BY: Alexis Eichelberger

Are you a new member of the BTS Army? Did you hear “How You Like That” on TikTok and become a BLACKPINK superfan? If you’ve recently caught the Kpop craze, you’re probably already familiar with these two tremendous acts that have taken over the world.

Now that you’re a certified Kpop lover, you might be looking to expand your listening horizons. We’ve got you covered. Here are five more awesome Kpop acts to check out:

Red Velvet

This girl group from Seoul debuted in 2014 with its smash hit “Happiness.” They’ve described their style as a blend of “red” and “velvet” musical elements. The red represents high-energy pop and electronic beats, while the velvet refers to the smooth, silky R&B and ballad numbers. 

The five members of Red Velvet were introduced to American audiences in the Trolls World Tour film — yes, they played the Kpop girls. But Red Velvet has attracted the attention of the world’s music writers and critics for years. Billboard called them the overall favorite Kpop group of the year in 2018, and that same year, TIME Magazine named them one of the current best Kpop groups.

 

SuperM

SuperM is a relatively new Kpop group. All seven were previously members of other successful Kpop bands. SM Entertainment, South Korea’s biggest label, brought them together in 2019 and created a supergroup, no pun intended. 

The group debuted its first EP in October 2019 and became only the second South Korean act in history to reach the top of the U.S. Billboard 200. Its single “Jopping” peaked at number 84 on the Korean Hot 100 and was chosen by Billboard as one of the best Kpop songs of 2019.

 

ITZY

ITZY is another new addition to the Kpop spotlight. The five-member girl group released its first two singles in an EP titled It’z Different in February 2019 to the praise of Kpop critics. Since then, ITZY released three more EPs that rocketed up the Korean charts, instantly expanding an already dedicated fan base.

ITZY’s newest release, Not Shy, dropped just days ago, on August 17. Its six tracks are energetic pop delights that offer a great overall impression of the kind of music ITZY fans know and love. Its brand of Kpop is the perfect combination of sweet and sassy.

 

ATEEZ

This group of guys formed in 2018 and has been a prolific source of Kpop bops ever since. The first EP dropped in October 2018 and has since released five more EPs and two albums (no, we are not kidding). If you’re continually craving new tracks, ATEEZ is the Kpop group for you.

ATEEZ is already an award winner in South Korea and had tours of Europe and the United States scheduled before the coronavirus pandemic put live concerts on hold. We’ll be expecting more from this group in the future.

 

TWICE

We round off our list with another top Kpop girl group. TWICE was formed after the 2015 Korean reality TV show SIXTEEN. Throughout the show, 16 contestants competed for a chance to become a part of the girl group. The winning members now make up one of the hottest Kpop acts of the decade.

TWICE became widely popular in South Korean almost immediately after its formation and became stars in Japan as well. This year, TWICE started catching the attention of the American market, too. Its EP More and More was released on June 1 and debuted at number 200 on the Billboard 200.