KPOPWORLD #5

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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

CATCH THE YOUNG is a five-member boy band under Evermore Entertainment. The group officially debuted on November 1, 2023 with their first mini album Catch The Young : Fragments of Youth. Originally introduced in 2021 under the name EVERMORE THE YOUNG, the band underwent several lineup changes and development phases before debut. During this period, the group recruited additional musicians, participated in live performances, and rebranded as CATCH THE YOUNG in 2022. After refining their lineup over the following years, members Sani, Kihoon, Namhyun, Jungmo, and Junyong ultimately formed the band&#x27;s debut lineup. Following their debut, CATCH THE YOUNG continued to build momentum through releases such as Catch The Young : Fragments of Odyssey and the single album &quot;Dream It&quot; in 2024. The group&#x27;s social media branding was also updated that year, standardizing their name as CATCH THE YOUNG across official platforms. In 2025, the band expanded its discography with a series of digital singles including &quot;You, Always (2025),&quot; &quot;The Young Wave,&quot; &quot;Ideal Type,&quot; &quot;In Your Arms,&quot; and &quot;Footsteps.&quot; These releases led into preparations for their first full-length album, Evolve, which was officially announced for release on January 19, 2026, showcasing the group&#x27;s continued growth as a self-driven band.

Catch The Young

Catch The Young Releases a Perfect Summer Love Song

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

TXT to Drop 4th Studio Album ‘The Star Chapter: TOGETHER’ on July 21

CRAVITY is a nine-member boy group under Starship Entertainment, consisting of Serim, Allen, Jungmo, Woobin, Wonjin, Minhee, Hyeongjun, Taeyoung, and Seongmin. They debuted on April 14, 2020, with the mini album &quot;HIDEOUT: REMEMBER WHO WE ARE&quot;. Their name, a blend of &quot;Creativity&quot; and &quot;Gravity&quot;, originally symbolized unity and balance among diverse members. In 2025, the group redefined it as &quot;Craving Gravity&quot;, expressing their goal to draw fans closer through stronger artistry and performances. The group released their second full-length album, &quot;Dare to Crave&quot;, on June 23, 2025, with members Wonjin and Hyeongjun sharing leadership duties for the comeback.

CRAVITY

CRAVITY – ‘Dare to Crave’: A Radiant Collision of Longing, Chaos, and Becoming

ENHYPEN is a boy group formed through the 2020 survival show I-LAND and managed by Belift Lab. The current lineup consists of Jungwon, Jay, Jake, Sunghoon, Sunoo, and Ni-ki. They debuted in November 2020 with Border: Day One, arriving with a built-in global audience from the show and a concept built around connection, transformation, and fate. The group&#x27;s early work used dark, dramatic imagery to separate them from brighter rookie-boy-group formulas. &quot;Given-Taken,&quot; &quot;Drunk-Dazed,&quot; &quot;Fever,&quot; and later songs in the Dimension and Dark Blood eras leaned into supernatural metaphors, sharp choreography, and a tension between elegance and danger. That made ENHYPEN feel less like a simple survival-show product and more like a group with a continuing storyline. ENHYPEN&#x27;s member appeal is strongly performance-based. Jungwon gives the team a steady center as leader, Jay and Jake bring international texture, Sunghoon&#x27;s skating background informs his clean stage image, Sunoo adds brightness and contrast, and Ni-ki anchors the dance line with unusual precision for a maknae. Their fandom, ENGENE, grew quickly because the group&#x27;s identity invited close reading: fans could follow the music, the lore, and the members&#x27; development at the same time. As a fourth-generation act, ENHYPEN&#x27;s importance sits between survival-show fandom and global idol scale. They showed how a group could debut with a transnational audience already watching, then keep that audience through consistent visual storytelling, polished performance, and songs that made adolescence feel mythic rather than ordinary.

ENHYPEN

ENHYPEN Confront Their Darkest Selves in “Outside” Music Video

Jessi Signals Exciting Return with ‘NEWSFLASH’ Teaser, Out June 27

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

Deep Cut of the Week: ILLIT – “bamsopoong (Midnight Picnic)”

BE BOYS is a six-member South Korean boy group formed under OAK Company. The group officially debuted on June 18, 2025, with their first mini album Be:1. The group’s introduction began on April 18, 2025, when OAK Company launched official social media accounts for its upcoming boy group. Member reveals followed in quick succession: Takuma was introduced first on April 19, followed by Hak Seong on April 20, Won Cheon on April 21, Yun Seo on April 22, Goo Hyun on April 23, and Min Joon on April 24, completing the six-member lineup ahead of their debut. On May 27, 2025, BE BOYS confirmed their debut plans with the mini album Be:1, which was released on June 18. Later that year, on November 25, they expanded their discography with their first digital single, &quot;Earth and Moon&quot;, marking their first comeback following debut. Continuing their activities into the next year, BE BOYS announced their first single album Be:2 on March 31, 2026. The release was scheduled for April 15, signaling the group’s ongoing development and musical progression. Continuing their activities into the next year, BE BOYS announced their first single album Be:2 on March 31, 2026. The release was scheduled for April 15, signaling the group’s ongoing development and musical progression.

