KPOPWORLD #6 (Yves)

KPOPWORLD #6 (KEYVITUP X VAYONN)

KPOPWORLD #5

KPOPWORLD #4

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

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

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

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

CLOSE YOUR EYES (also shortened as CYE) is a seven-member boy group under UNCORE. They were formed through JTBC&#x27;s survival show PROJECT7. They made their debut on April 2, 2025, with the mini album &quot;Enternalt&quot;. PROJECT7 started airing on October 18, 2024, and the finale was broadcast live on December 27, 2024, revealing the group name, CLOSE YOUR EYES, and the seven winners, in order: Ma Jingxiang, Kenshin, Jeon Minwook, Seo Kyoungbae, Song Seungho, Jang Yeojun, and Kim Sungmin. Before joining PROJECT7, Jeon Minwook had already debuted as a member of the boy group BAE173 and the project group A-SIX. Additionally, Ma Jingxiang was a contestant on Boys Planet, while Jang Yeojun also participated in Boys Planet and was a contestant on Wild Idol.

CLOSE YOUR EYES

CLOSE YOUR EYES의 컴백 앨범 256th Note의 마지막 트랙 작업 과정, 데뷔 이후의 성장, 그리고 더 멀리 나아가게 하는 원동력에 대해 이야기를 들어봤다

Meet The Member CLOSE YOUR EYES의 SEO KYOUNGBAE 인터뷰 – 계속 더 높이 올라가기

Red Velvet is a five-member girl group formed by SM Entertainment, debuting in August 2014. The group -- Irene, Seulgi, Wendy, Joy, and Yeri (who joined in 2015) -- is built around a dual-concept identity: the bright, playful &quot;Red&quot; side and the darker, experimental &quot;Velvet&quot; side. This duality gave them enormous creative range and became their defining artistic trademark. The &quot;Red&quot; side gave the group some of K-pop&#x27;s most vivid pop singles, including &quot;Dumb Dumb,&quot; &quot;Russian Roulette,&quot; &quot;Red Flavor,&quot; and &quot;Power Up.&quot; The &quot;Velvet&quot; side leaned toward smoother R&amp;B, darker synth textures, and slower-burning drama on songs such as &quot;Automatic,&quot; &quot;Bad Boy,&quot; and &quot;Psycho.&quot; Instead of treating those modes as separate eras, Red Velvet made the contrast part of the brand: sweet could turn strange, elegant could become unsettling, and experimental choices could still land as pop. That range made Red Velvet especially important as an album group. Their title tracks often drew the most attention, but fans and critics also paid close attention to B-sides, vocal arrangements, and the way the members&#x27; tones fit together. Wendy&#x27;s vocal clarity, Seulgi&#x27;s performance edge, Joy&#x27;s color, Irene&#x27;s cool center, and Yeri&#x27;s later addition gave the group a layered sound that could handle both bright hooks and more atmospheric material. Red Velvet&#x27;s influence comes from their refusal to settle into one easy lane. They could be playful without feeling lightweight, polished without becoming predictable, and weird without losing the listener. Their fandom is known as ReVeluv, and the group&#x27;s place in K-pop rests on that balance: a major SM girl group with mainstream hits, deep-cut credibility, and a catalog that made adventurous pop feel normal.

Red Velvet

Red Velvet의 JOY가 애니메이션 영화 Stitch Head: The Secret Castle’s Little Monster의 한국어 더빙으로 성우 데뷔를 했다

Red Velvet의 JOY, ‘Stitch Head’로 성우 데뷔

ILLIT is a South Korean girl group formed through the 2023 reality survival show R U Next?. The group is managed by Belift Lab, a subsidiary of HYBE, and debuted in March 2024 with the EP &quot;Super Real Me&quot;. ILLIT consists of five members: Yunah, Minju, Moka, Wonhee, and Iroha, though former member Youngeso left before the group officially debuted despite making the final line up. The group quickly gained global attention with their debut title track Magnetic, which became a viral hit on social media platforms and achieved high placements on international music charts, including the Billboard Hot 100 and the Billboard Global 200. Their sound combines elements of Kpop, electronic pop, and dreamy pop aesthetics. ILLIT&#x27;s concept focuses on youthful energy and individuality, presenting a soft yet modern pop style that has helped establish the group as one of the notable fifth-generation Kpop girl groups.

