BTS, EXO, SEVENTEEN and more: 6 extremely talented 3rd Gen K-Pop boy groups to become a fan of

1. BTS 

BTS is a South Korean boy band formed in 2010 and debuting in 2013 under BIGHIT MUSIC. The septet—consisting of members Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V, and Jungkook—co-writes and co-produces much of their own material. Originally a hip hop group, their musical style has evolved to incorporate a wide range of genres; their lyrics have often discussed mental health, the troubles of school-age youth and coming of age, loss, the journey towards self-love, and individualism. Their work also frequently references literature, philosophy and psychological concepts, and includes an alternate universe storyline. As of 2022, BTS is the best-selling artist in South Korean history, having sold in excess of 30 million albums via the Circle Chart, and their studio album Map of the Soul: 7 (2020) is the best-selling album of all time in South Korea. Since their inception, BTS have emphasized hip hop as their musical base, largely due to the influence of RM and Suga's background as underground rappers; during visits to the US, the group has received mentoring from American rappers. BTS' rising popularity in the US represents the continuation of the ways that K-pop functions as part of a global R&B tradition.

2. EXO 

EXO is a South Korean-Chinese boy band based in Seoul formed by SM Entertainment in 2011 and debuted in 2012. The group consists of nine members: Xiumin, Suho, Lay, Baekhyun, Chen, Chanyeol, D.O., Kai and Sehun. They are noted for releasing music and performing extensively in Korean, Mandarin and Japanese. EXO have won numerous awards, including five consecutive Album of the Year awards at the Mnet Asian Music Awards and two consecutive Artist of the Year awards at the Melon Music Awards, and have performed over 100 concerts across four headlining tours and multiple joint tours. The group ranked as one of the top five most influential celebrities on the Forbes Korea Power Celebrity list from 2014 to 2018 and have been labeled ‘Kings of K-pop’ and the ‘biggest boyband in the world’ by various media outlets.

3. GOT7 

GOT7 is a South Korean boy band formed by JYP Entertainment. The group is composed of seven members: Jay B, Mark, Jackson, Jinyoung, Youngjae, BamBam, and Yugyeom. GOT7 debuted in January 2014 with the release of their first EP Got It?, which peaked at number two on the Gaon Album Chart and number one on Billboard's World Albums Chart. The group gained attention also for their live performances, which often include elements of martial arts tricking and street dancing.  

4. SEVENTEEN 

SEVENTEEN consists of thirteen members: S.Coups, Jeonghan, Joshua, Jun, Hoshi, Wonwoo, Woozi, DK, Mingyu, The8, Seungkwan, Vernon, and Dino. SEVENTEEN is considered a ‘self-producing’ idol group, with the members actively involved in songwriting and choreographing, as well as many other aspects of their music and performances. They perform as one group and are divided into three units—hip-hop, vocal, and performance—each with a different area of specialization. They have been labeled ‘Performance Kings’, ‘Theater Kids of K-Pop’, and ‘K-Pop Performance Powerhouse’ by various domestic and international media outlets. SEVENTEEN won three rookie awards in their debut year and have since earned six Bonsang (main prize) and four Daesang (grand prize) awards from various year-end award shows.

5. MONSTA X 

MONSTA X is a South Korean boy group formed through the reality survival program No.Mercy under Starship Entertainment. The group is currently composed of six members: Shownu, Minhyuk, Kihyun, Hyungwon, Joohoney and I.M, with former member Wonho having left the group in October 2019. Since their debut, they have been known for their aggressive style, combining elements of hip hop, EDM and pop. This aggressive style with tracks centered around loud, clattering, electronic instrumentals, vicious rap verses, and striking vocals had also been influential across the fourth generation of K-pop, along with breaking gender norms before it was a trend. Additionally, they also obtained the modifier of ‘Next Generation Beast Idol’.

6. iKON 

iKON is a South Korean boy band formed in 2015 by YG Entertainment, consisting of six members: Jay, Song, Bobby, DK, Ju-ne and Chan. Originally a seven-piece band, leader B.I departed from the group in June 2019. Initially introduced in the reality survival show WIN: Who is Next as ‘Team B’, the group went on to appear in the 2014 reality survival show Mix & Match, which determined the final member lineup of iKon. Their debut studio album Welcome Back (2015) debuted atop the South Korean Gaon Album Chart and featured the number-one singles ‘My Type’, ‘Apology’ and ‘Dumb & Dumber’, as well as the top-ten singles ‘Rhythm Ta’, ‘Airplane’ and ‘Anthem’. The album was a commercial success, selling over 260,000 copies in Asia and its individual songs selling over 4.8 million copies, leading the group to receive numerous accolades from major Asian music award shows. 

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Which K-Pop group is your favourite? Let us know in the comments below.