KPOPWORLD #6 (Yves)

KPOPWORLD #6 (KEYVITUP X VAYONN)

KPOPWORLD #5

KPOPWORLD #4

Choi Yu Ree는 Stay 시리즈의 마지막 장인 Stay: Two를 통해, 섬세한 송라이팅으로 일상 속에서 형태를 만들어가는 취약함, 사랑, 두려움, 그리고 조용한 감정들을 이야기한다.

Choi Yu Ree는 자신을 있는 그대로 지키고 있다

LOONA (이달의 소녀, &quot;Girl of the Month&quot;) is a girl group formed by Blockberry Creative with one of the most ambitious pre-debut projects in K-pop history. From 2016 to 2018, each of the twelve members was individually introduced with her own solo single, music video, and lore before the full group debuted in August 2018. This elaborate rollout created an intricate &quot;LOONAVERSE&quot; mythology that captivated fans who dissected every visual clue and narrative connection. LOONA&#x27;s music spans a remarkable range of styles — from Chuu&#x27;s bubbly &quot;Heart Attack&quot; to the cinematic grandeur of &quot;Butterfly&quot; to the girl-crush energy of &quot;PTT (Paint the Town).&quot; The group gained a uniquely devoted international fandom, Orbits, who turned LOONA into an internet phenomenon long before the group achieved mainstream domestic success. Despite significant company controversies and member departures, LOONA&#x27;s creative ambition and the quality of their discography have ensured their place in K-pop history as one of the most artistically inventive groups of their generation.

LOONA

LOONA에서 솔로 아티스트로의 진화까지, Yves는 2026년 솔직하고 날것 그대로의 대화 속에서 자신의 여정, 창작 정체성, 그리고 성장 뒤에 숨은 어려움에 대해 털어놓는다

Yves의 자아 이미지

K-pop 프로모션 사이클에서 가장 핵심적인 요소가 하나 있다면, 바로 음악방송이고, 그에 따른 음악방송 1위다

음악방송 1위란 정확히 무엇일까 – 그리고 그룹들은 어떻게 1위를 차지할까?

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

THE BOYZ와 함께한 거의 10년에 가까운 시간 끝에, KEVIN MOON은 데뷔 프로젝트 FREECHILD로 솔로 아티스트로서 새로운 챕터를 열고 있다

KEVIN MOON 인터뷰 – 새장 속 새, 비로소 날아오르다

SM 창립자 Lee Soo-man의 복귀로 주목받고 있는 A2O Entertainment가 2026년 10월 12일 보이그룹과 걸그룹을 동시에 데뷔시킨다고 발표했다.

Lee Soo-man의 A2O Entertainment, 보이그룹과 걸그룹 동시 데뷔 예고

BLACKPINK is a four-member South Korean girl group under YG Entertainment &mdash; Jisoo, Jennie, Ros&eacute;, and Lisa &mdash; who debuted on August 8, 2016 with Square One and its double single "Boombayah" and "Whistle." As YG's first girl group since 2NE1, they were positioned not as a large idol ensemble but as four sharply drawn performers, each with her own vocal tone, visual identity, and role. The name itself encodes that duality: "black" for a hard, self-assured edge, "pink" for glamour and pop accessibility. Jennie and Lisa's clipped rap sections anchor the percussive center of most songs while Jisoo and Ros&eacute; supply melodic lift, a structure recognizable across producers, languages, and markets &mdash; from the sparse whistle hook of their debut to the heavy drops of "DDU-DU DDU-DU." Scarcity shaped their ascent as much as output did. They released comparatively few songs in their early years, which turned each comeback into an event rather than a routine promotional beat. The tradeoffs were real, but attention concentrated on a tight set of songs, videos, and stage moments: "Kill This Love," "How You Like That," "Pink Venom," and "Shut Down" became templates for a global-facing K-pop built on impact, visual clarity, and instantly repeatable hooks. Their reach came from more than charts &mdash; they linked the idol system to global pop, luxury fashion, digital fandom, and festival culture, becoming the first Korean girl group at Coachella in 2019 and the first K-pop act to headline it in 2023. Western collaborations, fashion-house partnerships, and an enormous social footprint carried them to audiences with no prior interest in Korean music. All four built substantial solo careers in music, acting, fashion, and brand work, making the group a clear case of group and solo identities reinforcing each other. After renewing with YG for group activities, their individual paths grew more independent while BLACKPINK continued as a shared brand and performing unit. Their real significance lies less in records broken than in normalizing a model where a K-pop girl group functions at once as an idol act, a global pop project, and four standalone celebrity careers. Their fandom is called BLINK.

BLACKPINK

10년 전, BLACKPINK는 초커와 망사, 그리고 한 시대를 정의할 만큼의 디스트로이드 데님을 입고 데뷔했다

BLACKPINK의 패션 청사진, 10년이 지난 지금

이번 주 K-pop 신곡들은 최근 SM Entertainment를 떠난 멤버가 있는 두 NCT 유닛, WayV와 127의 컴백을 다시 불러온다

Comeback Corner: WayV, NCT 127, Hearts2Hearts & More

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 Entertainment는 BIGBANG이 8월 14일부로 Korea의 항공우주청(KASA) 첫 명예홍보대사로 위촉됐다고 밝혔다.