ILLIT

BELIFT LAB의 신예 걸그룹 ILLIT이 오는 2026년 10월 26일 다섯 번째 미니 앨범 ‘BREAK EVEN’을 발매한다

ILLIT, 앙코르 콘서트 이후 10월 5번째 미니 앨범 ‘BREAK EVEN’ 발매

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 BOYZ 전 멤버 NEW가 2026년 9월 28일, 1인 기획사 ONLY NEW ENTERTAINMENT와 전속계약을 체결했다

THE BOYZ 전 멤버 NEW, ONLY NEW ENTERTAINMENT와 전속계약 체결

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

떠오르는 genderless 그룹 XLOV가 새로운 로고와 함께 2026년 10월 28일 발매 예정인 세 번째 미니 앨범 소식을 전하며 다음 장을 열었다

XLOV, 3rd Mini Album ‘i=!’로 새로운 시대 예고

BLACKPINK is a four-member South Korean girl group formed by YG Entertainment, consisting of Jisoo, Jennie, Rosé, and Lisa. They debuted on August 8, 2016 with Square One, led by &quot;Boombayah&quot; and &quot;Whistle,&quot; and arrived as YG&#x27;s first new girl group after 2NE1. From the beginning, the group was presented less as a large idol ensemble and more as four sharply individualized performers, each with a distinct vocal tone, visual identity, and public role. The group&#x27;s name captures the tension that became central to their image: &quot;black&quot; for a harder, more self-assured edge and &quot;pink&quot; for glamour, playfulness, and pop accessibility. Their music often builds around that contrast. Jennie and Lisa&#x27;s rap sections give many songs a clipped, percussive center, while Jisoo and Rosé&#x27;s vocals provide melodic lift and emotional color. This structure made BLACKPINK songs easy to recognize even across different producers, languages, and markets; the group could move from the spare whistle hook of their debut to the maximal drops of &quot;DDU-DU DDU-DU&quot; and still feel like the same act. BLACKPINK&#x27;s rise was also shaped by scarcity. Compared with many idol groups, they released relatively few songs in their first several years, which made each comeback feel closer to an event than a routine promotional cycle. That strategy had tradeoffs, but it concentrated public attention on a small set of songs, videos, styling choices, and stage moments. Tracks such as Kill This Love, How You Like That, Pink Venom, and Shut Down became reference points for a global-facing K-pop style built around impact, visual clarity, and immediately repeatable hooks. Their international growth came from more than chart performance. BLACKPINK connected K-pop&#x27;s idol system with the language of global pop, luxury fashion, digital fandom, and festival stages. They were the first Korean girl group to perform at Coachella in 2019 and returned in 2023 as the first K-pop act to headline the festival. Collaborations with Western pop artists, major fashion-house relationships, and an unusually large YouTube and social-media footprint helped make the members visible to audiences who did not necessarily follow Korean music closely. As individual artists, all four members developed major careers in music, acting, fashion, and brand work, making BLACKPINK one of the clearest examples of a modern K-pop group whose group identity and solo identities reinforce each other. After renewing with YG for group activities, the members&#x27; individual paths became more independent while BLACKPINK remained active as a shared brand and performance unit. Their significance is not only that they broke records, but that they helped normalize a model where a K-pop girl group could operate simultaneously as an idol act, a global pop project, and a set of four standalone celebrity careers. The fandom is known as BLINK.

BLACKPINK

LISA는 2026 MTV VMAs에서 Best Pop 부문을 수상하며 시상식 42년 역사상 최초의 Asian 솔로 아티스트가 됐다.

LISA, 2026 MTV VMAs에서 Best Pop Award로 역사 썼다

IVE is a six-member girl group formed by Starship Entertainment, debuting in December 2021. The group includes former IZ*ONE members Wonyoung and Yujin alongside Gaeul, Rei, Leeseo, and Liz. IVE&#x27;s concept centers on self-confidence and self-love, encapsulated by their motto &quot;I HAVE&quot; -- a declaration of owning one&#x27;s identity rather than chasing external validation. From their first single, &quot;Eleven,&quot; IVE established a style built around poise rather than maximal force. &quot;Love Dive,&quot; &quot;After Like,&quot; and &quot;I Am&quot; strengthened that image with sleek hooks, elegant choreography, and lyrics that frame confidence as something cool and self-possessed. The group stood out in a crowded fourth-generation field by feeling polished early: less like rookies chasing impact and more like a brand arriving already defined. IVE&#x27;s appeal also comes from contrast inside the lineup. Yujin gives the group a strong leader and performance anchor, Wonyoung brings a highly visible center presence, Liz adds vocal brightness, Rei gives the rap line a distinctive tone, Gaeul sharpens the dance and rap texture, and Leeseo adds youthful energy without making the group feel overly cute. Starship&#x27;s presentation often uses that balance to make IVE feel fashionable, direct, and easy to recognize. The fandom is known as DIVE, and IVE quickly became one of the defining girl groups of their generation through a mix of public-friendly singles, strong visual identity, and high-profile members. Their significance is not just that they produced hit songs, but that they helped re-center a graceful, self-assured pop image in modern K-pop: glamorous without being distant, confident without needing to shout, and accessible without feeling generic.

