2016 was a fantastic year in the K-Pop world. Many established idol groups had their comebacks, but many rookie groups had their debut. Let’s recap the 12 debuts that are on the road to success in 2017.
1. ASTRO – Debuted February 23rd, 2016
ASTRO was formed in 2015. The six members started off as iTeen Boys under Fantagio Entertainment. In August of 2015, the boys had their acting debut in the web drama series To Be Continued. It wasn’t until February of 2016 was their debut album Spring Up released. They have released mini-albums at the start of every season. Check out ASTRO looking super cute and playful in their debut music video below. We wonder what concepts ASTRO will bring to life in this new year.
2. WJSN (Cosmic Girls) – Debuted February 25th, 2016
Cosmic Girls first published a cover on JuseTV’s YouTube channel of Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You” on December 21st, 2015 before official debut. In February of 2016, the thirteen member girl group debuted under Starship Entertainment. The girls made a lasting impression with their first mini-album Would You Like? and their first music video for the title track “Mo Mo Mo”. These girls seem to have a promising future in this upcoming year.
3. KNK – Debuted March 3rd, 2016
YNB Entertainment’s first idol boy group held their showcase on the 29th of February before officially releasing their debut single Knock. The boys of KNK were originally from different entertainment companies, all with an average training period of 5 years. They are the proof that hard work truly does pay off. Watch them showcase their talent in their first ever music video.
4. NCT – Debuted April 9th, 2016
SM Entertainment’s idea Hallyu localization project was first presented in January 2016. April 2016 was when the first unit NCT U, consisting of six members, was announced. “The 7th Sense” was released on the 9th of April, shortly followed by “Without You” on the 1oth. Since then, NCT 127 and NCT Dream have had their debuts. All of NCT’s sub-units have been extremely successful so far and they are sure to do big things in 2017. Check NCT U’s first single out below.
5. VROMANCE – Debuted July 11th, 2016
VROMANCE of Rainbow Bridge World debuted in July of 2016 with the EP The Action along with the single “She”. They are known for being MAMAMOO’s “brother group”. Check out their funky debut song. We hope to hear more from them in 2017.
6. INX – Debuted August 2nd, 2016
INX was formed under NA Entertainment and consists of five members. They debuted with the title song “Alright”. They showcased their vocal, dance and rap skills in an overall, visually pleasing video. We can’t wait to hear more from them in the future.
7. BLACKPINK – Debuted August 8th, 2016
YG Entertainment’s first girl group, since 2NE1, has had one of the strongest debuts in K-Pop history. BLACKPINK, consisting of four members, debuted in August 2016 with the single album Square One. Debuting with “Boombahya” and “Whistle” then later releasing “Playing With Fire” and “Stay”, there is no doubt to their rising fame. 2017 will clearly be a successful year for these girls.
8. SF9 – Debuted October 5th, 2016
FNC Entertainment’s first dance boy group, SF9 debuted with their single album Feeling Sensation and lead single “Fanfare”. They then went on promoting their second song from the album “K.O.” later in November. With all of their fan-meet tickets selling in just seconds, we have a feeling that their fame will only grow as 2017 goes by.
9. PENTAGON – Debuted October 10th, 2016
Cube Entertainment’s new ten-member boy group was first introduced on the survival show Pentagon Maker on MNET. 4 years after BtoB’s debut; PENTAGON debuted with their self-titled mini album. But before that, PENTAGON released “Find Me” and “Young” as collaboration songs. Watch the music video to their incredible single “Gorilla”. We hope 2017 will be a great year for these boys.
10. Bulldok – Debuted October 20th, 2016
KCONIC Entertainment’s new girl group Bulldok came to the scene with their single “Why Not”. The girls, formally from Produce 101, started off with a strong concept that was a bit on the edgy side. Watch these girls slay it together in the “Why Not” music video. More Bulldok? “Why Not”!?
11. TheEastLight. – Debuted November 2nd, 2016
Media Line Entertainment’s new boy band has the average age of 15 years old. These young boys aren’t entirely new to the K-Pop scene, though. With the six of them having pre-debut experience, they are sure to become a hot topic in 2016. TheEastLight. has not only debuted with the EP Holla, but they have also uploaded countless covers of songs, even in English! Their instrumental and vocal skills are strong; paired with their cute image, we hope to see more of them as the year progresses.
12. K.A.R.D – Project 1 started December 13th, 2016
Although DSP Media’s new co-ed group K.A.R.D hasn’t officially debuted, they did release their first project out of the three. DSP Media had announced that K.A.R.D would have three separate debut stages, each one revealing a new member, leaving them with a total of seven members! After the three albums have been released, the group will debut altogether. Their track “Oh NaNa” has certainly gained some recognition since it’s release in December of 2016. K.A.R.D is definitely off to a great start. We will be awaiting the reveal of the other members.
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