The 2024 Billboard K-Pop Artist 100

In the 15 years since K-pop’s early international pioneers BoA and the Wonder Girls made their respective marks on the Billboard 200 and Billboard Hot 100 charts back in 2009, the Korean pop industry has made significant strides on the Billboard charts — and never has its crossover success been more apparent than now.

In 2023 alone, 35 different K-pop albums entered the Billboard 200, and five took the No. 1 spot. TOMORROW X TOGETHER’s The Name Chapter: TEMPTATION hit the top spot in February, Stray Kids’ 5-STAR reigned for a week in June, NewJeans’ Get Up took over in August, Stray Kids scored a second No. 1 this year with ROCK-STAR in November, before ATEEZ snagged their first chart-topper with The World EP.Fin: Will in December.

Over on the Hot 100, Jimin of BTS opened a new chapter of K-pop history when he became the first South Korean solo artist to hit No. 1 on the chart with his solo single “Like Crazy.” His bandmate Jung Kook followed soon after when “Seven” (featuring Latto) debuted atop the Hot 100 and set the stage for the star to set a new record with three top five solo hits so far. Elsewhere, artists like BIGBANG’s Taeyang, NewJeans, FIFTY FIFTY, Stray Kids and Jennie of BLACKPINK all earned their first Hot 100 entries, while TWICE and BTS members J-Hope, Agust D and V all added additional entries to their Hot 100 collections.

Of course, many artists also spent time connecting with their global fans, thanks to massive tours across the globe. Acts like SEVENTEEN, ENHYPEN, NCT, TWICE, aespa, LE SSERAFIM, (G)I-DLE, ITZY, Agust D and more played the largest venues of their career, further displaying K-pop’s impact on the live market.

Ahead of the launch of Billboard Korea — with a kick-off event in Seoul set for May, where the artists on this list will be invited as the guests of honor, and the first issue, Billboard K Vol.1, scheduled for release in June — we’ve compiled the inaugural Billboard K-Pop Artist 100 list, with rankings based on activity on the Billboard 200 albums chart, Billboard Hot 100 songs chart and Billboard Boxscore (touring) data for the charts dated Jan. 7, 2023, through Dec. 30, 2023. (In most cases, group members are listed together, except for where notable solo activity separates the artists.)

Find our full 2024 list below:

Yuna (ITZY)

Image Credit: JYP Entertainment

The youngest ITZY member is known for her sweet and bold stage presence.

Chaeryeong (ITZY)

Introduced to the world as a contestant on Sixteen, the show that created TWICE, Chaeryeong was the first member of ITZY to join JYP Entertainment after she and her sister, Chaeyeon, were cast by the entertainment agency.

Ryujin (ITZY)

JYP Entertainment scouted Ryujin at a concert for one of their other artists, GOT7, eventually leading her to debut under the same company as her idols as ITZY’s main rapper.

Lia (ITZY)

ITZY’s main vocalist was born in Incheon, South Korea, but spent part of her childhood in Canada, becoming integral to the group’s strong vocals and connecting with more international fans.

Yeji (ITZY)

ITZY’s leader who fans first fell in love with after she appeared on the 2018 Korean competition series The Fan. Yeji has since led the group to major chart success, including six entries on the Billboard 200 at press time — tying label mates TWICE for the most among female K-pop acts.

Shuhua ((G)I-DLE)

Image Credit: Cube Entertainment

Born in Taiwan, the youngest member of (G)I-DLE is known for her intricate dance skills and unapologetic attitude.

Yuqi ((G)I-DLE)

Beyond her songwriting and production work on (G)I-DLE’s K-pop hits, the Beijing-born star is also credited as a lyricist and vocal director on Chinese versions of singles like “Hwaa” and “Dumdi Dumdi,” which has helped the group cross over into the China market.

Soyeon ((G)I-DLE)

(G)I-DLE’s core music producer and leader, Soyeon’s vision has led the girl group since their debut single “Latata.” Since she was first introduced to TV audiences as a Cube Entertainment trainee at age 17 on competition series like Produce 101 and Unpretty Rapstar 3, she is known as a go-to songwriter and producer across the K-pop industry.