BIGBANG, Korea’s Space Agency 첫 명예홍보대사로 위촉

셀프 프로듀싱 솔로 아티스트 ALL’N이 두 번째 싱글 “Dream Higher”를 발표했다. 그는 중국 서바이벌 프로그램 Youth With You에서 연습생으로 처음 데뷔 전 활동을 시작했다.

ALL’N, 바이올린 중심 두 번째 싱글 “Dream Higher” 발매

ALL(H)OURS is a South Korean boy group under EDEN Entertainment. The group debuted on January 10, 2024 with the mini album ALL OURS and the title track &quot;GOTCHA.&quot; Its lineup consists of Kunho, Youmin, Xayden, Masami, Hyunbin, Minje, and ON:N. The group&#x27;s fandom is known as Min(ut)e. The name ALL(H)OURS suggests a team that is ready to give everything at every hour, a theme that fits the group&#x27;s high-impact performance style. After debut, the group continued building its discography through releases such as WITNESS, Smoke Point, VCF, and NO DOUBT, balancing sharp choreography with direct, energetic title tracks.

ALL(H)OURS

5세대 보이그룹 ALL(H)OURS가 첫 월드 투어를 앞두고 2026년 9월 10일 여섯 번째 미니 앨범 ‘UNBOUND’를 발매한다

ALL(H)OURS, 여섯 번째 미니 앨범 ‘UNBOUND’ 발매

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

TWICE의 Chaeyoung가 JYP Entertainment와의 전속 계약 종료를 알렸다. Chaeyoung는 손편지에서 회사에서 보낸 14년 동안의 시간에 대해 JYP에 감사 인사를 전했다.

TWICE의 Chaeyoung, ‘LIL FANTASY’ 프로젝트 위해 JYP Entertainment 떠난다

TOMORROW X TOGETHER, usually shortened to TXT, is a five-member boy group under BIGHIT MUSIC &mdash; Soobin, Yeonjun, Beomgyu, Taehyun, and Huening Kai. They debuted in March 2019 with The Dream Chapter: Star, arriving as BigHit&rsquo;s first boy group after BTS and drawing immediate attention. Their early identity centered on youth, friendship, imagination, and the odd emotional weather of growing up. Rather than opening with a hard-edged performance image, they leaned into brightness, fantasy, and vulnerability on &ldquo;Crown,&rdquo; &ldquo;Run Away,&rdquo; and &ldquo;Blue Hour&rdquo; &mdash; a stance that set them apart within fourth-generation boy-group trends, largely because their storytelling treated adolescence as magical, confusing, and faintly unstable. As the catalog grew, they folded in sharper pop-rock, emo, and dance influences through &ldquo;0X1=LOVESONG,&rdquo; &ldquo;LO$ER=LOVER,&rdquo; &ldquo;Sugar Rush Ride,&rdquo; and &ldquo;Chasing That Feeling.&rdquo; The members&rsquo; strengths track that evolution closely: Soobin&rsquo;s steady leadership, Yeonjun&rsquo;s performance charisma, Beomgyu&rsquo;s color, Taehyun&rsquo;s vocal precision, and Huening Kai&rsquo;s bright tone let the group move between softness and intensity. Their fandom is MOA, short for Moments of Alwaysness. What makes TXT significant is how deliberately they built a coming-of-age identity across albums, videos, and stages. Instead of defining themselves by a single sound, they became a group about transition itself &mdash; childhood into adulthood, fantasy into reality, polished idol pop into something more emotionally restless.

TOMORROW X TOGETHER

TOMORROW X TOGETHER의 YEONJUN이 2026년 8월 12일 Los Angeles의 Troubadour에서 “Billboard: One Night Only”라는 제목의 첫 솔로 콘서트를 개최했다

TOMORROW X TOGETHER의 YEONJUN, 첫 솔로 콘서트 개최

BTS, also known as the Bangtan Boys, is a South Korean boy band formed by Big Hit Music that debuted on June 12, 2013, with the single album 2 Cool 4 Skool. Its seven members are RM (leader), Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook, with RM, Suga, and J-Hope contributing heavily to songwriting and production. The name stands for Bangtan Sonyeondan (&ldquo;Bulletproof Boy Scouts&rdquo;), reflecting a concept of resisting the pressures placed on young people.
The group broke through in 2015 with &ldquo;I Need U&rdquo; and reached a global audience with Wings and the Love Yourself series, whose Love Yourself: Tear became the first album by a Korean act to top the Billboard 200 in 2018. &ldquo;Dynamite,&rdquo; &ldquo;Butter,&rdquo; and &ldquo;Permission to Dance&rdquo; each hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. BTS is among the best-selling artists in South Korean history and partnered with UNICEF on the Love Myself campaign. Full-group activities paused from 2022 to 2025 for the members&rsquo; mandatory military service, completed when Suga was discharged in June 2025. Their tenth studio album, ARIRANG, arrived on March 20, 2026, followed by the Arirang World Tour beginning that April.

BTS의 Arirang World Tour는 각 공연장을 의도를 담은 패션 스테이트먼트로 바꿔놓았다. Seoul에서는 Korean design을 바탕에 둔 custom Songzio와 Juntae Kim으로 시작했다

BTS’ Arirang World Tour, 무대를 런웨이로 바꾸다

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)

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

JYP Entertainment의 NEXZ가 2026년 8월 24일 발매 예정인 네 번째 미니 앨범 SAUCIN’의 티저 이미지를 공개하기 시작했다.

NEXZ’ 독특한 콘셉트로 네 번째 미니 앨범 ‘SAUCIN’’ 예고

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

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