KPOPWORLD #5

KPOPWORLD #4

KPOPWORLD #3

KPOPWORLD #2 (Poster Version)

&amp;TEAM is a nine-member Japanese boy group under YX Labels (formerly HYBE Labels Japan). The group was formed through the survival program &quot;&amp;Audition - The Howling&quot; and debuted in December 2022 with their first extended play &quot;First Howling: Me&quot;. The group consists of EJ, Fuma, K, Nicholas, Yuma, Jo, Harua, Taki, and Maki, with EJ serving as the leader. Several members, including K, Nicholas, EJ, and Taki, previously participated in the survival show I-LAND before being selected for HYBE&#x27;s Japanese global debut project. Before their official debut, the group released the digital single Under the Skin, which introduced their storyline and concept. Their debut EP, First Howling,e followed shortly afterward, marking the beginning of the group&#x27;s &quot;First Howling&quot; series of releases. Although primarily active in Japan, &amp;TEAM promoted internationally and later expanded into Korea with Korean-language releases and promotions. Their fandom name is LUNÉ, representing fans who support the group like the moon lighting the night sky.

&TEAM

В нашем печатном cover story для Issue 5 MAKI из &amp;TEAM откровенно рассказывает о том, что значит стать вирусным — и почему на деле всё куда сложнее, чем кажется

IN REFLECTION MAKI: &AMP;TEAM

MONSTA X is a boy group formed through the survival show No.Mercy and debuted under Starship Entertainment in May 2015. The group is associated with a powerful performance image built around Shownu, Minhyuk, Kihyun, Hyungwon, Joohoney, and I.M, with Wonho as a former member. Their sound often leans muscular: EDM drops, hip-hop percussion, dark synths, and choruses designed for heavy choreography. MONSTA X became one of the most forceful performance groups of their generation through a run that moved from the breakthrough energy of &quot;Dramarama&quot; to the sharper drama of &quot;Love Killa.&quot; At the same time, their vocal line and later English-language work showed a smoother R&amp;B and pop side that softened the edges without removing the group&#x27;s intensity. MONSTA X became especially important in the bridge between Korean idol promotion and Western touring. They pursued English-language releases, appeared on American media, and built a strong international audience while keeping a clear group identity. Their fandom, Monbebe, is known for loyalty through lineup changes, military service periods, solo work, and long gaps between full-group schedules. The group&#x27;s legacy rests on consistency and stamina. MONSTA X did not need to reinvent themselves every comeback; they refined a recognizable image of power, charisma, and emotional loyalty. That made them a template for later boy groups that wanted to look tough on stage while still building a close, fan-centered identity off it.

MONSTA X

MINHYUK всегда был известен своей энергией на сцене с MONSTA X, но Reaching показывает и другую, более сдержанную сторону. Основанный на тепле, искренности и простом желании установить связь

MINHYUK о “Reaching”, честной музыке и о том, что будет дальше

Cortis, is a South Korean boy band formed by Big Hit Music. The group consists of five members: Martin, James, Juhoon, Seonghyeon, and Keonho. They debuted on August 18, 2025, with the digital single “What You Want&quot; followed by their first EP, &quot;Color Outside the Lines&quot;. The group’s name is derived from the phrase “Color Outside the Lines,” reflecting their concept of creative freedom and nonconformity. Cortis has been promoted as a self-producing “creator crew,” with members participating in songwriting, choreography, and visual direction. Blending pop, hip-hop, and experimental elements, the group gained early attention for their performance skills, self-produced content, and strong rookie-year sales, establishing them as one of Big Hit Music’s newer generation acts.