Minnie ((G)I-DLE)

The Thailand-born singer-songwriter-producer has racked up contribution credits across (G)I-DLE’s different albums and made her acting debut in the Netflix drama So Not Worth It in 2021.

Miyeon ((G)I-DLE)

(G)I-DLE’s main vocalist, Miyeon released her debut solo album My in 2022, adding to her packed résumé that includes actor, host, songwriter and luxury fashion brand ambassador.

JISUNG (NCT DREAM)

Image Credit: SM Entertainment

Before joining SM Entertainment’s boy band collective NCT and its splinter group NCT DREAM, JISUNG was first inspired by his future labelmates EXO and their song “Angel” to pursue music.

JAEMIN (NCT DREAM)

In addition to being known for his good looks and vocals, fans regard JAEMIN as one of the most attentive and sweet members at NCT DREAM’s fan events and signings.

CHENLE (NCT DREAM)

After CHENLE revealed that he was a huge Stephen Curry fan, the Golden State Warriors sent a signed jersey to the Shanghai-born star. Curry personally invited CHENLE to a game through social media in 2020, the powerhouse vocalist eventually made good on that invite in 2021 and even made an official playlist for the Warriors.

JENO (NCT DREAM)

NCT DREAM’s singer-dancer-rapper made stylish history in late 2022 when he opened Peter Do’s New York Fashion Week show, becoming the first K-pop star to do so.

RENJUN (NCT DREAM)

With training in ballet and contemporary dance, the NCT DREAM singer-dancer is well-loved among fans and friends, including many of his fellow SM Entertainment artists like WayV’s WINWIN and KEY from SHINee.

HAECHAN (NCT 127, NCT DREAM)

The power vocalist in both NCT 127 and NCT DREAM, HAECHAN brings the spirit of his idol, Michael Jackson, everywhere he goes — MJ has even been spotted as the wallpaper for HAECHAN’s phone.

MARK (NCT 127, NCT DREAM)

The Canadian rapper-dancer-singer-songwriter is so well loved as a member of NCT 127 and NCT DREAM that when he was announced to “graduate” DREAM upon growing out of his teens, the fan response was so strong that SM Entertainment brought him back to the group and set DREAM as a fixed, seven-member unit with MARK as its permanent leader.

JUNGWOO (NCT 127)

Image Credit: SM Entertainment

Two years after NCT 127 debuted, the singer-dancer joined the group in September 2018 as its new member and was quickly embraced among fans and the fashion world when he was named Italian brand Tod’s first male brand ambassador in Korea. JUNGWOO is also one of three members of the vocal-focused trio of NCT DOJAEJUNG.

JAEHUYN (NCT 127)

Splitting his childhood between South Korea and the U.S., JAEHUYN was one of the five NCT members to first introduce NCT with the 2016 single “The 7th Sense.” The smooth vocalist has released his own solo singles and is part of the vocally focused NCT trio NCT DOJAEJUNG.

DOYOUNG (NCT 127)

In addition to being one of NCT 127’s most stellar vocalists, as well as the leader of the vocal-focused trio of NCT DOJAEJUNG, DOYOUNG has expanded his career into acting and hosting.

YUTA (NCT 127)

Born in Osaka, Japan, YUTA has the distinction of being SM Entertainment’s first Japanese idol, with the dancer-singer-rapper helping NCT 127’s global appeal that’s included one LP and two EPs for the Japan market.

TAEYONG (NCT 127)

The centerpiece of NCT and NCT 127, TAEYONG not only acts as the leader and “face” of the boy band collective but was the first member to debut as a soloist with his SHALALA EP in 2023. Since co-writing NCT’s first-ever track in 2016’s “The 7th Sense,” his name has credits throughout the different NCT teams, SuperM and his solo work.

JOHNNY (NCT 127)

After training for eight years with SM Entertainment, the Chicago-born star watched several of his SM Entertainment friends debut in different groups but pushed on with his dream to eventually debut as a new member of NCT 127 in December 2016.

TAEIL (NCT 127)

The eldest member in the NCT collective, the Seoul-raised super singer of NCT 127 is inspired by soulful vocalists like Stevie Wonder, Kim Bum Soon, Bobby Kim and boy band SHINee.

