izna, a six-member girl group under WakeOne Entertainment, has signed with REPUBLIC Collective as part of a newly announced strategic partnership between the Universal Music Group division and WakeOne. The deal covers global distribution and promotion for both izna and recently debuted boy group ALPHA DRIVE ONE, whose debut album EUPHORIA sold a reported 1.1 million physical copies on release day in January 2026.

Prominent K-pop artists currently signed to REPUBLIC Collective include several JYP Entertainment groups such as Stray Kids, TWICE, and ITZY, as well as Big Hit Music's TOMORROW X TOGETHER. The deal points toward increased Stateside marketing, wider physical distribution, and a likely uptick in US events – the same framework REPUBLIC Collective has already built around its existing K-pop roster, now extended to both groups.

The signing fits a broader pattern. Republic and UMG's Geffen Records have steadily accumulated K-pop rosters, while Sony Music subsidiaries house ATEEZ and MONSTA X, i-dle remain signed to a Warner Music Group subsidiary, and IVE signed to Columbia Records in 2023. The label deals are one part of the puzzle, as K-pop acts are also expanding US presence through pop-ups, wider physical retail, and world tours with increasingly extensive North American legs, with or without major label backing.

izna haven't yet broken onto major US charts, but the foundation is there. WakeOne reports that 'SET THE TEMPO' has entered the top ten in five regions and the top twenty in several others, with strong showings in Japan, Indonesia, Hungary, and Portugal – a spread that points to genuine international reach rather than a concentrated fanbase. The Republic deal may be the mechanism to convert that into US traction.

This signing follows the release of izna’s third mini album, titled ‘SET THE TEMPO,’ on 8 June 2026. Made up of five songs, the release sees izna join the wave of house music currently making its way through the K-pop industry – particularly with the title track “METRONOME.” House music has seen a broader resurgence in recent years, and K-pop is increasingly reflecting that.

The partnership makes izna and ALPHA DRIVE ONE the only active groups outside of the Big Four – JYP Entertainment, SM Entertainment, HYBE, and YG Entertainment – on REPUBLIC Collective's K-pop roster. It suggests the label are backing K-pop's commercial potential as a genre rather than simply extending existing label relationships, and that a group doesn't need the backing of one of K-pop's established giants to be considered a viable international prospect.