These K-POP Groups Set Themselves Apart With Their Unique Concepts

As the hype of K-POP continues to excel, there are so many groups out there. We are self-confessed multis and absolutely love so many groups, but we know that with so many groups debuting and thriving all the time, it can be hard to decide who to commit to stanning, and it makes the competition tough for the artists, too, which is why unique selling points are becoming more popular.

Whether you’re an overwhelmed K-POP newbie or just a stan who is looking to expand their stan list, we’re celebrating some of the unique K-POP groups who are setting themselves apart with their concepts.

Big Ocean

First on our list of unique K-POP groups is Big Ocean. Debuting last month, the three-member group is the world’s first K-POP group with hearing impairments. They debuted with their song ‘Glow’ and are using a mix of Korean Sign Language (KSL), American Sign Language (ASL), and International Sign Language (ISL) to sign their songs. They also incorporate sign language within their choreography. Speaking to us in a recent interview, Big Ocean shared how they hope to “bridge the gap between disabled and non-disabled individuals.” In order to make being idols accessible for them, the group and their agency, Parastar Entertainment, use a number of aids, including smart watches that vibrate to the beat in order to help with dance practice and assistive devices their agency has developed in order to synchronize music with vibration and flashing lights.

PLAVE

With the world becoming more entwined with virtual reality and the metaverse, it’s no surprise that virtual groups are becoming a thing, with PLAVE paving the way. But make no mistake: these idols are not AI. The quintet is made up of virtual idols who were created with GC visuals in the style of manhwa characters and are popular in webtoons. But despite being virtual, the members of this unique K-POP group are just as real as any other idol. They function by using motion capture suits, and the people who wear them are the same people who sing, dance, rap, write, and produce their music! This means the group is even able to host live concerts, similar to those hosted by VTubers and Hatsune Miku.

QI.X

Another unique K-POP group is Q.IX. Debuting in 2022, they are a queer K-POP group, with their name standing for Queer Idol and the X representing limitless possibilities. All members identify outside of the gender binary, either as nonbinary, genderqueer, or unlabelled. Since being openly queer is still a taboo thing within South Korea, their hopes and dreams of becoming idols were looking impossible, and thus Q.IX was born. Signed to an independent label, they have currently released two songs, and we are looking forward to seeing how they will contribute to building a future for queer idols in the future!

Stray Kids

Stray Kids are absolutely dominating in K-POP right now. From headlining festivals such as Lollapalooza and BST Hyde Park, attending the Met Gala, and both setting and breaking records left and right, they really are K-POP legends in the making. They’re another unique K-POP group because instead of the members being solely picked out by JYP Entertainment, the entertainment company trusted leader Bang Chan, who had the say on which members made the final cut through the reality show Stray Kids. And the rest, they say, is history!

Aespa

Aespa are a unique K-POP group that exists in two worlds: Real World and the Virtual World. In the Virtual World, each member has their own avatar, known as æ, who are created based on the data the group have uploaded on the internet. In addition to their music, there’s plenty of content to consume, including their SMCU video series, which shares their lore via a storyline. Rich in lore, Aespa are truly on top of their game right now and are really making a name for themselves. From their 2022 Coachella performance to their impressive chart achievements, Aespa are proof that unique concepts are a selling point, and they are revelling in their success.

NCT

When it comes to unique K-POP groups, NCT may very well be one of the first ones to come to mind. With 26 members and six units, NCT are definitely a unique concept. Dubbed as K-POP’s most experimental boyband, NCT (standing for Neo Culture Technology) mostly sees their units NCT U, NCT 127, NCT Dream, WayV, NCT DoJaeJung, and NCT Wish, promote separately, but will then come together as one big group to record full-length albums. With units expanding over 3rd, 4th, and 5th generations, NCT have solidified their place in the K-POP history books, and are an inspiration for other groups.

TripleS

TripleS are truly making a name for themselves. The 24-member girl group aims to be the world’s first decentralized K-POP idol group. They rely on their fans’ involvement as they vote on the sub-units and concepts, which lets them showcase their plethora of talent and a variety of concepts that their fans’ taste. Fans use Objekts, which are collectible digital photocards that can be collected to produce a COMO, a voting token that allows their fans, WAV, to put forward their opinions on group decisions, including selecting sub-unit lineups or title tracks for future albums. We love seeing this new innovative way of involving fans, and we think it’ll really solidifies the relationship between artists and their fans!

MAVE:

The trend of virtual reality and the metaverse is a growing trend within K-POP, and MAVE: is another group who fit into this. The four member group are a hyper-realistic AI group created using machine learning, deepfake, and 3D production technology who debuted under Metaverse Entertainment. Though MAVE: are not the first virtual group, they are, in fact, the first K-POP group to be created completely within the metaverse. Because of this, the members are able to communicate in four languages: Korean, English, French, and Bahas, with the aid of an AI voice generator, but their voices and choreography have been created by anonymous human performers.

SuperM

SuperM are another unique K-POP group who are dubbed as the “Avengers of K-POP.” This is because all the members are all from other groups from within SM Entertainment: SHINee, EXO, NCT 127, and WayV. The group were formed and debuted in 2019 with their hit single ‘Jopping,’ and became pretty successful. In March of 2020, they became the first group under SM Entertainment to host an online concert world first online-dedicated live concert series, Beyond Live. The group gained a lot of success in their short time active, and we look forward to hopefully seeing them return post-military service!

AKMU

The last unique K-POP group we’re talking about is actually a duo. AKMU are not only a two-member group but are actually siblings! Debuting back in 2014, AKMU – which stands for Akdong Musician – is made up of brother Chanhyuk and sister Suhyun, who competed together on the second season of the reality TV competition series K-POP Star. The group have maintained a strong fanbase for over a decade and have recently gained more success with their viral hit song ‘Love Lee.’ We can’t get enough of these two!

Do you stan any of these groups? Who are some other unique K-POP groups you enjoy? Let us know by tweeting us at @TheHoneyPOP or visiting us on Facebook and Instagram.

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Featured Image Source: Jen Southern for THP