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

KEYVITUP is a five-member boy group under iNKODE, formed through the agency’s INTHE X Project. The lineup—Sena, Hyunmin, Taehwan, Rukia, and Jaein—was introduced step by step through pre-debut content, building anticipation around a team designed with a strong performance focus and a clear concept from the start. As part of a dual-group rollout, KEYVITUP was positioned with a trendy and dynamic identity, contrasting with its counterpart group. This concept highlights a more energetic and performance-driven style, setting the tone for their music and overall image even before debut. They are set to make their debut with the self-titled EP KEYVITUP, marking the official beginning of their activities. With pre-debut exposure, international stage appearances, and a defined concept, the group enters the scene with momentum and a clear direction moving forward.

KEYVITUP

최신 디지털 커버에서는 HYUNMIN, TAEHWAN, SENA, JAEIN, RUKIA와 함께 데뷔, 자신들만의 사운드를 찾아가는 과정, 직접 음악을 쓰고 만들어가는 이야기, 다섯 멤버를 하나로 묶는 케미, 그리고 앞으로 KEYVITUP을 어디까지 끌고 가고 싶은지에 대해 이야기를 나눴다

KEYVITUP - The KPOPWORLD 디지털 커버

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

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

KickFlip is a seven-member boy group under JYP Entertainment, consisting of Kyehoon, Amaru, Donghwa, Juwang, Minje, Keiju, and Donghyeon. The group was formed through the SBS audition program Loud and debuted in 2025. The group&#x27;s identity connects JYP&#x27;s idol training system with a more youthful, agile performance image. Because several members were already known from a survival-show context, KickFlip&#x27;s debut carried built-in curiosity around how the lineup would translate from trainee competition to a working group. The fandom is known as WeFlip. KickFlip is still early in its career, with its public identity centered on formation, lineup, and debut positioning rather than a long-established legacy.

KickFlip

KickFlip이 새로운 챕터를 시작할 준비를 마쳤다. 2027년 첫 월드 투어를 앞두고, JYP Entertainment의 신예들이 KPOPWORLD와 만나 새 앨범 KICK OFF THE WALL Pt. 1에 대해 이야기했다.

KickFlip, 첫 월드 투어를 앞두고 KICK OFF THE WALL Pt. 1 이야기하다

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.

BTS는 새로 신설된 Asian Pop Music Performance 부문에 대한 대응으로, 내년 2월 열릴 제68회 Grammy Awards에 음악을 출품하지 않겠다고 밝혔다.

BTS, 연례 Grammy Awards 출품 철회

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 Entertainment의 2NE1 멤버이자 Dara로도 알려진 Sandara Park가 Singapore 기반 에이전시 Power Entertainment와 새로운 파트너십을 발표했다. 이는 2024년 Waterbomb Singapore에서 해당 에이전시와 함께 공연한 데 이어 이뤄진 일이다.

2NE1의 Sandara Park, Singapore 기반 Power Entertainment와 파트너십 체결

ENHYPEN이 San Diego Comic-Con에 처음으로 참석한 K-pop 그룹으로 역사를 썼으며, Twilight의 감독 Catherine Hardwicke와 출연진 Peter Facinelli, Ashley Greene도 함께했다. THE BOYZ의 법적 분쟁은 계속되는 가운데, NewJeans는 데뷔 4주년을 맞아 소셜 미디어로 돌아왔다.

지난주 K-pop, 해석해보기 (2026년 7월 20일 - 24일)

대통령직속 대중문화교류위원회가 2027년 12월 첫선을 보일 국가 지원 K-culture Festival “Fanomenon”의 계획을 공개했다. 11일간 진행되는 이번 축제는

HYBE, SM, YG 및 JYP, 2027년 11일간의 K-culture Festival 공동 개최

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

7월 27일, PLEDIS Entertainment는 SEVENTEEN 팬들에게 멤버 DK와 Vernon이 다음으로 군 복무를 이행할 예정이라고 전했다. 메인 보컬 DK는 2026년 9월 8일 현역으로 입대한다.

SEVENTEEN의 DK와 Vernon, 군 입대 일정 발표

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 Entertainment는 Stray Kids가 그룹의 “STAYweeK” 기념 행사의 일환으로 2026년 8월 1일 새 디지털 앨범 ‘SKZ-REPLAY 2026 Pt. 1’을 발매한다고 밝혔다. 2023년 일본 발매곡 “Battle Ground”의 새로운 한국어 버전이 타이틀로 나선다

Stray Kids, 8월 1일 ‘SKZ-REPLAY 2026 Pt. 1’ 발매

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

CORTIS가 8월 13일과 14일, LA의 YouTube Theater에서 생중계되는 데뷔 월드 투어를 전 세계 영화관 스크린으로 가져온다. 이번 상영을 위해 30분 길이의 프리쇼도 특별 제작됐다.