Starship Entertainment가 걸그룹 IVE가 오는 10월 26일 다섯 번째 EP Looks Can Kill을 발매한다고 밝혔다.

IVE, 10월 다섯 번째 EP ‘Looks Can Kill’ 발매

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.

BTS가 2026 MTV Video Music Awards(VMAs)를 휩쓸며, 후보에 오른 세 부문인 Best K-pop, Best Group, Song of the Year를 모두 수상했다

BTS, MTV VMAs에서 3관왕

TOMORROW X TOGETHER, often shortened to TXT, is a five-member boy group under BIGHIT MUSIC. The group consists of Soobin, Yeonjun, Beomgyu, Taehyun, and Huening Kai. They debuted in March 2019 with The Dream Chapter: Star, becoming BigHit&#x27;s first boy group after BTS and immediately attracting heavy attention. TXT&#x27;s early identity centered on youth, friendship, imagination, and the strange emotional weather of growing up. Instead of debuting with a hard-edged performance image, they leaned into brightness, fantasy, and vulnerability on songs such as &quot;Crown,&quot; &quot;Run Away,&quot; and &quot;Blue Hour.&quot; That made the group feel distinct within fourth-generation boy-group trends, especially because their storytelling often treated adolescence as magical, confusing, and a little unstable. As their catalog developed, TXT added sharper pop-rock, emo, and dance influences through songs like &quot;0X1=LOVESONG,&quot; &quot;LO$ER=LOVER,&quot; &quot;Sugar Rush Ride,&quot; and &quot;Chasing That Feeling.&quot; The members&#x27; strengths map cleanly onto that evolution: Soobin&#x27;s calm leadership, Yeonjun&#x27;s performance charisma, Beomgyu&#x27;s color, Taehyun&#x27;s vocal focus, and Huening Kai&#x27;s bright tone all help the group move between softness and intensity. TXT&#x27;s fandom is known as MOA, short for Moments of Alwaysness. The group&#x27;s significance is tied to how carefully they built a coming-of-age identity across albums, videos, and performances. Rather than defining themselves through a single sound, TXT became a group about transition itself: childhood into adulthood, fantasy into reality, and polished idol pop into something more emotionally restless.

TOMORROW X TOGETHER

TOMORROW X TOGETHER가 다음 챕터의 이름을 공개했다. ‘PERFECT STORM’은 11월 16일 발매되는 6곡 수록 미니앨범이다.

TOMORROW X TOGETHER, 11월 앨범 ‘PERFECT STORM’ 발표

KATSEYE is a multinational girl group formed through the reality competition series Dream Academy, a collaboration between HYBE and Geffen Records. The group debuted in June 2024 with the single &quot;Debut&quot;. KATSEYE consists of six members from different countries: Daniela Avanzini, Lara Rajagopalan, Manon Bannerman, Megan Skiendiel, Sophia Laforteza, and Yoonchae Jeong. The group was created to combine Kpop training with a global pop approach, featuring members from North America, Europe, and Asia. The group first gained attention through the documentary series The Debut: Dream Academy (or Pop Star Academy: KATSEYE on Netflix), which followed the trainees&#x27; journey during the Dream Academy project and the process of forming the final lineup. KATSEYE&#x27;s music blends elements of pop, dance, and K-pop-influenced production while targeting a global audience with multilingual promotion and international activities.

KATSEYE

KATSEYE가 최신 앨범 발매 한 달여 만에 세 개의 EP를 모두 Billboard 200에 5주 연속 올려뒀다

Billboard 200에서 KATSEYE의 세 앨범 모두 5주 연속 차트 유지

서울특별시와 Seoul Tourism Organization은 aespa의 KARINA와 WINTER, 그리고 RIIZE의 전 멤버 6명이 서울 관광 명예 홍보대사로 위촉됐다고 발표했다

RIIZE와 aespa의 KARINA, WINTER, 2026 Seoul 관광 홍보대사로 위촉

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

SEVENTEEN의 JUN이 첫 솔로 중국어 EP 9의 발매를 발표했으며, 발매일은 9월 28일이다.

SEVENTEEN의 JUN, 첫 중국어 EP ‘9’ 발표

글로벌 슈퍼스타 BTS가 ‘ARIRANG’ 수익으로 연간 최고 투어 기록을 경신하며 Beyonce의 2025년 기록을 넘어섰다

뉴스