NINGNING (aespa)

Image Credit: SM Entertainment

The China-born star may be the youngest member of aespa, but also possesses one of the group’s most powerful voices.

WINTER (aespa)

aespa’s powerhouse vocalist has become an in-demand collaborator, bringing her vocals to tracks with K-pop legends like TVXQ!’s MAX CHANGMIN and Girls’ Generation’s TAEYEON, as well as peers like Soyeon of (G)I-DLE and IVE’s Liz.

GISELLE (aespa)

Born in Seoul and pursuing her education overseas at places like the Tokyo International School, aespa’s fierce, main rapper speaks Korean, Japanese, English and some French.

KARINA (aespa)

The aespa leader is the group’s main dancer, whose striking visuals and tall proportions have named her the “face of the group” and its “center.”

Hong Eunchae (LE SSERAFIM)

Image Credit: SOURCE MUSIC

The youngest member of LE SSERAFIM has become popular among artists as the co-host of the weekly K-pop performance program Music Bank as well as her own variety show, Eunchae’s Star Diary, with Korean broadcast channel KBS and YouTube that has featured dozens of K-pop stars as guests.

Kazuha (LE SSERAFIM)

A professional ballerina who attended schools around the world and was training in the Netherlands before joining her girl group, Japan-born Kazuha is a singer and rapper nicknamed “LE SSERAFIM’s swan.”

Huh Yunjin (LE SSERAFIM)

Born in Seoul and raised in New York, Huh Yunjin also competed with future band mates Chaewon and Sakura on the Produce 48 singing competition that created the temporary girl group IZ*ONE, but did not make the final lineup. As the last member to be revealed from LE SSERAFIM, Yunjin frequently writes on LE SSERAFIM’s songs and her English-language solo tracks.

Sakura (LE SSERAFIM)

With her idol career beginning in 2011 in Japan, the eldest LE SSERAFIM member started as a member of the HKT48 and AKB48 Japanese girl groups before earning a spot in the temporary, television-created girl group IZ*ONE alongside Chaewon, before returning to Korea for LE SSERAFIM.

Kim Chaewon (LE SSERAFIM)

After originally being introduced to K-pop fans as one of 11 members in the temporary, television-created girl group IZ*ONE alongside Sakura, Kim Chaewon reinvented herself as the fearless leader of LE SSERAFIM and incorporated her now-signature bangs into her look.

Jisoo (BLACKPINK)

Image Credit: Courtesy of YG Entertainment

Before BLACKPINK, Jisoo was acting in K-pop music videos and appearing in commercial ads for years ahead of BLACKPINK’s debut in 2016. A singer and songwriter in BLACKPINK, Jisoo has expanded her career by acting in Korean dramas and via her ME solo album and its hit single “Flower” in 2023.

Lisa (BLACKPINK)

BLACKPINK’s Thai rapper-singer went two-for-two on the Hot 100 when she made her solo debut. Not only did the title track “Lalisa” to her debut album enter the Hot 100, but so did the B-side track “Money” less than two months later.

Rosé (BLACKPINK)

The New Zealand-born, Australia-raised power vocalist was the last member of BLACKPINK to be revealed but the first to enter the Billboard Hot 100 chart on her own with her solo single “On the Ground” in 2021.

Jennie (BLACKPINK)

Jennie earned her first Hot 100 hit in 2023 thanks to “One of the Girls” with The Weeknd and Lily-Rose Depp off the soundtrack to their HBO series The Idol. But the singer-rapper-songwriter has been making an impact for years by first acting in K-pop music videos starting in 2013 before she was the first BLACKPINK member revealed by YG Entertainment.

Jin (BTS)

Image Credit: BIG HIT

The eldest member of BTS, the singer-songwriter not only made his solo debut with the Hot 100 hit “The Astronaut” which was written alongside the members of Coldplay, but received a live premiere during the British band’s concert at a Buenos Aires stadium that was broadcast to more than 3,500 theaters worldwide in more than 70 countries.

J-Hope (BTS)

The rapper, singer, songwriter, dancer and producer famous for his warm smile was also the first BTS member to enter the Hot 100 with “Chicken Noodle Soup” featuring Becky G. He continued to impact with other collabs like “On the Street” with J. Cole and solo singles “More and “Arson.”

