KPOPWORLD #5

KPOPWORLD #4

KPOPWORLD #3

KPOPWORLD #2 (Poster Version)

Готовятся захватить Alamodome 28–31 октября 2026 года

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

В преддверии нового альбома &lt;itsnotover&gt; idntt встретились с KPOPWORLD, чтобы поговорить о том, какой путь они уже прошли, что эта группа потребовала от них и от чего они не готовы отказаться

idntt: Цифровая обложка KPOPWORLD

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

Закрыть трилогию — легко. Но завершить её, передав историю обратно тем, кто её прожил, — совсем другое дело. Youth: Epilogue от EPEX подводит итог двум годам и трём альбомам истории взросления.

EPEX говорят о Youth Epilogue, авторстве и росте

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

14 июля бренд inner beauty LifePharm объявил, что genderless-группа XLOV станет их новыми Global Ambassadors. Бренд известен своей вирусной линейкой dietary-средств Mood Change Alpha Plus, которую описывают как self-care для K-pop айдолов

XLOV объявлены амбассадорами бренда inner beauty LifePharm

Система контрактов в K-pop претерпела множество изменений с момента появления индустрии в 1990-х. От 13-летних «рабских контрактов» до сокращённого срока в семь лет — с возможностью пересмотра условий

Система контрактов в K-pop: объясняем, почему так много артистов уходят из крупных лейблов

Короли K-pop house вернулись, легенда первого поколения впервые за 25 лет выпускает сольный релиз, а десятилетнее ожидание новой музыки XIA наконец-то подошло к концу. В этом выпуске Comeback Corner — особенно насыщенная подборка, и сейчас доступен наш полный обзор

Comeback Corner: SHINee, MEOVV, BoA, & More

ONE PACT is a five-member boy group under ARMADA Ent. They debuted on November 30, 2023, with their first mini album Moment. The meaning of their group name &quot;ONE PACT&quot; is a combination of the words &quot;ONE&quot; (Together) + &quot;PACT&quot; (Impact), which means &quot;To come together to make a big impact&quot;. The name of their fandom, &quot;&amp;HEART;&quot; represents the idea of a continuous (&amp;) and inevitable (♡) encounter that defines ONE PACT&#x27;s existence.

ONE PACT

ONE PACT привезли свой мировой тур [OUTSHINE] в Лондон — и сделали это по-настоящему ярко. За день до концерта Jongwoo, Seongmin, TAG и Yedam превратили Hyde Park в фан-ивент, устроив busking-сессию с Random Play Dance вместе с Oraceon Dance Crew

Из Hyde Park в Islington: лондонский дебют ONE PACT стоил ожидания

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.

I.O.I

I.O.I были вместе всего восемь месяцев в 2016 году. Десять лет спустя два самых вездесущих формата выступлений в K-pop — ending fairy и M2 Relay Dance — напрямую восходят к ним

Даже спустя 10 лет I.O.I остаются значимыми для K-pop

ASTRO is a four-member boy group under Fantagio. Originally debuting as six members, the group entered the industry with their first mini album &quot;Spring Up&quot;, quickly gaining attention for their bright concept and strong performance skills. The original lineup consisted of MJ, JinJin, Cha Eun-woo, Moon Bin, Rocky, and Sanha, establishing a well-balanced team recognized for both musical and variety presence. In their early years, ASTRO built a steady discography with releases such as &quot;Summer Vibes&quot;, &quot;Autumn Story&quot;, and the &quot;Dream&quot; series, while also expanding their reach through concerts and international promotions. Their growth continued with their first full-length album &quot;All Light&quot; and subsequent releases including &quot;Blue Flame&quot;, &quot;Gateway&quot;, and &quot;All Yours&quot;, solidifying their place in the industry with a consistent sound and evolving image. The group also explored unit activities, including Moon Bin &amp; Sanha and JinJin &amp; Rocky, further showcasing their versatility. :contentReference[oaicite:0] Over time, ASTRO experienced significant changes, including Rocky’s departure and the passing of Moon Bin in 2023, marking a deeply emotional period for the group and fans. Despite these challenges, the group has continued activities as four members, releasing commemorative and special projects such as &quot;Circles&quot;, &quot;Twilight&quot;, and &quot;Moon&quot;, reflecting both their growth and enduring bond as they move forward together.

ASTRO

Спустя десять месяцев после CHAMELEON, YOON SAN-HA больше не меняет образы. Его третий мини-альбом, NO REASON, полностью отказывается от концептуальной игры, предлагая пять треков, выстроенных вокруг одного, почти вызывающего посыла: вот он, без фильтров, и этого достаточно

Пошагово с KPOPWORLD YOON SAN-HA разбирает “NO REASON”

