LAST year was an incredible year for K-pop. While the industry was indeed affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, the past year was still a monumental one for many K-pop groups and idols. From Lisa’s glorious debut to BTS’s first Grammy nomination, 2021 allowed the industry to reach new hallmarks.
And 2022 is not going to be any different. In fact, things already look very promising for the world of K-pop. This coming year will not only mark new music releases but also welcome new K-pop acts.
In chronological order, here are five K-pop group debuts you should look out for this year:
1. TNX
Under the music record label P NATION, TNX (The New Six) is an upcoming six-member boy group. The ensemble was formed through the survival competition show, LOUD. This was because SBS along with J.Y.Park and PSY had wanted to form two global boy groups.
So, as part of their plan, the channel launched a boy group audition show to scout out male performers born in or after the year 2000.
Fortunately, they found six male members – Woo Kyung Joon, Choi Tae Hun, Jang Hyun Soo, Cheon Jun Hyeok, Eun Hwi, and Oh Sung Jun.
Another finalist, 13-year-old Tanaka Koki, was supposed to join the group, his recruitment was withheld for further training. But do not feel too bad, as the boys will be officially debuting on May 17 with their first mini-album, Way Up.
Debut date: May 17, 2022
Members: Woo Kyung Joon, Choi Tae Hun, Jang Hyun Soo, Cheon Jun Hyeok, Eun Hwi, and Oh Sung Jun
2. BLANK2Y
Similarly to TNX, BLANK2Y is an upcoming boy group that is set to debut this month. The nine-member boy band will be among Keystone Entertainment’s newest talents. As a matter of fact, their group’s revelation was made by the company’s CEO and founder himself, Sam Choi.
Choi revealed the group’s first member identity, Youngbin, on Dec 20. The other members’ identities were later revealed by the agency on specific dates. On March 15, it was announced that the boys will officially kick off their journeys as K-idols on May 24 with their mini-album, K2Y I: Confidence [Thumbs Up].
Debut date: May 24, 2022
Members: DK, Louis, Donghyuk, Siwoo, Mikey, U, Youngbin, Sungjun, and Sodam
3. LAPILLUS
If you are a fan of Blackpink, you may want to keep an eye on MLD Entertainment’s upcoming girl group – Lapillus. This girl group might just be the next female force of K-pop. Its two confirmed members Shana and Chanty are two prominent international artists who are no strangers to the spotlight.
Chanty, who is of Filipino and Argentinian descent, is an established actress in the Philippines. She was represented by one of the nation’s biggest talent agencies, Star Magic. Shana on the other hand was born in Japan, and was a former contestant on Girls Planet 999.
Other than that, nothing much has been revealed. However, it was confirmed that the team will consist of more members. Their identities will be revealed from next week onwards.
Debut date: June 2022
Members: Shana and Chanty (as of now)
4. TRAINEE A
The next pre-debut group that has been drawing a lot of attention for its diversity is Trainee A. The group which is signed under BigHit Music is said to be among the first multinational and multilingual groups in K-pop history. Four of the seven members are from outside of Korea.
For instance, the group’s member JJ is half-Japanese and half-American. Yorch Yongsin, who was recently added, is of Thai descent. Another member, James, is a Thai-Chinese who can speak fluent Mandarin, English, Thai and Korean. And the last international member Leo is from Australia.
Thanks to the group’s diversity, Trainee A has been already accumulating a strong following on social media. However, their debut date is yet to be confirmed. It was only revealed that they are scheduled to debut sometime this year.
Debut date: 2022
Members: Yorch Yongsin, Leo, Sangwon, Woochan, James, JJ and Jihoon
5. MAVE
Considering the popularity of K-pop, it is only natural for music labels to think of new ways to reach audiences. One new area that they have been experimenting with is the metaverse. The Korean company, Metaverse Entertainment for instance is developing a virtual girl group, MAVE.
MAVE is said to feature four artificial intelligence (AI) girls. The female unit will be aimed at the global market. According to the CEO of Kakao Entertainment, Lee-Jin Soo, the girls will take entertainment to a whole new level.
If you were a sucker for Japan’s AI sweetheart, Hatsune Miku, MAVE’s will definitely be a musical act you should look out for!
Debut date: 2022
Members: Names not revealed yet