RM (BTS)

Known as the “genius leader” of BTS, RM has been incredibly important in leading his group to historic feats throughout their global takeover. He led the group in individual activities with his first mixtape RM, released in 2015, and his collaborations with artists like Warren G, Wale, Fall Out Boy, Lil Nas X and Anderson .Paak helping extend the group’s musical and cultural reach.

V (BTS)

Image Credit: Courtesy of BIGHIT Music

Influenced by the saxophone lessons he took as a kid, V’s debut solo project, Layover, was a jazz-inspired concept album that peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 and spurred two Hot 100 hits in “Love Me Again” and “Slow Dancing,” peaking at Nos. 79 and 51, respectively. He closed out 2023 by featuring on “Wherever U R” from Seattle singer-songwriter UMI in December.

Agust D (BTS)

Image Credit: Courtesy of BIGHIT MUSIC

One of the artistic aliases for Min Yoongi—better known to the world as SUGA of BTS—Agust D released his third musical project and first proper studio album with D-Day, which peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 and he credits with helping him overcome a musical slump he found himself in after reaching worldwide audiences collaborating and producing for a range of artists like Coldplay, PSY, Halsey, IU, MAX, Juice WRLD, ØMI and more.

Tzuyu (TWICE)

Image Credit: Courtesy of JYP Entertainment

The youngest member of TWICE secured her spot in the group after being voted the viewer’s choice in the survival show Sixteen that created TWICE. In 2023, Tzuyu became the most followed Taiwanese person on Instagram when she surpassed 10 million followers.

Chaeyoung (TWICE)

The rapper-singer was the first member of TWICE to receive writing credits on an album for contributing to a track on their sophomore EP Page Two and has continuously shown her skills, including revealing a new solo song, “My Guitar,” during their ongoing Ready to Be World Tour.

Dahyun (TWICE)

Alongside writing more than a dozen TWICE songs, the charming singer-songwriter is a global ambassador for Michael Kors and has represented the brand at events like New York Fashion Week.

Mina (TWICE)

In addition to being a vocalist and lyricist for TWICE’s Korean and Japanese material, the Japanese star’s international appeal secured her as a muse of Korean luxury fashion brand Metrocity and a global ambassador for Japanese cosmetic brand SK-II.

Sana (TWICE)

One of three Japanese members of TWICE, Sana cemented herself in K-pop fans’ hearts when her adorable pronunciation of the lyric “Shy shy shy” became “Sha sha sha” in TWICE’s 2016 single “Cheer Up,” going viral among listeners and fellow K-pop stars and remains today a crowd-favorite moment in any TWICE concert.

Momo (TWICE)

While Momo was originally eliminated from Sixteen, the 2015 reality show that created TWICE, the Japanese singer-rapper-dancer was brought back in the final episode by JYP Entertainment founder J.Y. Park to debut with TWICE.

Jeongyeon (TWICE)

Beyond being a key vocalist and lyricist for TWICE, Jeongyeon warmed global listeners last winter by releasing a solo holiday single, “O Christmas Tree,” exclusively for Apple Music in 2023.

Nayeon (TWICE)

The eldest TWICE member is known as the “face of the group” and was the first in the group to release a full solo project. Im Nayeon peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard 200, making her the first K-pop soloist to enter the top 10.

Jihyo (TWICE)

TWICE’s leader trained for 10 years before her debut with the girl group. And eight years after TWICE’s story began, the powerhouse vocal star made her solo debut with the Billboard 200–charting EP Zone.

Ni-ki (ENHYPEN)

Image Credit: BELIFT LAB

From Okayama, Japan, ENHYPEN’s youngest member is the group’s main dancer after years of training after he found inspiration in Michael Jackson performances as a toddler.

Jungwon (ENHYPEN)

Despite being the second-youngest member of ENHYPEN, Jungwon’s multifaceted skills and maturity—plus the fact that he earned the No. 1 ranking in the singing competition show that created ENHYPEN, I-Land—elevated him to be named the group’s leader.

