K-Pop Boy Groups That Gained Massive Followings from Day One

Between 2021 and 2022, the 4th generation K-pop idols, such as NewJeans, Ivy, and LE SSERAFIM, made a big splash and ushered in the heyday of girl groups. On the other hand, boy groups from a few years ago have been struggling in popularity and sales compared to girl groups. In this situation, attention is now focused on the big agencies that have succeeded in idol survival programs and launched successful boy groups. Introducing the 10 teams of 5th-generation boy groups debuting this year.

ZEROBASEONE

ZEROBASEONE is a boy group that debuted through the Mnet survival program Boys Planet. At the time of the program’s broadcast, it garnered much attention globally. On the first day of their debut album release, they sold 1.24 million copies, becoming the first K-pop group to achieve a million-seller status with their debut album. They also held their first fan concert at the Gocheok Sky Dome, which can accommodate only popular idols, and sold out all 18,000 seats as soon as the tickets were open for sale. ZeroBaseOne’s explosive success has raised expectations for the new 5th generation of boy groups.

RIIZE

RIIZE is a boy group launched by SM Entertainment, 3 years after the girl group aespa and 7 years after the boy group NCT. The 7-member group, including Yoon Sang’s son Anton, will officially debut on the 4th of next month with their first single album, Get A Guitar, which promotes “Emotional Pop.” Just 4 days after the opening of their official social media, they reached 1 million followers, and their performance video for “Siren” surpassed 3 million views on YouTube, heralding their hot debut.

BOYNEXTDOOR

BOYNEXTDOOR, which debuted in May, is the first boy group launched by Pocket Doll Studio, the label and entertainment company led by BTS and Zico. The group name, Boys Next Door, is easy to remember and conveys the meaning of sharing daily life and various emotions through unique music. They showcased their music, including “One and Only” and “But I Like You,” in their debut album, and even the Grammy Awards selected BOYNEXTDOOR as a boy group to watch in 2023.

FANTASY BOYS

FANTASY BOYS, born through the MBC idol survival program Fantasy Boys | My Teenage Boys, will officially debut in September. Their agency, Pocket Doll Studio, expressed confidence, saying, “We will satisfy fans with music and music videos as much as they have been waiting.” They have already gained popularity even before their debut, thanks to their appearances on terrestrial programs. They showcased their versatility by performing at the 2023 Fantasy Boys Fan Concert in Japan, which received a hot response from Japanese fans.

xikers

Xikers achieved remarkable success just 12 days after their debut, entering the Billboard 200 at 75th place, being selected as one of the Top 11 K-pop Boy Groups to Watch in 2023 by the Grammy Awards, and topping the Oricon Daily Album Chart in Japan. As a boy group from KQ Entertainment, the group returned after 5 years and stood tall as a global K-pop idol following their seniors, ATEEZ. Xikers, who opened the door to the 5th generation of K-pop, returned with their second mini-album after a four-month hiatus to solidify their position as a leading group.

JYP Boy Group

JYP Entertainment, led by Park Jin Young, the chief creative officer, and Psy, the CEO of P Nation, collaborated with SBS to air the idol audition program LOUD in 2021. After about 6 months of broadcasting and viewer voting, the final debut lineup for the LOUD project boy group was selected. The debut is scheduled for 2024 and is expected to follow the 5th generation’s footsteps.

Boy group under Kim Jae Joong’s agency, Inkode

The global audition video of the boy group under Incode, the agency founded by singer Kim Jae Joong and former Cube Entertainment executive, has been released, attracting attention. The first male trainee was revealed through official social media, and he is already well-known among fans as a trainee from Big Hit and JYP with both talent and visuals. With the start of the first male trainee, attention is now focused on whether more trainees will be revealed and whether a new 5th generation leading boy group will be born through upcoming auditions.

Lun8

Lun8 is an 8-member boy group from Fantagio, also known as the “Visual House.” It is the first boy group to debut in 7 years after ASTRO, which includes Cha Eun Woo, known as the “Face Genius.” The music video for their debut song “Wild Heart” has already reached nearly 8 million views on YouTube in just 3 days, and they have received enthusiastic comments on various online communities. They also released their first variety show content, Dalnara, on their official YouTube channel, showcasing their chemistry and various sides to capture fans’ hearts.

SEVENUS

SEVENUS, the duo that won second place in the boy group team battle survival Peak Time conducted by JTBC’s Sing Again production team, is returning as a 5th generation male duo. They aim to become the “Vocal Kings of the 5th Generation” and follow in the footsteps of BTOB and Highlight as “Live Masters.” Their debut song, “Wonder Land,” tells the story of getting a second chance through fans’ love like a miracle.

EVNNE

EVNNE, a boy group derived from the Mnet program Boys Planet, announced their debut by releasing their schedule. The 7-member group was formed, including Weihua, Wake One, and Kaita, who gained attention through the program. Their agency, Jellyfish Entertainment, announced EVNNE’s debut with their first mini-album, Target: ME, on September 18th, and they are anticipating the same level of popularity as ZeroBaseOne.

By. Oh Hye In (press@daily.co.kr)