CORTIS, 8월 전 세계 극장서 데뷔 월드 투어 상영

SHINee is a boy group formed by SM Entertainment, debuting in May 2008 with &quot;Replay.&quot; The group consists of Onew, Jonghyun, Key, Minho, and Taemin. SM promoted them as a &quot;contemporary band,&quot; a phrase that fit their role as trendsetters in music, choreography, styling, and performance. SHINee&#x27;s catalog moved quickly from the smooth youthfulness of &quot;Replay&quot; into sharper electronic pop and hybrid performance tracks. Later records like &quot;View&quot; and &quot;1 of 1&quot; showed how far they could push taste while staying accessible, bringing deep house, retro R&amp;B, and fashion-conscious presentation into mainstream idol pop. Their dances were often technical without feeling stiff, and their vocals gave even experimental tracks a polished center. The members built unusually strong individual identities: Onew as a warm vocalist, Jonghyun as a songwriter and one of K-pop&#x27;s most expressive singers, Key as a style and variety standout, Minho as an athletic performer and actor, and Taemin as a solo performer whose work influenced later idols. Jonghyun&#x27;s death in 2017 remains an important and painful part of SHINee&#x27;s history, and the group&#x27;s later activities are often understood through both grief and continuity. SHINee&#x27;s fandom is known as Shawol. Their legacy is deep because they were not only popular; they were influential in ways that became part of K-pop&#x27;s basic vocabulary. Later groups inherited their emphasis on difficult choreography, distinctive styling, strong solo identities, and the idea that idol pop could be both polished and genuinely adventurous.

SHINee

7월 24일 TAEMIN은 2026년 8월 31일 발매 예정인 솔로 컴백 PHASE 1 : Soft Violence를 발표했다. 개미가 등장하는 수수께끼 같은 이미지와, 낮고 흔들리는 시점에서 촬영된 역시나 수수께끼 같은 티저 영상과 함께였다.

TAEMIN, ‘PHASE 1 : Soft Violence’와 월드 투어 [LiMiNaL]로 돌아온다

이번 주 K-pop 신곡들은 여름 분위기를 한껏 살린 곡들로 가득하다. fromis_9의 밝고 달콤한 매력부터 HYOLYN의 대담하고 자신감 넘치는 Y2K 감성까지, 큐티와 섹시의 대비가 돋보이는 다채로운 라인업이다.

Comeback Corner: U-KNOW, WONHO, HYOLYN & More

FIFTY FIFTY is a 5-member South Korean girl group under ATTRAKT, currently consisting of: Keena, Chanelle Moon, Yewon, Hana, and Athena. They debuted on November 18, 2022, with the mini album The Fifty. On June 28, 2023, all original members officially filed a lawsuit against ATTRAKT. On October 23, 2023 it was announced that Saena, Sio and Aran‘s exclusive contracts with ATTRAKT were terminated. On November 2, 2023 ATTRAKT announced that the group’s remaining member Keena will be joined by three new members. On August 8, 2024, four new members were announced, including Chanelle Moon, Yewon, Hana, and another mystery member, who was later revealed to be Athena. Along with that, the group&#x27;s fandom name changed from &quot;Hunnies&quot; to &quot;TWENY&quot;. Soon after, they pre-released ‘Starry Night‘ on August 30, 2024, and made their comeback with the new lineup on September 20, 2024, with the mini-album Love Tune.

FIFTY FIFTY

FIFTY FIFTY가 2026년 8월 1일부터 Seoul, Tokyo, Manila를 돌며 진행되는 Asia Fancon Tour [Still LoBubble]의 시작을 알렸다. 투어명은 그룹의 타이틀곡 “Like a Bubble”에서 따왔다.

FIFTY FIFTY, 8월 첫 Asia Fancon Tour 개최

Big Hit Music의 CORTIS가 두 번째 미니앨범 GREENGREEN으로 트리플 밀리언셀러에 올랐다. Circle Chart가 2026년 7월 23일 공개한 데이터에 따르면, 이 앨범은 5월 4일 발매 이후 전 세계 누적 판매량 300만 장을 넘어섰다.

CORTIS의 ‘GREENGREEN’, 트리플 밀리언셀러 달성

PENTAGON is a boy group formed by Cube Entertainment through the 2016 Mnet show &quot;Pentagon Maker,&quot; debuting in October 2016. The group has seen lineup changes over the years, with its best-known roster including Hui, Jinho, Hongseok, Shinwon, Yeo One, Yanan, Yuto, Kino, and Wooseok. PENTAGON quickly established themselves as one of K-pop&#x27;s most musically talented groups, with leader Hui being recognized as an exceptional songwriter and composer. PENTAGON&#x27;s viral hit &quot;Shine&quot; in 2018 became one of the most beloved K-pop songs of its year, its joyful melody and endearing choreography capturing hearts across the industry. Hui&#x27;s songwriting credits extend beyond PENTAGON -- he notably won the songwriting competition show &quot;Road to Kingdom&quot; and has penned tracks for other artists. The group&#x27;s discography ranges from bright pop to emotional ballads to experimental tracks, reflecting their versatility. Their fandom, Universe, appreciates the group&#x27;s warmth and artistry. Though they may not have reached the commercial heights of some peers, PENTAGON is deeply respected within the industry for their musicianship and consistency.

PENTAGON

PENTAGON의 10주년을 맞아, 원년 멤버 9명 중 7명이 새 음악과 투어로 복귀할 계획을 밝혔다. Jinho, Hui, Hongseok, Shinwon, Yeo One, Kino, Wooseok은 2023년 마지막으로 음악을 발표했다.

뉴스