Sunoo (ENHYPEN)

In the final episode of I-Land, the singing competition show that created ENHYPEN, the vocalist was the expert “Producer’s Choice” earning his spot in the boy band.

Sunghoon (ENHYPEN)

A competitive figure skater who represented South Korea in international competitions during his childhood, the star quickly impressed both fans and his fellow competitors on I-Land, the boy band competition show that created ENHYPEN, when he was voted the most visually appealing among all the contestants.

Jake (ENHYPEN)

Born in South Korea but raised in Australia since age nine, Jake boasts talents in singing and violin and dreams of collaborating with Drake and earning a No. 1 on the Billboard charts.

Jay (ENHYPEN)

Born in the U.S. but moving to Korea at age 9, Jay is known for being ENHYPEN’s “mood maker” and for his guitar skills that were on display during the FATE World Tour.

Heeseung (ENHYPEN)

Boasting perfect pitch, as well as songwriting and composing experience before his debut, the eldest ENHYPEN member spent more than three years training under BIGHIT MUSIC with fellow future stars like TOMORROW X TOGETHER.

Jongho (ATEEZ)

ATEEZ’s youngest member is also the group’s powerhouse, main vocalist, who’s contributed ballads to Korean drama soundtracks.

Wooyoung (ATEEZ)

With BTS as his favorite artist, the talented dancer was once even a trainee under the same label as BTS, but later joined as the eighth, and final, member to complete ATEEZ. His uniqueness within the group is highlighted by his sweet voice and typically featured during the signature “killing” parts in the group’s intense choreography.

Mingi (ATEEZ)

With his role models in Post Malone and Jay Park, Mingi acts as the group’s main rapper and dancer, as well as a significant lyricist.

San (ATEEZ)

As the first K-pop idol reportedly from the South Korean village of Namhae, San takes great pride in his hometown, the group’s performances, his physicality, and a 2021 collaboration with Pentatonix he recorded with Yunho and Jongho.

Yeosang (ATEEZ)

Before joining ATEEZ’s Korean label KQ Entertainment, Yeosang is said to have received offers from six different K-pop companies before the singer-rapper-dancer joined his eventual teammates.

Yunho (ATEEZ)

The main dancer in his group, Yunho has expanded into acting and hosting while always acting as ATEEZ’s “energizer.”

Seonghwa (ATEEZ)

Upon finding an early love of dance as a kid, the eldest ATEEZ member is known for his performance skills as well as his affectionate title as the “mom” of the boy band.

Hongjoong (ATEEZ)

Preferring to be called the “Captain” of ATEEZ instead of the traditional leader title, the rapper has always been heavily involved in the group’s songwriting and production as the first member of the group to join ATEEZ’s Korean agency, KQ Entertainment.

Dino (SEVENTEEN)

Image Credit: PLEDIS Entertainment

The youngest member of SEVENTEEN grew up with parents who are dancers, making his role as a main dancer in the team a natural fit. In 2023, Dino released his first official solo track “Wait.”

The8 (SEVENTEEN)

With mesmerizing dance moves and his unique sense of style, The8 cut his teeth b-boying in China as a kid and watched variety shows to build his dreams of superstardom. Like his SEVENTEEN band mate Jun, The8 also releases solo music in Korean and Chinese, and has appeared in multiple TV shows in China.

Jun (SEVENTEEN)

A child actor while growing up in China, his schoolmates’ love of K-pop led to his curiosity about the industry, fatefully leading him to be scouted to train and later debut in Korea with SEVENTEEN. Showing his international appeal, Jun has released solo tracks in Korean and Chinese, and returned to his acting roots in 2021 with the lead role in a Chinese web drama series.

Hoshi (SEVENTEEN)

A core choreographer in SEVENTEEN’s intricate stage performances, Hoshi is the natural leader of the group’s dance-focused Performance Unit that includes Jun, The8 and Dino. With the release of his “mixtape” track “Spider” in 2021, Hoshi kicked off SEVENTEEN’s ongoing ‘The Thirteen Tapes’ series, featuring the 13 group members releasing solo tracks.

