KPOPWORLD #5

KPOPWORLD #4

KPOPWORLD #3

KPOPWORLD #2 (Poster Version)

Set to Take Over Alamodome Oct. 28–31, 2026

KPOPWORLD Festival & Worldwide Dance Competition

idntt (아이덴티티; read as identity) is an upcoming 24-member boy group under MODHAUS. They are set to make their debut sometime in 2026. The group consists of members divided into 3 rotational sub-units consisting of 8 members each - uneverm8t, yesw8are and itsnotov8r.

idntt

For their new album &lt;itsnotover&gt;, idntt sat down with KPOPWORLD to talk about where they've been, what this group has demanded of them, and what they refuse to let go of

idntt: The KPOPWORLD Digital Cover

EPEX [‘i:peks] (이펙스), formerly known as C9ROOKIES (C9루키즈) is a 7-member South Korean boy group under C9 Entertainment, consisting of Wish, MU, A-Min, Baekseung, Ayden, Yewang, and Jeff. On November 21, 2025, it was announced that Keum had left the group. They debuted on June 8, 2021, with their first EP album, BIPOLAR Pt.1 : 불안의 서 (Prelude of Anxiety)

EPEX

Closing a trilogy is easy. Closing it by handing the story back to the people who lived it is something else. EPEX's Youth: Epilogue wraps up two years and three albums of coming-of-age storytelling

EPEX Talks Youth Epilogue, Ownership and Growth

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

On July 14, inner beauty brand LifePharm announced that genderless group XLOV will become their newest Global Ambassadors. The brand is known for their viral dietary Mood Change Alpha Plus range, described as self-care for K-pop idols

XLOV Announced as Ambassadors for Inner Beauty Brand LifePharm

K-pop’s contract system has undergone many changes since the industry’s inception in the 1990s. From 13-year slave contracts to a reduced term of seven years — with options for renegotiation

K-pop’s Contract System, Explained – And Why So Many Artists Are Leaving Big Labels

BTS fans have a new hot spot to check out in Seoul, as RM's sister has opened a chic café in the trendy Seongsu-dong neighborhood.

BTS RM's Sister Opens Trendy New Café in Seoul's Seongsu-dong

Is there anything more romantic than hearing that “pizza sucks without you”?&nbsp;

Daily Non-K-pop Spotlight: “Pizza” by Oohyo

Lee Chae Yeon has returned with a soul-stirring comeback single titled "Don't," showcasing her growth as a versatile artist in the K-pop scene.

LEE CHAE YEON’s Boppy Comeback “Don’t”

Featured MV of the Day: “Beatbox” by NCT Dream

A few months ago, we were introduced to the newest phase of IU’s journey, and boy did these photos surprise a lot of people!

Concept Photos of the Day: IU Keeps Winning

Wholesome ARMY Reddit Thread Has Everyone In the Feels

Is your birthday July 6? See which K-pop idol shares your birthday!

KARD, stylized as 카드, is a trailblazing co-ed K-pop group under DSP Media, comprising members J.Seph, BM, Somin, and Jiwoo. The group officially debuted on July 19, 2017, with their EP Hola Hola, showcasing a distinctive blend of genres like reggaetón and moombahton that resonated globally.

KARD - Bold and Unique

Sometimes, a group looks like they have it all, and still don’t make it as big as they expected. You can have all the right connections, be incredibly talented, and have everything in place on paper and still not blow up. Such was the case for boy group HOTSHOT. The group was well prepared for their debut, had lots of friends and connections to the industry, and were experienced with competition shows, yet their legacy is not quite as large as one would have expected for their seven years of activity.The group debuted in 2014 with the single “Take a Shot” under Star Crew Entertainment. They released a few albums in both Korea and Japan, but other activities meant the group wouldn’t release as much music as other groups who had been around as long.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9s2N7d2aLYThe group was incredibly well prepared for their debut. Almost all of the members had experience within the K-pop industry before their debut with HOTSHOT. Timoteo was originally a trainee with SM and was planned to debut as part of EXO. Nah Tae Hyun was a part of several dance crews, and even had the opportunity of teaching some of his moves to Taeyang from BIGBANG! The other three members also had experience in several different fields that helped boost the group all around, and the group made a statement when they first debuted.Secondly, the group had lots of experience with survival shows. Although many groups are founded thanks to survival shows, these guys were seasoned veterans of this kind of attention and competition. Members of HOTSHOT competed, at some point, on The Unit, Produce 101, and Superstar K2. each of them left these shows having made a statement such as an A-rank or 90% audience scores. These guys knew how to please a crowd.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oy7gVWBY1P0Lastly, the members of HOTSHOT were and still are well connected to the rest of the K-pop world. There are countless photos of the members spending time with other idols. Some of these were idols debuting around the same time or through similar programs, but others were people they met at other functions. Timoteo is friends with SHINee’s Taemin and EXO’s Kai, and that friend group also has close ties to Jimin from BTS. Other members are friends with members of VIXX, Super Junior, MONSTA X, FTISLAND, Girl’s Day, and more! These connections certainly helped them find a place in a cutthroat environment.Unfortunately, all these strengths couldn’t keep the group afloat, and in 2021, HOTSHOT announced they were disbanding. This announcement wasn’t much of a surprise to most fans, as the general consensus online seemed to be disappointment, but understanding. The writing had been on the wall for a few years at that point. The members have all followed their own paths afterwards, with some joining other groups, some debuting solo, and a few with rumored acting careers in the works.

HOTSHOT: Unrecognized Potential

The Korea Music Content Association (KMCA) has introduced new guidelines aimed at enhancing the fairness and transparency of K-pop award ceremonies. These measures were established to address various challenges that have emerged due to the increasing number of award ceremonies in the industry.

KMCA Unveils New Guidelines to Elevate Fairness in K-Pop Award Ceremonies

Industry insiders and various media outlets have reported that girl group NewJeans has been selected as the 2024 honorary ambassadors for the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO). The announcement, made on&nbsp;

NewJeans Rumored to Become 2024 Honorary Ambassadors for Korea Tourism Organization

Listening to KIRARA for the first time is an interesting experience.

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