CORTIS

CORTIS покажут свое дебютное мировое турне на больших экранах по всему миру 13 и 14 августа, в прямом эфире из YouTube Theater в Лос-Анджелесе, с 30-минутным пре-шоу, созданным эксклюзивно для этого релиза

CORTIS привезут дебютное мировое турне в кинотеатры по всему миру в августе

WONHO дал KPOPWORLD эксклюзивный взгляд на создание своего нового альбома CORE, поделившись песнями, которые повлияли на звучание пластинки, а также треками, к которым он чаще всего обращается в последнее время

Kurated: WONHO Подбирает эксклюзивный плейлист ‘CORE’

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

В 2019 году G-Dragon стал первым азиатским рэпером в истории Nike, заключившим креативную коллаборацию со Swoosh — не амбассадорство, а партнёрство, полностью выстроенное вокруг его собственной эстетической логики

Как G-Dragon выстроил самое важное партнёрство Nike в истории K-pop

CORTIS не просто создают будущий хит с "REDRED" — они разбирают на части глубоко укоренившиеся корейские культурные концепции и выводят их на свет

CORTIS исследуют цену конформизма в “REDRED”

Город Seoul выделяет $1,9 млрд на превращение района Chang-dong в круглосуточный центр культуры K-pop — и речь идет о чем-то большем, чем просто концертная площадка. Наряду с ареной Seoul Arena на 28 000 мест, город строит музеи, выставочные пространства, инфраструктуру для live-streaming и вводит специальный правовой статус, который откроет налоговые льготы и частные инвестиции

Почему превращение Seoul в город K-Entertainment, работающий 24/7, имеет значение

Ten тихо строит нечто своё — на этой неделе в Бангкоке запустилась продюсерская компания, и его имя буквально сквозит в каждом её штрихе, даже без официального заявления

Прошлая неделя в K-pop, с пояснениями (4–8 мая 2026)

CIX (an acronym for Complete In X) was a four-member boy group under C9 Entertainment, consisting of members BX, Seunghun, Yonghee, and Hyunsuk. Originally debuting as a five-member group on July 23, 2019, with the EP &#x27;Hello&#x27; Chapter 1. Hello, Stranger. On August 4, 2024, C9 Entertainment announced the termination of Bae Jinyoung&#x27;s contract, confirming his departure from both the company and the group. On February 27, 2019, C9 Entertainment revealed the first member of their upcoming boy group, Bae Jin Young (former Wanna One), followed by Seung Hun on March 6, Hyun Suk on March 13, Kim Sehoon on March 20, Yong Hee on March 27, and BX on April 3. However, Kim Sehoon did not debut with the group due to past involvement in school violence. On May 20, 2019, the group&#x27;s social media accounts were changed from C9BOYZ to CIX, which stands for &quot;Complete In X.&quot; A video titled &quot;CIX - Leader Film&quot; was released, introducing the group name and logo. On May 24, C9 Entertainment announced that the members of CIX would star in a 10-episode reality show, &quot;Hello CIX,&quot; to be released on V Live. On June 26, 2019, C9 Entertainment revealed a teaser for CIX&#x27;s debut EP, &#x27;Hello&#x27; Chapter 1. Hello, Stranger, set for release on July 23. The group&#x27;s debut included the title track &quot;Movie Star.&quot; On August 26, CIX signed with Warner Music Japan for their Japanese promotions. On October 30, the group&#x27;s 100th-day anniversary, they revealed their fandom name, FIX, meaning &quot;Faith In X.&quot;

После семи лет, восьми мини-альбомов и дискографии, которая не хотела оставаться в одном жанре, CIX официально распались 30 апреля

Вспоминая CIX: оглядываясь сквозь годы

NewJeans is a girl group launched by ADOR in 2022, originally introduced with Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein. Their debut was unusual: instead of a long teaser cycle, ADOR introduced the group through a surprise rollout led by &quot;Attention&quot;, followed quickly by &quot;Hype Boy&quot;, &quot;Cookie&quot; and their first EP. The group&#x27;s early image felt deliberately low-friction compared with much of fourth-generation K-pop. NewJeans leaned into natural styling, soft choreography, conversational vocals, and production influenced by 2000s R&amp;B, UK garage, jersey club, and light dance-pop. That understated approach became the point: records like &quot;Ditto&quot; and Super Shy were catchy without feeling overbuilt, helping shift the broader sound of girl-group pop toward smoother textures and shorter, replayable hooks. NewJeans&#x27; impact is also inseparable from presentation. Their videos, graphic design, choreography, and fashion choices treated the group less like a traditional idol launch and more like a youth-culture project with a specific visual world. That made the members feel immediately recognizable even when the songs were restrained. The fandom is known as Bunnies or Tokkis. The group&#x27;s later public story became tied to major corporate conflict around ADOR and HYBE, but their musical impact remains clear. NewJeans changed the temperature of K-pop quickly: softer, more casual, more design-conscious, and still massively public-facing. Their catalog is short compared with older top groups, but the influence of their first run is already large.