Seungkwan (SEVENTEEN)

Seungkwan is the youngest member of SEVENTEEN’s Vocal Team alongside Woozi, Jeonghan, Joshua and DK, as well as the BSS splinter group, with the singer’s soulful range and infectious energy palpable every time he hits the stage.

DK (SEVENTEEN)

As both a main vocalist and well regarded as one of the funniest members in SEVENTEEN, DK is not only a core member of the Vocal Team but is also the leader of SEVENTEEN’s first official sub-unit, the lively trio of BSS with Seungkwan and Hoshi.

Joshua (SEVENTEEN)

Born and raised in Los Angeles, the vocalist has played an important part in helping SEVENTEEN break into countries like the U.S. thanks to his charismatic personality and collaborations with artists like New Kids on the Block and Pink Sweat$.

Jeonghan (SEVENTEEN)

Taken from his Oct. 4 birthday, Jeonghan nicknamed himself “Angel” for his 10/04 birth date since the pronunciation of “1004” in Korean sounds similar to the Korean word for angel (천사 or cheonsa). With his angelic vocals and ethereal visuals, the nickname certainly fits SEVENTEEN’s charming vocalist.

Woozi (SEVENTEEN)

The main producer behind SEVENTEEN’s music, Woozi has been long dedicated to the arts since studying classical music as a child. His exceptional songwriting and production skills have not only brought SEVENTEEN chart-topping success and made him the designated leader of the group’s Vocal Team, but Woozi has creatively contributed to many solo tracks for his members and songs for artist friends like Ailee, Baekho, fromis_9 and I.O.I.

Vernon (SEVENTEEN)

Born in New York, the Korean-American rapper’s lyrical prowess, stage presence, and international appeal have allowed him to spread SEVENTEEN’s name through collaborations with artists like Charli XCX, Drunken Tiger, Rina Sawayama, and Tobi Lou while also being named the first global ambassador for French luxury house Kenzo.

Mingyu (SEVENTEEN)

While he visually stands out as the tallest member of the 13-member group, Mingyu also shines thanks to his impressive rap flow and top-notch visuals. In 2021, he teamed up with Wonwoo to release a duo single, “Bittersweet,” featuring R&B-pop vocalist LeeHi.

Wonwoo (SEVENTEEN)

With a dream of becoming a performer birthed from watching TV, Wonwoo originally trained as a singer before those around him told him his voice suited rapping and since shifted his focus to become an integral member of SEVENTEEN’s Hip-Hop Team.

S.Coups (SEVENTEEN)

With a stage name that combines his birth name, Seungcheol, and the phrase “Coup d’état,” S.Coups looked up to top leaders in K-pop history like TVXQ!’s U-Know, BIGBANG’s G-Dragon and Zico of Block B to lead SEVENTEEN to mega-selling history as a self-producing group in charge of their career trajectory. As the leader of SEVENTEEN overall, the rapper-songwriter is also the leader of the group’s Hip-Hop Team, which includes Wonwoo, Mingyu and Vernon.

Jimin (BTS)

Image Credit: Courtesy of BIGHIT MUSIC

While BTS was the first K-pop act to score the long-awaited No. 1 on the Hot 100, it was Jimin who was the first artist to top the chart solo. 2023 was a major year for the superstar singer-dancer-songwriter as he collected Hot 100 entries like “Vibe” with Taeyang (which peaked at No. 76) and “Set Me Free Pt. 2” (No. 30), all leading up to his focused solo track “Like Crazy,” which ultimately debuted atop the chart dated April 8, 2023, in a historic first for South Korean artists. His first solo album Face peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard 200, and he later earned one more entry on the Hot 100 with the Fast X soundtrack single “Angel Pt. 1” alongside Kodak Black, NLE Choppa, JVKE and Muni Long.

Huening Kai (TOMORROW X TOGETHER)

Image Credit: Courtesy of BIGHIT MUSIC

With a chilldhood that included time living in Korea, China and the U.S., the Hawaii-born Huening Kai was the first foreigner to debut under BIGHIT MUSIC as well as the first TOMORROW X TOGETHER member to earn a songwriting credit when he co-wrote the track “Roller Coaster” off the band’s sophomore EP, The Dream Chapter: Magic.

