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

ARTMS is a 5-member South Korean girl group under MODHAUS. The group consists of JinSoul, HaSeul, Kim Lip, HeeJin, and Choerry from the currently inactive girl group LOONA. They first rebooted the LOONA sub-unit ODD EYE CIRCLE on July 12, 2023. They debuted on May 31, 2024, with their first album, DALL.

ARTMS

There was a time when LOONA stood at the edge of the K-pop imagination — cryptic lore, monthly girl reveals, oddball teaser loops, and a visual language so distinctive that fans could spot a Digipedi edit within seconds

ARTMS’ “Icarus”: High Art, Techno-Horror, and the Rise of K-pop’s Cult Vanguard

aespa is a four-member girl group debuted by SM Entertainment in November 2020, consisting of Karina, Giselle, Winter, and Ningning. The group introduced a concept centered on virtual &quot;ae&quot; counterparts, blending real and digital worlds into an elaborate sci-fi universe often associated with KWANGYA. That metaverse-inspired setup positioned aespa at the intersection of idol pop, technology branding, and SM&#x27;s long-running taste for high-concept worldbuilding. Musically, aespa made a sharp first impression with an aggressive, synth-heavy style that matched the digital concept without depending on it completely. &quot;Black Mamba&quot;, &quot;Next Level&quot; and &quot;Savage&quot; used sudden beat changes, metallic textures, and big vocal climaxes to create a sound that felt more angular than most mainstream girl-group pop. The approach could be polarizing, but it made aespa instantly identifiable. The group&#x27;s later singles showed how flexible that identity could become. &quot;Drama&quot; pushed the cinematic side of aespa, while Supernova turned their electronic edge into something brighter, stranger, and more playful. Karina and Winter often serve as the visual and performance center of the group, Giselle gives the rap sections a casual sharpness, and Ningning brings a vocal power that lets aespa&#x27;s biggest choruses land with real force. aespa’s fandom is known as MY, and the group became one of the key fourth-generation acts by making high-concept idol pop feel commercially central rather than niche. Their importance is tied to that blend: they are an SM vocal group, a performance group, a fashion-forward girl group, and a sci-fi pop project at the same time. Even when the lore becomes less prominent, the idea remains clear: aespa turns futurism into a pop language.

aespa

aespa join forces with Sevdaliza for bold rework of ‘Rich Man’

RAIN Brings [STILL RAINING: ENCORE] to North America This November

GOT7 is a seven-member boy group that debuted under JYP Entertainment in January 2014. The lineup consists of Jay B, Mark, Jackson, Jinyoung, Youngjae, BamBam, and Yugyeom. From the start, the group had an international shape, bringing together members from South Korea, Hong Kong, Thailand, and the United States. Their debut emphasized martial-arts tricking and athletic choreography, but GOT7&#x27;s long-term appeal came from the members&#x27; personalities as much as the stunts. The group moved easily between bright pop, moody R&amp;B, and performance-heavy dance tracks, with &quot;Just Right&quot; and &quot;Hard Carry&quot; marking two clear sides of that range. GOT7 also became especially strong in fan-facing content, where their humor and chemistry made the lineup feel unusually approachable. GOT7&#x27;s career took a distinctive turn after the members left JYP in 2021 while continuing to publicly maintain the group. That choice became central to their story: all seven members pursued solo work under different companies, but the group identity did not simply disappear. Their 2022 group comeback reinforced the idea that GOT7 was not only a company-managed idol project, but a team the members actively chose to preserve. The fandom is known as Ahgase, a name tied to I GOT7. GOT7&#x27;s legacy rests on that relationship between independence and loyalty. They helped expand K-pop&#x27;s international member model, built strong careers across music, acting, fashion, and television, and became one of the clearest examples of a major boy group trying to keep its name and bond intact beyond its original agency contract.

GOT7

BamBam Returns Home With “Dancing By Myself”

ITZY is a five-member girl group formed by JYP Entertainment, consisting of Yeji, Lia, Ryujin, Chaeryeong, and Yuna. They debuted in February 2019 with &quot;Dalla Dalla&quot;, a song built around self-acceptance, difference, and the refusal to fit neatly into other people&#x27;s expectations. ITZY&#x27;s early identity was direct and performance-forward. &quot;Icy&quot;, &quot;Wannabe&quot; and &quot;Not Shy&quot; expanded the same confidence-first message with sharper choreography, chant-like hooks, and a visual style that mixed teen crush, streetwear, and runway attitude. Their dances became a major part of the group&#x27;s public image, with Ryujin&#x27;s shoulder move in &quot;Wannabe&quot; standing out as one of the most recognizable fourth-generation choreography moments. The group&#x27;s strength is the way its members divide the performance picture. Yeji gives ITZY a precise leader and dance center, Lia brings a warmer vocal tone, Ryujin anchors the cool charisma, Chaeryeong adds technical dance detail, and Yuna gives the group a bright visual spark. Even when the music shifted into different textures, that balance kept ITZY recognizable as a group built around motion, confidence, and clean stage impact. ITZY&#x27;s fandom is known as MIDZY. Their place in K-pop comes from helping define the fourth-generation girl-group language of self-confidence: louder than simple cuteness, less dark than some girl-crush concepts, and built for fans who wanted slogans they could actually say back to themselves.