BLACKPINK is a four-member South Korean girl group formed by YG Entertainment, consisting of Jisoo, Jennie, Rosé, and Lisa. They debuted on August 8, 2016 with Square One, led by &quot;Boombayah&quot; and &quot;Whistle,&quot; and arrived as YG&#x27;s first new girl group after 2NE1. From the beginning, the group was presented less as a large idol ensemble and more as four sharply individualized performers, each with a distinct vocal tone, visual identity, and public role. The group&#x27;s name captures the tension that became central to their image: &quot;black&quot; for a harder, more self-assured edge and &quot;pink&quot; for glamour, playfulness, and pop accessibility. Their music often builds around that contrast. Jennie and Lisa&#x27;s rap sections give many songs a clipped, percussive center, while Jisoo and Rosé&#x27;s vocals provide melodic lift and emotional color. This structure made BLACKPINK songs easy to recognize even across different producers, languages, and markets; the group could move from the spare whistle hook of their debut to the maximal drops of &quot;DDU-DU DDU-DU&quot; and still feel like the same act. BLACKPINK&#x27;s rise was also shaped by scarcity. Compared with many idol groups, they released relatively few songs in their first several years, which made each comeback feel closer to an event than a routine promotional cycle. That strategy had tradeoffs, but it concentrated public attention on a small set of songs, videos, styling choices, and stage moments. Tracks such as Kill This Love, How You Like That, Pink Venom, and Shut Down became reference points for a global-facing K-pop style built around impact, visual clarity, and immediately repeatable hooks. Their international growth came from more than chart performance. BLACKPINK connected K-pop&#x27;s idol system with the language of global pop, luxury fashion, digital fandom, and festival stages. They were the first Korean girl group to perform at Coachella in 2019 and returned in 2023 as the first K-pop act to headline the festival. Collaborations with Western pop artists, major fashion-house relationships, and an unusually large YouTube and social-media footprint helped make the members visible to audiences who did not necessarily follow Korean music closely. As individual artists, all four members developed major careers in music, acting, fashion, and brand work, making BLACKPINK one of the clearest examples of a modern K-pop group whose group identity and solo identities reinforce each other. After renewing with YG for group activities, the members&#x27; individual paths became more independent while BLACKPINK remained active as a shared brand and performance unit. Their significance is not only that they broke records, but that they helped normalize a model where a K-pop girl group could operate simultaneously as an idol act, a global pop project, and a set of four standalone celebrity careers. The fandom is known as BLINK.

BLACKPINK

Когда закончилась рекламная кампания Jennie для Gentle Monster, а затем она появилась уже в рекламе Ray-Ban, никому не понадобилось официальное заявление — смена бренда сказала всё. В этом и заключается сила рекламных контрактов K-celebrity: в Korea знакомое лицо — это моральное одобрение

Не просто красивое лицо: как K-Celebrities стали золотым стандартом рекламы

tripleS is a large-scale girl group under MODHAUS, designed around a rotating system of members, subunits, and fan participation. The full project is built around the idea of &quot;The Idol of All Possibilities,&quot; with members introduced over time and organized into different DIMENSION units. The group stands apart because its structure is part of the concept. Fans known as WAV participate through Gravity votes that can influence unit lineups and other project decisions, making tripleS one of the clearest examples of K-pop experimenting with decentralized and fan-directed group management. Musically, tripleS moves between sleek dance-pop, bright electronic pop, and more experimental unit sounds depending on which members are active in a given DIMENSION. That flexibility is the point: the group can present a full-team identity while also letting smaller units develop their own color. tripleS works as both a group and a system. Its rotating structure shapes the music, fandom, and release strategy, making the project unusual even in a K-pop landscape already familiar with subunits and survival-show teams.

tripleS

tripleS снова с нами — теперь уже всеми двадцатью четырьмя участницами. ASSEMBLE26 &lt;LOVE&amp;POP&gt; pt.1 уже вышел — это первая часть трёхчастного проекта, который продлится до января 2027 года, и старт, похоже, самого амбициозного года в истории группы

tripleS Возвращаются с ASSEMBLE26 <LOVE&POP> pt.1

XLOV провели последний год, разбираясь, кем именно они являются. "SERVE" — заглавный трек их второго мини-альбома I, God — это первый раз, когда вся картина сложилась настолько цельно

«SERVE» Deep Dive: XLOV точно знают, что именно они подают

hrtz.wav is a five-member boy band under Kakao Entertainment. The group was formed through STEAL HEART CLUB and debuted with their first mini album The First Wave. The group’s formation began when Mnet announced plans to debut a new global boy band through the survival program STEAL HEART CLUB, which aired in late 2025. The program followed contestants competing in different instrumental and vocal positions to determine the final lineup of the band. The show premiered in October 2025 and concluded with a live finale in December, where the group’s official name, hrtz.wav, and its final members were revealed. The lineup was determined by position rankings, with Hagiwa as drummer, Dane as bassist, Keiten as guitarist, Riaan as vocalist, and Youn Young Jun as keyboardist. Production of the program was handled by CJ ENM, while Kakao Entertainment oversees the band’s distribution, album planning, production, and overall management. The group made their official debut with the mini album The First Wave, released on April 8, 2026.

hrtz.wav

Барабанщик hrtz.wav никогда не показывал своего лица. Hagiwa выступает, соревнуется и продвигает группу, полностью скрываясь за маской — его настоящее имя, возраст и личность не раскрываются.

Почему дебют hrtz.wav цепляет на всех частотах

Africa Day в Seoul — это прямой вызов индустрии, которая долгое время заимствовала из Black-культуры, так и не до конца осознав, что это означает. В этом году Fatou из BLACKSWAN стала первой K-pop-айдолкой, выступившей на событии

Событие Africa Day 2026 в Seoul показывает, почему африканское представительство важно в South Korea

Три истории этой недели, которые с разных сторон крутятся вокруг одного и того же вопроса: насколько фанаты, лейблы и сами артисты могут определять, как выглядит карьера в K-pop?

Прошлая неделя в K-pop в разборе (25–29 мая 2026)

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 вернулись. LEMONADE — их второй студийный альбом — уже вышел, и это их самая многогранная работа на данный момент. Hyperpop, pop-rock, R&amp;B, electronic dance

aespa Возвращаются со вторым альбомом "LEMONADE"

Бывшие участники ZB1 и EVNNE снова дебютируют как AND2BLE — и им есть что доказывать. XLOV возвращаются со своей первой попыткой в dance music, а рядом с ними — Han Sohee.

Новости