Taehyun (TOMORROW X TOGETHER)

With TXT’s sound ranging from synth-pop to punk rock, Taehyun can captivate listeners with his diverse palette of vocal colors to effortlessly blend various musical styles and resonate with fans globally, undoubtedly helping the group score its first No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 in 2023 with The Name Chapter: TEMPTATION.

Beomgyu (TOMORROW X TOGETHER)

A proud member of the BTS ARMY, the singer-dancer followed in the footsteps of his idols when TOMORROW X TOGETHER debuted as the second-ever boy group under their BIGHIT MUSIC label. Beomgyu has even admitted his heart beats fast when he runs into the BTS members at his company despite establishing himself as an international sensational all his own with TXT.

Soobin (TOMORROW X TOGETHER)

With his natural leadership skills and striking visuals, Soobin has earned various nicknames from the Korean media like “prince,” “sunshine” and “flower boy” speaking to a shining personality inside and out.

Yeonjun (TOMORROW X TOGETHER)

As the first member revealed in TOMORROW X TOGETHER’S highly anticipated debut, Yeonjun greeted the world through his “Introduction Video” that earned more than one million views in under 24 hours, leading his name to trend on social media in minutes. The rapper-dancer-singer has more than lived up to the hype as a celebrated “It Boy” in the K-pop scene and on-air television host.

Hyein (NewJeans)

Image Credit: Courtesy of HYBE

As NewJeans made history as the quickest K-pop girl group to top the Billboard 200 when their Get Up EP debuted at No. 1 in August, youngest member Hyein is also making quick firsts for the quintet as the first NWJNS member to feature on another artist’s album (on “Shh..” off IU’s The Winning EP from February 2024) and landing a brand ambassadorship for Louis Vuitton at age 14.

Haerin (NewJeans)

The Pyeongchon-born star has bad a lifelong love of listening and discovering new music, and showed off her songwriting chops by co-writing the group’s anthemic introduction “New Jeans” off their Billboard 200 No. 1 album, Get Up.

Danielle (NewJeans)

Born to an Australian father and a South Korean mother, Danielle and her family lived in both countries before the future star returned to South Korea to join HYBE. Beyond singing and dancing, Danielle’s songwriting skills were on display from NewJeans’ very beginning as a co-writer on their surprise debut single “Attention.” Danielle has continued co-writing several more NewJeans tracks and, in 2023, voiced the Korean dub for The Little Mermaid live-action remake and released her take on “Part of Your World” for its accompanying soundtrack.

Hanni (NewJeans)

The Vietnamese-Australian star infused her life with music from a young age, learning to play the ukulele and performing in Melbourne as a part of K-pop cover dance crew. Somewhat appropriately, Hanni first entered K-pop fans’ radars for her cameo in BTS’ “Permission to Dance” music video with future bandmate Minji ahead of NewJeans’ debut a year later. Speaking Korean, Vietnamese and English, Hanni helps NewJeans reach many fans worldwide and has co-written some of their signature singles like “Hype Boy” and “OMG.”

Minji (NewJeans)

While NewJeans does not have designated positions in their group, Minji’s striking rap style, commanding deep voice, and eldest age makes her the presumptive leader in NewJeans’ rapid international takeover — which included the 2023 Billboard Music Award win for Top Global K-Pop Artist. With time spent in Canada to perfect her English during childhood, the Korean starlet first caught fans’ eyes with a cameo in BTS’ “Permission to Dance” music video in 2021 with future bandmate Hanni and has since gone on to snag co-writing credits for NewJeans’ Hot 100 hit “Ditto.”

FIFTY FIFTY

Image Credit: ATTRAKT Creative Content Group

In one of 2023’s most pleasantly unexpected viral hits, FIFTY FIFTY broke out among the slew of new K-pop acts with their sophomore single “Cupid,” which peaked at No. 17 on the Hot 100 and spent 25 total weeks on the chart. Initially released in both Korean and English versions for maximum reach to K-pop’s international audience, the song was also bolstered by sped-up and slowed-down versions, as well as a remix featuring Sabrina Carpenter.

While FIFTY FIFTY earned their chart points with the music they recorded as a quartet, today, Keena is the group’s only member.