ITZY

For a while, it felt like the world had already begun treating ITZY like a finished story. After the five-member Korean girl group launched with an explosive streak of hit singles

"Girls Will Be Girls" Review: How ITZY Took Back the Narrative

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.

In the digital crowd, more than 300,000 tuned in. On the ground, 60,000 packed Berlin’s Olympiastadion, chanting his name before the first beat dropped

j-hope Brings the Heat — and the Heart — to Lollapalooza Berlin 2025

aespa has never played by the rules. From their 2020 debut with “Black Mamba” – a high-gloss cyber-fantasy that shattered YouTube records and introduced a universe of parallel avatars

Review: aespa – “Dirty Work”

EVERGLOW is a South Korean girl group under CHXXTA Company, currently consisting of E:U, Sihyeon, Onda, and Aisha. The group debuted under Yue Hua Entertainment on March 18, 2019 with &quot;Bon Bon Chocolat,&quot; arriving as a six-member team that also included Mia and Yiren. From debut, EVERGLOW was built around scale: large choruses, high-impact choreography, and music videos designed for global replay. &quot;Bon Bon Chocolat&quot; gave them immediate international attention, while &quot;Adios&quot; turned that early interest into a clearer group identity. Their first music show win with &quot;Adios&quot; helped establish them as one of the more visible performance-driven girl groups of the late 2010s. The group&#x27;s sound often favors EDM, electro-pop, and dramatic girl-crush production, but their best-known moments work because the songs give each member a strong visual and performance role. Tracks like &quot;Dun Dun,&quot; &quot;La Di Da,&quot; and &quot;First&quot; pushed different sides of the same image: cinematic, confident, and built for stages where the hook and choreography land together. EVERGLOW entered a transition period after their contract with Yue Hua ended in 2025, with Mia and Yiren not continuing in the current four-member lineup. The fandom is known as FOREVER. The CHXXTA era continues the group after a major reset, while the original six-member history remains central to how EVERGLOW became known.

EVERGLOW

EVERGLOW Sign Exclusive Contract with CHXXTA COMPANY, Ushering in a New Era as a Quartet

HUNTR/X is a fictional 3-member Korean girl group, created for the Netflix animation film, KPop Demon Hunters. The group consists of Rumi, Mira, and Zoey. They debuted on June 20, 2025, with an unspecified release.

HUNTR/X

Let’s be real – a movie title like KPOP DEMON HUNTERS almost begs to be dismissed. It sets you up for something throwaway, maybe even cringey

KPOP DEMON HUNTERS: A Sincere, Authentic Tribute to Fandom, Identity, and K-pop Culture

In a K-pop landscape where “boundary-pushing” often feels more aesthetic than ideological, rising newcomers XLOV are genuinely doing something different

“1&Only”: XLOV’s Groove-Heavy Comeback Dismantles K-pop Gender Rules with Style

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

G-Dragon Übermensch World Tour – Las Vegas Review

I.O.I is an 11-member project girl group under Swing Entertainment formed through Mnet&#x27;s survival show Produce 101. The group was managed by YMC Entertainment and CJ E&amp;M, and officially debuted on May 4, 2016 with the mini album Chrysalis and its title track Dream Girls. Their name stood for &quot;Ideal of Idol&quot;, reflecting the show&#x27;s premise of creating a &quot;national girl group&quot; chosen directly by viewers. The final lineup consisted of Nayoung, Chungha, Sejeong, Chaeyeon, Kyulkyung, Sohye, Yeonjung, Yoojung, Mina, Doyeon, and Somi. Because the members came from different agencies, I.O.I was always planned as a temporary group. During their short run, they promoted both as a full group and as a sub-unit, releasing songs like Whatta Man, Very Very Very, and Downpour. Despite being active for less than a year, I.O.I became one of the most influential project groups in K-pop. Their success helped prove the power of survival-show fandoms and paved the way for later Produce groups like Wanna One, IZ*ONE, and X1. After their disbandment in January 2017, many members continued in the industry as soloists, actors, or members of groups such as Weki Meki, gugudan, DIA, PRISTIN, Cosmic Girls, and JEON SOMI as a solo artist. In 2026, I.O.I reunited for a special 10th anniversary project, marking their first major group comeback in nearly a decade. The reunion featured nine members, with Mina and Kyulkyung not participating, and included the EP I.O.I : Loop, a pre-release track, and anniversary concerts in Seoul before additional Asia tour stops. Although I.O.I began as a temporary group, their legacy has lasted far beyond their original contract, making them one of K-pop&#x27;s defining examples of how a short-lived project group could leave a permanent mark.

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