Top Korean Boy Groups

Top 10 Korean Boy Groups 2018

## ***1.*** ***BTS***

**BTS** (Hangul: 방탄소년단; RR: '**Bangtan Sonyeondan'**), also known as the **Bangtan Boys**, is a seven-member South Korean boy bandformed by Big Hit Entertainment. The name subsequently became a backronym for **Beyond the Scene**. On June 12, 2013, they performed the song "No More Dream" from their initial album ***2 Cool 4 Skool*** to commemorate their debut on June 13, 2013. They won several New Artist of the Year awards for the track "No More Dream", including at the 2013 Melon Music Awards and Golden Disc Awards and the 2014 Seoul Music Awards. The band continued to gain prominence with their subsequent albums ***Dark & Wild* (2014), *The Most Beautiful Moment in Life, Part 2* (2015)** and ***The Most Beautiful Moment in Life: Young Forever* (2016)**, with the latter two entering the U.S. *Billboard* 200. *The Most Beautiful Moment in Life: Young Forever* went on to win the Album of the Year award at the 2016 Melon Music Awards.[7]

## ***2. EXO***

**Exo** (Korean: 엑소; stylized as **EXO**) is a South Korean–Chinese boy band based in Seoul, with nine members: Suho, Baekhyun, Chanyeol, D.O., Kai, Sehun, Xiumin, Lay and Chen. The band was formed by SM Entertainment in 2011 and debuted in 2012. Their music incorporates genres like pop, hip-hop, and R&B, alongside electronic dance music genres like house, trap, and synth-pop. Exo releases and performs music in Korean, Mandarin, and Japanese. The band ranked as one of the *top five most influential celebrities* on the *Forbes* Korea Power Celebrity list each year from 2014 to 2018.

## ***3. Big Bang***

**Big Bang** (Hangul: 빅뱅) is a South Korean boy band formed by YG Entertainment. With members G-Dragon, T.O.P, Taeyang, Daesung, and Seungri, they are often cited as one of the most influential acts to shape the K-pop industry by helping spread the Korean Waveinternationally and dubbed as the "**Kings of K-pop**" by the media. Their experimental and diverse use of music genres, personal involvement in producing their own records, and stage performances have been admired by music critics and served as influence to numerous K-pop and international artists.

Big Bang has a record of 18 number-one songs that have collectively remained atop South Korean's biggest online music service Melon for 51 weeks, more than any other act. *Forbes Korea* ranked them as one of the most powerful celebrities in South Korea in 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2016. They were also the first Korean artists to enter *Forbes'*Celebrity 100 and the 30 under 30 list of most influential musicians in the world, in 2016 and 2017, respectively.

## ***4. GOT7***

**Got7** (Hangul: 갓세븐) is a South Korean boy band formed by JYP Entertainment. The group is composed of seven members: JB, 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 for their stage performances, which include elements of martial arts tricking.

## ***5. Shinee***

**Shinee** (/ˈʃaɪniː/ *SHY-nee*; Korean: 샤이니; Japanese: シャイニー; stylized as **SHINee**) is a South Korean boy band formed by SM Entertainment in 2008. The group is composed of four members: Onew, Key, Minho, and Taemin. Originally a five-piece group, vocalist Jonghyundied in December 2017. The group's popularity in their native country has earned them numerous accolades and the title **"Princes of K-pop"**. Shinee was introduced as a contemporary R&Bboy group by their company with the goal of being trendsetters in all areas of music, fashion, dance, etc. and debuted in May 2008 with their first EP, ***Replay*** on SBS' *Inkigayo* with their single "Replay".

## ***6. Seventeen***

'*Seventeen**(Hangul: 세븐틴), also stylized as**SEVENTEEN**or**SVT**, is a South Korean boy group formed by Pledis Entertainment in 2015. The group consists of thirteen members divided into three sub-units, each with a different area of specialization: a*** **'Hip-Hop Unit', 'Vocal Unit', and 'Performance Unit**. Seventeen has released two studio albums and five extended plays.

Seventeen has earned a reputation as a **"self-producing"** idol group. From before their debut the group's members have been deeply involved in the songwriting and composition of their discography, alongside producer **Bumzu.**

## ***7. ASTRO***

**Astro** (Hangul: 아스트로) is a South Korean boy group formed by Fantagio in 2016. The group is composed of six members: Park Jinwoo (JinJin), Kim Myungjun (MJ), Lee Dong Min (Cha-Eunwoo), Moon Bin (Moon Bin), Park Minhyuk (Rocky) and Yoon Sanha (Sanha) They debuted with the single "Hide & Seek" from their debut EP *Spring Up*,[1] and were subsequently named by Billboard as one of the best new K-popgroups of 2016.

## ***8. Monsta X***

**Monsta X** (Hangul: 몬스타엑스; often stylized as **MONSTA X**) is a South Korean boy band formed in 2015 by Mnet survival show *No.Mercy*. The group is employed by  Starship Entertainment and is composed of seven members: Wonho, Minhyuk, Hyungwon, Jooheon, Kihyun, Shownu, and I.M.

The group debuted on 14 May 2015 with their first EP ***Trespass***. In March 2017, Monsta X released their first studio album and final part of **"The Clan"** series, ***The Clan Pt. 2.5: The Final Chapter***. In May 2017, the group signed with Mercury Records and debuted with the single **"Hero"** in Japan. In April 2018, Monsta X's Japanese single **“Spotlight”** received an official gold certification by the Recording Industry Association of Japan.

## ***9. Infinite***

**Infinite** (Korean: 인피니트; stylized as **INFINITE**) is a South Korean boy bandformed in 2010 by Woollim Entertainment. The group is composed of six members: Sungkyu, Dongwoo, Woohyun, Sungyeol, L, and Sungjong. Originally a seven-piece group (with Hoya, who later departed from the group in August 2017), Infinite debuted in 2010 with their mini album ***First Invasion*.** Their first full album, ***Over the Top***, was released in July 2011. Their mini-album ***New Challenge***, released in March 2013, sold over 160,000 copies in South Korea alone and was one of the best-selling albums of 2013. Their second full album, ***Season 2***, was released in May 2014.

## ***10. NCT***

**NCT** (Hangul: 엔시티) is a South Korean boy group formed by SM Entertainment. Their name stands for the Hallyu localization project **Neo Culture Technology**, a term coined by SM founder Lee Soo-man to describe the group's concept of having an unlimited number of members divided into multiple sub-units based in various cities worldwide.

The group's first unit, **NCT U**, made their debut on April 9, 2016, with the digital singles **"The 7th Sense"** and **"Without You."** The second unit, **NCT 127**, based in Seoul, made their debut on July 7, 2016, with the mini album ***NCT #127*.** The third unit, **NCT Dream**, made their debut on August 24, 2016, with the digital single **"Chewing Gum."** The fourth unit, unofficially dubbed **NCT China**, is set to debut in November 2018. It has been reported that subsequent units are to debut based in Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia.

As of October 2018, the group consists of 18 members: Taeil, Johnny, Taeyong, Yuta, Kun, Doyoung, Ten, Jaehyun, Winwin, Jungwoo, Lucas, Mark, Renjun, Jeno, Haechan, Jaemin, Chenle, and Jisung. This lineup is collectively known as **NCT 2018**.