BE BOYS

BE BOYS: OAK Company’s First Group Debuts With Mischief, Charm, and Heart

Newcomer NINA Isn’t Holding Back — The Rookie Soloist Steps Out With ‘Never Afraid’

TOMORROW X TOGETHER Announce Fourth World Tour ‘ACT : TOMORROW’

ATEEZ is an eight-member boy group formed by KQ Entertainment, consisting of Hongjoong, Seonghwa, Yunho, Yeosang, San, Mingi, Wooyoung, and Jongho. They debuted in October 2018 with Treasure EP.1: All to Zero, launching a pirate-and-treasure storyline that gave their early music a cinematic frame. ATEEZ stood out because their performances felt oversized in the best way. Even before they had the company power of larger labels behind them, the group built attention through intense facial expressions, full-bodied choreography, live-stage energy, and songs designed to explode in concert. &quot;Wonderland,&quot; &quot;Answer,&quot; &quot;Guerrilla,&quot; &quot;Bouncy,&quot; and &quot;Crazy Form&quot; all show that instinct for scale: big chants, dramatic builds, and a sense that every chorus is meant to be shouted back. The members&#x27; roles support that theatrical style. Hongjoong anchors the group as leader and producer, Mingi gives the rap line a deep tone, Jongho brings unusually strong high notes, and San, Seonghwa, Yunho, Yeosang, and Wooyoung shape much of the performance identity. ATEEZ&#x27;s fanbase, ATINY, became known for strong international support, helping the group grow from a smaller-agency act into a major global touring name. ATEEZ&#x27;s significance comes from proving how far performance identity can carry a group when it is consistent. Their concepts can be loud, dark, playful, or rebellious, but the core remains theatrical and physical. They made intensity feel like a worldview, not just a comeback style.

ATEEZ

There’s something strange about ATEEZ’s GOLDEN HOUR : Part.3 era. The rollout was short, the physicals more minimal than usual. Two weeks, two versions, no lore-heavy lead-up — just a record that arrives, unapologetically present

ATEEZ - GOLDEN HOUR : PART 3 Review: A Bridge on the Edge

Hearts2Hearts, stylized as H2H, is a South Korean girl group formed by SM Entertainment. The octet consists of Carmen, Jiwoo, Yuha, Stella, Juun, A-na, Ian, and Ye-on. They debuted on February 24, 2025, with the single album &quot;The Chase&quot; and its title track of the same name. The group’s name is intended to reflect their mission to connect with global fans through music filled with emotion and heartfelt messages. Their debut release &quot;The Chase&quot; achieved strong commercial performance, with first-week sales topping domestic charts and earning the group their first music show win shortly after debut. In June 2025, Hearts2Hearts released the digital single “Style”, followed by their first EP “Focus” in October 2025, which included the pre-released track “Pretty Please”, They also released the digital single “Rude!” in February 2026. Hearts2Hearts has performed at major events including SMTOWN Live 2025, international showcases, and festivals across Asia, building a growing global presence.

News

Catch The Young Releases a Perfect Summer Love Song

TXT to Drop 4th Studio Album ‘The Star Chapter: TOGETHER’ on July 21

CRAVITY – ‘Dare to Crave’: A Radiant Collision of Longing, Chaos, and Becoming

ENHYPEN Confront Their Darkest Selves in “Outside” Music Video

Jessi Signals Exciting Return with ‘NEWSFLASH’ Teaser, Out June 27

Deep Cut of the Week: ILLIT – “bamsopoong (Midnight Picnic)”

BE BOYS: OAK Company’s First Group Debuts With Mischief, Charm, and Heart

Newcomer NINA Isn’t Holding Back — The Rookie Soloist Steps Out With ‘Never Afraid’

TOMORROW X TOGETHER Announce Fourth World Tour ‘ACT : TOMORROW’

ATEEZ - GOLDEN HOUR : PART 3 Review: A Bridge on the Edge

Hearts2Hearts Light Up Summer With House-Pop Charm in ‘STYLE’

ENHYPEN and Hearts2Hearts Join Seoul’s Cultural Vanguard as New Honorary Ambassadors

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