NewJeans

NewJeans не выпускали музыку почти два года — но их влияние все это время ощущалось в K-pop. Теперь, когда ADOR подтвердила, что группа находится в Copenhagen и работает над новой музыкой, вопрос уже не только в том, когда они вернутся

Как потенциальное возвращение NewJeans может изменить всю K-pop-индустрию

Обсуждение нынешнего EDM-момента в K-pop упускает нечто принципиально важное: танцевальная музыка на самом деле никуда и не исчезала. В своём последнем материале Chyenne Tatum прослеживает электронные корни жанра — от звучания first-gen групп с оттенком house до эпохи deep house 2015 года

EDM в K-pop — не новый тренд, но у него ренессанс

KPOPWORLD каждую неделю смотрит не только на заголовки, но и на то, что на самом деле изменилось в K-pop — и почему это важно

Прошлая неделя в K-pop — с расшифровкой (26 апреля — 1 мая 2026)

Четыре крупнейших имени в K-pop объединяются — и правительство Южной Кореи их поддерживает. HYBE, SM Entertainment, JYP Entertainment и YG Entertainment ведут переговоры о запуске Fanomenon, крупномасштабного фестиваля с амбициями соперничать с Coachella; планируется дебют в Корее в 2027 году и глобальная экспансия с 2028 года.

Что может означать музыкальный фестиваль Big 4 K-pop для индустрии

В новом выпуске Last Week In K-Pop, Interpreted мы видим, как легенды K-pop готовятся к своей 20‑й годовщине, возможный тюремный срок за неофициальные прогулы во время службы в армии и постепенное сокращение состава в одной из самых влиятельных компаний в истории K-pop — полный разбор уже в сети

Последняя неделя в K-pop, с интерпретацией (20–24 апреля 2026)

Отмена всей северо-американской части мирового тура Syncopation группы i-dle потрясла сообщество K-pop на этой неделе — но история за этим глубже, чем одна группа или несколько дат

Скрытая цена вывода K-pop в Северной Америке

KARD is a four-member South Korean co-ed group under DSP Media, consisting of J.Seph, BM, Somin, and Jiwoo. They officially debuted on July 19, 2017 with Hola Hola after a pre-debut project series that introduced the group through &quot;Oh NaNa,&quot; &quot;Don&#x27;t Recall,&quot; and &quot;Rumor.&quot; The group&#x27;s significance starts with its lineup structure. Co-ed idol groups are rare in modern K-pop, and KARD made that format feel central rather than novelty-based. Their performances are built around contrast: male and female vocal colors, rap and vocal handoffs, and choreography that lets the four members interact as a unit instead of splitting into separate halves. Musically, KARD became closely associated with tropical house, dancehall, Latin-pop, and club-oriented pop, sounds that helped them connect quickly with international audiences. &quot;Hola Hola&quot; established the bright version of that identity, while later singles such as &quot;Gunshot,&quot; &quot;Ring The Alarm,&quot; and &quot;Icky&quot; leaned into sharper performance energy and heavier rhythmic production. The fandom is known as Hidden KARD. KARD became one of K-pop&#x27;s clearest examples of a stable co-ed act with a global audience. Their longevity matters because they kept a distinct lane through military hiatuses, changing industry trends, and a market where most idol teams follow same-gender formats.

KARD

KARD приближаются к десятилетию — и в зависимости от того, что будет дальше, их предстоящий альбом может стать последним, по крайней мере на какое‑то время

Как KARD изменили проблему смешанных групп в K-pop

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

Глобальный успех Yves — это не просто история K-pop crossover. Она — участница LOONA, которая провела два года в юридической неопределённости, затем подписала контракт с независимым лейблом и получила глобальную дистрибуцию через ADA Worldwide

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