, youthful confidence, and a team image still being defined through its first releases.

KiiiKiii

특정한 형태의 마케팅은 K-pop 업계에서 하나의 관행처럼 자리 잡았다. 초기 콘셉트 사진과 영화 같은 트레일러부터 티저와 매시업까지, 새 앨범은 발매 전 팬들이 뜯어볼 수 있는 온갖 콘텐츠를 동반해 왔다.

K-pop 마케팅의 새로운 시대: KiiiKiii의 여행 웹사이트가 통하는 이유

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-HA는 많은 사람들이 생각하는 것보다 훨씬 오래 이 업계에 몸담아 왔다. 그는 10대 초반에 Fantagio에 연습생으로 들어갔고, 2016년 ASTRO의 막내 멤버로 데뷔했다.

YOON SAN-HA는 이제 진짜 자신으로 설 준비가 됐다

인플루언서들은 콘텐츠와 홍보를 제공하는 대가로 K-pop 콘서트와 이벤트에 늘 초대된다. 그런데 그 접근이 언제부터 그 자리에 돈을 내고 온 팬들의 몫을 빼앗기 시작하는 걸까?

인플루언서 문화가 팬덤 콘서트 경험을 방해할 때 무슨 일이 벌어질까?

이번 호에서는 K-pop 기획사들에 대한 타당한 비판 두 가지를 짚는다. 하나는 Stray Kids 콘서트에서 벌어진 인플루언서 문화, 다른 하나는 BLACKPINK 10주년의 정서적 울림 부족이다. 세 번째는 THE BOYZ의 씁쓸한 계약 재계약과 그것이 그룹의 미래에 어떤 의미를 가질지 들여다본다&nbsp;

지난주 K-pop, 해석하기 (2026년 8월 3일 - 8월 7일)

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

CORTIS는 스타일에 돈이 꼭 필요하다는 생각을 거부하는 가사 위에 "FaSHioN"을 쌓아 올렸다. 2억 스트리밍을 돌파한 지금도, 이 곡은 여전히 그들의 가장 분명한 선언문이다

CORTIS의 첫 주년, K-pop 패션 로열티로서의 존재감을 입증하다

한때 마스크를 쓴 익명의 퍼포머였던 NEUK JUN이 THE ARRIVAL과 함께 다시 스포트라이트 속으로 돌아오며, 자신의 정체성과 새로운 챕터를 드러낸다&nbsp;

NEUK JUN: 겉모습의 가치

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

Sunmi는 "Forever July"에서 특유의 강렬한 에너지 대신 한층 부드러운 분위기를 꺼내 든다. 이 곡은 불면, 비, 그리고 끝내 완전히 답하지 못하는 질문을 중심에 둔다.

'Forever July'에서 Sunmi, 여름 팝 대신 여름비를 택하다

dodree is the first Subunit of the girl group DDDD 25. The unit is composed of members Na Yeongjoo and Lee Songhyun. They debuted on January 21, 2026, with the single album &quot;Just Like A Dream&quot;.

dodree

dodree는 자신들의 음악을 “K-rossover Pop”이라고 부른다. 판소리 보컬, 가야금 리프, 그리고 전통 한국 선굿 움직임에서 가져온 안무가 트랩 비트와 몽환적인 신스 같은 현대적 요소와 맞물리며, 이들은 점점 확장되는 카탈로그 안에서 그 경계를 비튼다.

dodree: JYP 산하의 미스터리한 듀오

4년간의 침묵 끝에, Choi Yoojung이 자신이 정확히 무엇을 겨냥하고 있는지 밝히며 그 침묵을 깼다. "Perfect Target"은 그녀가 직접 작사·작곡한 첫 번째 곡이다

4년 후, Choi Yoojung은 마침내 자신의 완벽한 타깃을 말하다

지난주 K-pop의 핵심 화두는 동의(consent)였다. BTS의 Grammys 항의부터 Waterbomb Festival 논쟁, 그리고 DAY6의 Young K처럼 대중과의 거리를 좁히려는 아티스트들까지 그 범위는 넓었다&nbsp;

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