I.N (Stray Kids)

Image Credit: JYP Entertainment

With a fondness for singers like Charlie Puth and his role model Bruno Mars, Stray Kids’ youngest member—who is known as the maknae, which means youngest of a group in Korean— has shown his dedication to the group by consistently stepping up as a lead vocalist, making his solo track “Maknae on Top” all the more perfect of a name.

Seungmin (Stray Kids)

With dreams of being a baseball player as a kid, an injury forced Seungmin to rethink his life path and realize his love of music. While perhaps an unexpected change up to a young Seungmin, he now easily takes on the role of Stray Kids’ main vocalist and has recorded several impressive tracks on his own for Korean-drama soundtracks.

Felix (Stray Kids)

Felix’s low-timbre voice is a hallmark in any Stray Kids song across their four No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200 to date, and the Australian star also helps the group’s name grow with his ability to easily reach fans overseas. He’s also made an impact in the fashion world with Louis Vuitton’s artistic director of women’s collections Nicolas Ghesquière telling WWD, “I discovered Felix when I presented my pre-fall collection in Seoul. It instantly clicked between us. He is really talented. I love his energy, his unique personality and his audacious sense of style” before he was named a house ambassador for the luxury brand.

Han (Stray Kids)

Perhaps one of K-pop’s best examples of an “all-rounder,” Han may be best known for his rap skills, but he’s equally impressive with his vocal ability, songwriting, and production skills. In 2023, he was reported as the youngest K-pop idol honored with a full membership to the Korea Music Copyright Association, which requires a certain amount of time in the industry, profit generated from music, and approval from a board of directors.

Hyunjin (Stray Kids)

With passions across multiple disciplines like dance, art and photography, Hyunjin’s multifaceted appeal in Stray Kids landed him on the remix of Troye Sivan’s Hot 100 hit “Rush” and saw Donatella Versace deem him “one of the new voices defining culture around the world” after he was named a global brand ambassador for Versace.

Changbin (Stray Kids)

After discovering the undeniable allure of rapping and dancing for an audience during school festivals, Changbin has gone on to be a core rapper, songwriter, and producer for Stray Kids, as well as one of the fastest rappers in the K-pop industry.

Lee Know (Stray Kids)

With his career starting in dance crews, befriending choreographers, and even time as a backup dancer for K-pop icons BTS, Lee Know caught the eye of JYP Entertainment scouts and was accepted into training years after his initial audition. Despite a shorter training period than his future band mates, Lee Know secured himself a spot in the group during the Stray Kids reality program, where all the band’s future members competed to prove they could debut as part of a future K-pop team.

Bang Chan (Stray Kids)

Born in South Korea but raised in Sydney from a young age, there would be no Stray Kids if there was no Bang Chan — the group’s leader personally picked the members who would eventually be a part of Stray Kids. Beyond conceptualizing the team, he’s also one of its most heavily involved songwriters and producers playing a crucial role in landing the group four No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200 to date, including two chart-toppers in 2023 with 5-STAR and ROCK-STAR, as well as co-producing and writing SKZ’s first-ever Hot 100 entry “LALALALA” last year.

Jung Kook (BTS)

Image Credit: Courtesy of BIGHIT MUSIC

In 2023, Jung Kook truly embraced his nickname as BTS’ “golden” star.

His official debut solo single “Seven” featuring Latto not only debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, but spent seven weeks atop the Billboard Global 200, was the No. 1 Global Song of the Summer, and won Top Global K-Pop Song at the Billboard Music Awards. Jung Kook continued his dominance with a range of hit Hot 100 collaborations including the top five smash “3D” featuring Jack Harlow—that eventually got remixed by Justin Timberlake—and “Too Much” with The Kid LAROI and Central Cee.

But Jung Kook proved he truly arrived when his December solo album, appropriately titled Golden, launched at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 with the largest sales week ever for a K-pop solo act (210,200 equivalent-unit albums for the chart week dated Nov. 18, 2023) while his solo track “Standing Next to You” looks like it could mark his longest-running Hot 100 hit yet with 16 consecutive weeks running on the tally — so far — landing him No. 1 across this list that considers activity on the Billboard 200, Hot 100 and Billboard Boxscore touring data for this past year.